Columbo: A Bird in the Hand

TV Movie
1992
TV-PG
1h 38m

IMDb RATING

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Peter Falk in Columbo: A Bird in the Hand (1992)

Cop Drama Police Procedural Crime Drama Mystery Sport

After his request for money is refused, the nephew of a wealthy football team owner plants a bomb in his car, but the uncle dies from a hit-and-run accident instead, while the car bomb kills... Read allAfter his request for money is refused, the nephew of a wealthy football team owner plants a bomb in his car, but the uncle dies from a hit-and-run accident instead, while the car bomb kills the gardener. Columbo is on the case.After his request for money is refused, the nephew of a wealthy football team owner plants a bomb in his car, but the uncle dies from a hit-and-run accident instead, while the car bomb kills the gardener. Columbo is on the case.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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Featured reviews

7bkoganbing

Just one more murder

Three different killings happen during the course of this Columbo story. Just as Peter Falk and the rest of the LAPD starts on one, another occurs.

The first is that of Steve Forrest multi-millionaire owner of a football team whose death would solve the problems of his wastrel nephew Greg Evigan. He's run down while jogging on his block in fashionable Beverly Hills. Looks very much like a hit and run, but of course Falk holds out for a bigger story.

While trying to get that gardener Leon Singer is blown up along with the late Mr. Forrest's car after Columbo asks him to move it. There's a very funny scene while Columbo is at an auto dealer's shop trying to simulate how a bomb would be placed. Just doing that action yields him a valuable clue.

Finally Evigan himself is shot to death and at that point it all falls in place after Falk traces his movements the 24 hours before he's killed.

Tyne Daly is in the cast as a most needy wife and one who has every indication of charting her own course when she's a widow.

Lots of twists in this Columbo tale, more than usual still great viewing.

7Sylviastel

Just a typical Columbo!

Of course, I love Columbo. I must have seen this episode a few times whether on network or cable television. It is still worth watching. You have to love watching Peter Falk. Of course in the real world, murderers are not that smart as they appear on Columbo. But this is fiction and a detective show, the criminals are more than cardboard characters. This film is quite a mystery and I do miss Columbo episodes even the newer episodes today. Tyne Daly is one of America's best recognized actresses. I have seen Tyne on Broadway in Gypsy and she is still one of the hardest working actresses today whether film, television or stage. Tyne plays against type in this film and I won't spoil the plot for anybody. I love Greg Evigan and I'm from his hometown so I'm a little biased toward him. Of course, the episode could have been better but I still love Columbo and I always will have a soft spot in my heart for him. He reminds me of my own father in some ways.

8blanche-2

A slightly different Columbo that doesn't follow the pattern

"A Bird in the Hand" from 1992 is a terrific late episode of "Columbo," but it doesn't follow the formula.

Greg Evigan plays Harold McCain, the gambling nephew of Big Fred (Steve Forrest), the owner of a football team. In trouble with mobsters, Harold realizes he doesn't have much hope of getting money from his uncle; however, since he's been romancing his alcoholic aunt by marriage (Tyne Daly), she might be good for it. He devises a pipe bomb to place under his uncle's Rolls.

This episode has a couple of major twists. Just don't think about the denouement. I can't say much else without involving a spoiler, but having dealt with dead weight myself, what is described would involve two people huffing and puffing.

The acting is terrific from everyone involved, with one unsung hero - G.F. Smith, the salesman in the Rolls Royce showroom where Columbo goes to figure out how the bomb was planted. The look on his face when Columbo unfolds a sheet of paper and starts talking about "the bomb" is priceless, as are his efforts to get Columbo out of the showroom to perhaps investigate more privately. A brilliant scene.

Very entertaining, right down to the beautiful rendition of Rags to Riches by a young Tony Bennett.

8scottschada@yahoo.com

A Good Outing Among the "New" Columbos

This episode sticks more to the traditional formula, although it does not feature enough of the expected "cat and mouse" Columbo/murderer fun. I suppose that is the main failing for Columbo fans. However, it is well done, on all levels, without the goofy plot or setting of some other of the final episodes. Tyne Daly is great, as expected (she plays an enebriated but happy woman very well) and Greg Evigan also does a creditable job. Very entertaining overall.

8garrard

Tyne Daly steals every scene in which she appears

Emmy winner Tyne Daly guest stars as the boozy wife of Steve Forrest, the rich owner of a floundering football team. Greg Evigan plays Forrest's nephew, a gambler that has bet against the team in a pivotal game. Evigan's character is also having a secret affair with Daly. Unfortunately, for Evigan, a last ditch effort by the often-injured quarterback secures the team a playoff berth, ruining Evigan's plans to clean up. Thus, he plans to do away with "Big Fred" (Forrest), hoping that his uncle's demise will improve his chances of paying off his debts and solidify his relationship with Daly.

Unlike other "Columbo" films, this one has a few more twists and turns, making it engaging all the way through until the denouement. Falk, as usual, is excellent with his befuddled manner, shabby outfit, and "Oh, just one more thing..." delivery.

Dick Benedictus delivers another masterful score.

Another highlight is an impressive explosion midway during the film.

Storyline

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Trivia
The football footage, which shows two mock American football teams, is excerpted from an actual Canadian Football League game shot in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Edmonton Eskimos.

Goofs
Tyne Daly's "Southern accent" comes and goes throughout the episode.

Quotes
Harold McCain: Hey, why would you need me at all? Your job here is to keep people away, isn't it?
Columbo: Oh, the traffic boys, they handle that. No, sir, I'm just waiting for more of my crew. Look at that. Even the tires are custom. Oh, I don't mind admitting, sir, this buggy sure caught my eye. See, I got a foreign car, too. It's French. I don't know if you noticed it. It's parked down there in the street?
Harold McCain: No, I didn't.
Columbo: Oh.
Harold McCain: What is your job, Lieutenant?
Columbo: Homicide.
Harold McCain: On a hit-and-run case?
Columbo: Oh, don't let that worry you, sir. And particularly not Mrs. McCain. But the violent death of anyone as well-known as Big Fred, we gotta look into it, just to make double-triple sure, that's all. Besides, our chief... he's the biggest Stallions fan in Los Angeles, if you understand what I'm saying.
Harold McCain: I guess so.
Columbo: Yeah.
Harold McCain: [a police car approaches] That's your crew now, right?
Columbo: No, no, no, no. That's the accident detail. There must be a dozen of 'em in the neighborhood by now. But, you know, I was just thinking. When the people start trampling around here...
[opens the door to Big Fred's car]
Columbo: ... we don't want 'em poking into this. There's gotta be some button you can push to lock the doors.
Harold McCain: Yeah, that's a good idea. Yeah, this was Uncle Fred's pride and joy.
Columbo: Yeah. And if we have to move it, I'm sure we can find a key.