"Columbo" Suitable for Framing (1971)

Director:

Hy Averback

Writers:

Jackson Gillis (written by)
Richard Levinson (creator) ...

TV Series:

"Columbo" (1971)

Original Air Date:

17 November 1971 (Season 1, Episode 4)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Noted art critic Dale Kingston kills his uncle for his valuable collection of paintings. Despite Columbo's suspicions, all the clues point to the dead man's ex-wife. Can the lieutenant reveal the true culprit before it is too late?

Plot Keywords:

Art Critic | Ex Wife | Murder | Painting | Murder Investigation

Cast

Peter Falk	...	Columbo
Ross Martin	...	Dale Kingston
Don Ameche	...	Frank Simpson
Kim Hunter	...	Edna Matthews
Rosanna Huffman	...	Tracy O'Connor
Joan Shawlee	...	Mitilda
Barney Phillips	...	Captain Tyler
Mary Wickes	...	Landlady
Vic Tayback	...	Sam Franklin
Sandra Gould	...	Matron
Curt Conway	...	Evans
Claude Johnson	...	Policeman
Dennis Rucker	...	Parking Boy (Joe)

Runtime:

USA:72 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-7 (2004) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Universal TV

Goofs:

Continuity: Dale removes several paintings from the wall. Then, when Tracy enters, we see her admire the paintings still on the wall, including two of the painting that Dale had taken down already. These two paintings not only have jumped back onto the wall, they also mended themselves where Dale had sliced them with a knife.

Quotes:

Mitilda: [Columbo comes to the gallery to question Sam Franklin, who's painting in the next room] Sam? This is the policeman who phoned. Is it all right?
Sam Franklin: [wearily] Eh,bring him in. They interrupted Rembrandt. Why shouldn't they interrupt me?

Soundtrack:

Etude in E major op. 10 No. 3

Good start for the 70's supersleuth

This is one of the first in the series and also one of the best. The clever storyline revolves around an acclaimed art critic who murders his wealthy relative in order to get at the inheritance. This episode sets the central theme for the whole of the series. All of Columbo's suspects appear to be members of high society and own plush apartments or large modern houses.

One of the things that attracts me to early Columbo's is how amusingly dated they now appear. In this episode the first thing you notice is the dreadful crushed velvet dinner-jacket and huge bow tie that the central character, Dale Kingston, wears. Later, he goes to a chitzy art exhibition where lots of art luvee's wearing silk neck-ties reside. In every scene, you hear a never-ending bossa-nova tune in the background as Kingston makes cutting remarks and jokes with artists. The cars people drive are ridiculously huge with ultra springy suspension. After all this is 1971, when flares were just starting to become wider and cars were pre-emissions. There are interesting appearances by Don Ameche and Kim Hunter, the latter will be best remembered for being a monkey in the Planet of the Apes series. If you like Columbo and like to see how tasteless wealthy Americans were back then, watch it.