"Columbo" Murder by the Book (1971)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writers:

Steven Bochco (written by)
Richard Levinson (creator) ...
(more)

TV Series:

"Columbo" (1971)

Original Air Date:

15 September 1971 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Ken Franklin is a rich socialite living in a luxurious coastal mansion bought from his years of writing crime and mystery books...

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Book | Police Lieutenant | Police | Insurance Policy

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Peter Falk	...	Columbo
Jack Cassidy	...	Ken Franklin
Rosemary Forsyth	...	Joanna Ferris
Martin Milner	...	Jim Ferris
Barbara Colby	...	Lilly La Sanka
Lynette Mettey	...	Gloria Jr. (as Lynnette Mettey)
Bernie Kuby	...	Mike Tucker
Hoke Howell	...	Sergeant
Marcia Wallace	...	Woman (credit only)
Haven Earle Haley	...	2nd Reporter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Anitra Ford	...	Woman at Theater (uncredited)

Directed by
Steven Spielberg

Writing credits
Steven Bochco		(written by)
Richard Levinson		(creator) &
William Link		(creator)

Produced by
Richard Levinson	....	producer
William Link	....	producer
Robert F. O'Neill	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Billy Goldenberg

Cinematography by
Russell Metty		(director of photography) (as Russell L. Metty)

Film Editing by
John Kaufman		(as John Kaufman, Jr.)

Art Direction by
Archie J. Bacon		(as Arch Bacon)

Set Decoration by
Richard Friedman

Production Management
Henry Kline	....	unit manager
Henry Kline	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ralph Ferrin	....	assistant director

Sound Department
David H. Moriarty	....	sound

Stunts
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Burton Miller	....	costumes

Editorial Department
Richard Belding	....	editorial supervisor
Steve Johnson	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Henry Mancini	....	composer: theme
James D. Young	....	music editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Steven Bochco	....	story editor
Attila De Lado	....	main title design (as Attila de Lado)

Production Companies

• Universal TV

Distributors

• DeAgostini Japan (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1971) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• TV2 (2005) (Hungary) (TV)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2004) (Finland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Universal City Studios  copyright 1971 (as Universal City Studios, Inc.)
• Universal Title  titles & optical effects

Runtime:

73 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-7 (2004) | Denmark:11 (2004) | Norway:15 (2004) | Sweden:15 (2004)

Filming Locations:

9000 West Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, California, USA

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

Marcia Wallace receives a credit for this episode but does not appear in it. She appears in "Columbo: Lady in Waiting (#1.5)" (1971) as a spectator at the inquest, but receives no on-screen credit.

Goofs:

Continuity: Lilly La Sanka dips strawberries in sugar and eats them, while talking to Ken Franklin. In a shot looking toward Franklin, we see that Lilly is holding an entire strawberry, still coated with sugar at the tip. A moment later (and also in the previous shot), before she can take a bite, we see that Lilly's strawberry is half-devoured.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Jim works in his office]
Jim Ferris: [knock on the door] Who is it?
[another knock on the door]
Jim Ferris: [He opens the door - Ken is aiming a gun at his face. Jim laughs]
Ken Franklin: Oh, you're not intimidated.
Jim Ferris: Oh, come on, Ken. You're forgetting that I'm one-half of the world's greatest mystery-writing team? You, ah, don't have gloves on, your finger's not on the trigger, and there are no bullets in the cylinder.
Ken Franklin: [smiling] You're right. I'm a lousy practical joker.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Office: Work Experience (#1.2)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Love Theme from 'Red Sky At Morning'

Showed promise at an early stage - especially for the director.

Originally, this TV movie was only a curiosity to me. I purchased the video and found myself captivated to the brilliant plot written for TV by the then unknown Steven Bochco.

Even though the story does not stand to too much examining, as you know from the start who the murderer is and, because it IS an episode of "Columbo", you also know who will win in the end, it still is a very enjoyable movie with a stunning cast.

Early in his career, you can still tell who is directing just by the sheer artistry of the camera angles and placement of actors and props. Steven Spielberg's fingerprints are all over this movie, using techniques that he still uses today in his most recent movies.

I recommend that you watch it, just out of curiosity.