Columbo: Inculpé de meurtre

Original title: Prescription: Murder

TV Movie
1968
TV-PG
1h 40m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

A psychiatrist uses a patient he is having an affair with to help him kill his wife, but his perfect alibi may come apart at the hands of a seemingly befuddled LAPD lieutenant.A psychiatrist uses a patient he is having an affair with to help him kill his wife, but his perfect alibi may come apart at the hands of a seemingly befuddled LAPD lieutenant.A psychiatrist uses a patient he is having an affair with to help him kill his wife, but his perfect alibi may come apart at the hands of a seemingly befuddled LAPD lieutenant.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.9/10

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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Top cast22

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Peter Falk

Lt. Columbo

Gene Barry

Dr. Ray Flemming

Katherine Justice

Joan Hudson

William Windom

Burt Gordon

Nina Foch

Carol Flemming

Virginia Gregg

Miss Petrie

Andrea King

Cynthia Gordon

Susanne Benton

The Blonde

Ena Hartman

Nurse

Sherry Boucher

Air Hostess

Anthony James

Tommy

Frank Baker

Man in Park
(uncredited)

Michelle Breeze

Party Guest
(uncredited)

Jim Creech

Policeman in Hospital
(uncredited)

Ed Haskett

Party Guest
(uncredited)

Robert Hitchcock

Pilot
(uncredited)

Clark Howat

Doctor
(uncredited)

Jeff Lawrence

Party Guest
(uncredited)

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Columbo establishes two of his most famous trademarks by needing to borrow a pencil and, just before leaving the psychiatrist's office, by saying, "There's one more thing . . . ".

Goofs
The outline of Carol Flemming's 'body' is on the floor, but since she survived the attack and died later in the hospital, (unless that was a ruse to trip-up the suspect) there would not have been a reason to mark off where the first responders found her, since injured people are removed and transported quickly to save their lives, and not subject to being traced before they are moved. Additionally, the location of the tape was not a match to where she was initially on the floor.

Quotes
Lt. Columbo: But one thing bothers me, Doctor. This man that we're talking about has taken a human life. Now wouldn't you say that he was insane?
Dr. Ray Flemming: Why? Because he committed an immoral act? Morals are conditioned, Lieutenant. They're relative, like everything else is today. Our murderer may be as sane as you and me. Killing may be repugnant to him, but if it's his only solution, he uses it. That pragmatism, my friend, not insanity.
Lt. Columbo: Tell me, Doctor, how do you catch a man like that?
Dr. Ray Flemming: You don't.
Lt. Columbo: You're probably right. He sounds just too clever for us. What I mean is, you know, cops, we're not the brightest guys in the world. Of course, we got one thing going for us: we're professionals. I mean, you take our friend here, the murderer. He's very smart, but he's an amateur. I mean, he's got just one time to learn. Just one. And with us, well, with us, it's - it's a business. You see, we do this a hundred times a year. I'll tell ya, Doc. That's a lot of practice.

Crazy credits
The beginning credits feature a series of brightly colored animated splotches. The splotches were meant to resemble the ink blots used in a Rorschach test, as the villain in this movie was a psychiatrist.

Connections
Featured in Peter Falk versus Columbo (2019)

User reviews65

Featured review

8/10

Columbo...#1.

If you look up "Columbo" on IMDB, this episode isn't listed. Instead, it's listed as a separate movie. Regardless, "Prescription: Murder" is the first appearance of Lieutenant Columbo.

The first 35-40 minutes are all things leading up to a murder as well as working to conceal it. Columbo himself doesn't make an appearance until later.

Dr. Flemming (Gene Barry) is NOT a particularly nice psychiatrist. It seems he's been cheating on his rich wife and is tired of the pretense. So instead, he murders his wife in an elaborate way and uses his lover as an alibi. However, despite the crime appearing like a simple case of a robber killing a surprised housewife, Columbo isn't convinced and seems to think through most of the film that Dr. Flemming was responsible. The problem is that Flemming is a cool customer...and getting him to confess isn't going to happen. So how will Columbo manage to prove that the grieving husband is, in fact, a cold-blooded killer?

This is a very good beginning for the series. The writing is very good and how Columbo tricks Flemming is pretty cool. Overall, well worth seeing--particularly if you love murder mysteries.