"Columbo" Lovely But Lethal (1973)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Jeannot Szwarc

Writers:

Jackson Gillis (teleplay)
Myrna Bercovici (story)
(more)

TV Series:

"Columbo" (1971)

Original Air Date:

23 September 1973 (Season 3, Episode 1)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

The formula for a miracle wrinkle cream leads the founder of a cosmetics company to murder. Lt. Columbo is on the case.

Plot Keywords:

Cosmetics | Blackmail | Murder | Murder Investigation | Poison

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Peter Falk	...	Columbo
Vera Miles	...	Viveca Scott
Martin Sheen	...	Karl Lessing
Sian Barbara Allen	...	Shirley Blaine
Vincent Price	...	David Lang
Gino Conforti	...	Ferdy
Colby Chester	...	Jerry
Fred Draper	...	Dr. Murchison
Bruce Kirby	...	Lab Attendant
John Finnegan	...	Sergeant
Richard Stahl	...	Burton (as Dick Stahl)
Marc Hannibal	...	Fingerprint Man
David Toma	...	Policeman
Layne Mathess	...	Fashion moderator (as Layne Matthess)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dianne Turley Travis	...	Blonde Instructor (uncredited)

Directed by
Jeannot Szwarc

Writing credits
Jackson Gillis		(teleplay)
Myrna Bercovici		(story)
Richard Levinson		(creator) &
William Link		(creator)

Produced by
Douglas Benton	....	producer
Robert F. O'Neill	....	associate producer
Richard Levinson	....	producer (uncredited)
William Link	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Dick DeBenedictis		(as Dick De Benedictis)

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

Film Editing by
Larry Lester

Art Direction by
Lloyd S. Papez		(as Loyd S. Papez)

Set Decoration by
George Gaines

Production Management
Kenny Williams	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Doran	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Terry Kellum	....	sound

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Grady Hunt	....	costumes

Editorial Department
Richard Belding	....	editorial supervisor
Steve Johnson	....	colorist

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

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Richard Levinson		creator
William Link		creator

Production Companies

• Universal TV

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1973) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Viasat3 (2008) (Hungary) (TV) (re-release)

Other Companies

• Saks Fifth Avenue  wardrobe furnished by
• 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-18 (2005) (DVD) (self applied) | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

In the third scene of the movie, we get to see excerpts from a vintage Universal musical. Actually, these selections have been taken from When Willie Comes Marching Home (1950), in which Vera Miles made her first movie appearance.

Goofs:

Continuity: Safe door is already open before she turns the dial to unlock it.

Quotes:

Viveca Scott: [to a competitor in the cosmetics business] Mr. Lang, why don't you just go gobble up a pill company?

Movie Connections:

Followed by "Columbo: A Case of Immunity (#5.2)" (1975)

Lovely but Lethal is Classic!

My biggest complaint is that we don't see much of Vera Miles anymore acting wise. She really holds this Columbo episode together. As the main character, Vivika Scott, she really brings her to life better than anybody else around. Sian Barbara Allen who plays the female spy with some suspicious tendencies toward Vivika. I do not know whether she is coming on to her or wants to be more like her. Her character is quite interesting. Vincent Price is exceptionally wonderful in his small supporting role as Vivika's main competitor. A young Martin Sheen is fabulous as the young chemist who wants more from the possible youth cream. There are some lighthearted moments like when Columbo visits Vivika's fat farm. The episode could have been longer too and that is one of my biggest complaints with it. It could have been a better two hour episode than ninety minutes on a Saturday afternoon. I always enjoy Columbo at that time. Vera Miles role as Vivika Scott is memorable for her fans. I only wish Vera Miles would act more even now.