"Columbo" The Greenhouse Jungle (1972)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Boris Sagal

Writers:

Jonathan Latimer (written by)
Richard Levinson (creator) ...
(more)

TV Series:

"Columbo" (1971)

Original Air Date:

15 October 1972 (Season 2, Episode 2)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Columbo arrives at a kidnapping case, which at some point turns into a murder. Everything seems to be related to a trust fund, that is being managed by a man with a great love for orchids.

Plot Keywords:

Kidnapping | Orchid | Murder | Mistress | Criminal Investigation

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Peter Falk	...	Columbo
Ray Milland	...	Jarvis Goodland
Bob Dishy	...	Sergeant Frederic Wilson
Sandra Smith	...	Cathy Goodland
Bradford Dillman	...	Tony Goodland
William Smith	...	Nichols
Arlene Martel	...	Gloria
Robert Karnes	...	Grover
Milton Frome	...	Driver
Peggy Mondo	...	Woman
Richard Annis	...	Officer
Larry Watson	...	Sound Man

Directed by
Boris Sagal

Writing credits
Jonathan Latimer		(written by)
Richard Levinson		(creator) &
William Link		(creator)

Produced by
Edward K. Dodds	....	associate producer
Dean Hargrove	....	producer

Original Music by
Oliver Nelson

Cinematography by
Harry L. Wolf		(director of photography) (as Harry Wolf)

Film Editing by
Sam E. Waxman

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

Set Decoration by
John McCarthy Jr.		(as John McCarthy)

Production Management
Henry Kline	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Foster H. Phinney	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Edwin S. Hall	....	sound

Stunts
Jesse Wayne	....	stunt double: Bradford Dillman in car chase (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Grady Hunt	....	costumes

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

Music Department
Henry Mancini	....	composer: theme "Sunday Mystery Movie"
Hal Mooney	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer: main titles
Jackson Gillis	....	executive story consultant

Production Companies

• Universal TV

Distributors

• MCA-TV (1972) (worldwide) (TV)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2005) (Finland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Universal Title  titles & optical effects

Runtime:

USA:73 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-7 (2005)

Filming Locations:

Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal TV

Goofs:

Continuity: When Cathy Goodland gets the telephone call from "kidnapper" Jarvis Goodland, we see that the bedside photo of her husband is turned toward her, on the nightstand. Only its edge is visible, propped against the clock-radio. Cathy gets up to find that her husband is indeed missing. When she returns to her bedroom, the camera pans across her nightstand to show that the photo of Tony is now turned around 90 degrees, facing toward the camera. Also, the photo has moved over to the far side of the clock-radio.

Movie Connections:

Follows "Columbo: Étude in Black (#2.1)" (1972)

Reasonably originally-plotted and above-average entry in the series

Stemming from an enjoyably sarcastic, no-nonsense characterisation and a hammy performance from Ray Milland as the murderer and a plot which is reasonably fresh and original, this second season episode is deceptively entertaining.

Perhaps there is too much focus on the secondary characters, especially Sergeant Wilson (who is assigned to the case to help Columbo and who would make a further appearance in the series some 4 years later in "Now you see Him"), but it is not burdensome in the extreme and there are some typically choice moments of humour - nb: Columbo's fall after trying to negotiate his way down a steep hill.

Certainly not as intelligently conceived and executed as the vintage episodes in the series; the pacing is more playful than frenetic and the scenes between Falk and Milland are too few and far between. Nonetheless, above-average stuff and pleasing viewing.