This episode first aired March 1, 1971, three years after the first Columbo pilot, “Prescription Murder”.
A month after “Ransom for a Dead Man” aired, NBC commissioned the show’s first season.
This episode was written by Dean Hargrove, based on a story by Columbo creators William Link and Richard Levinson.
Lee Grant, who was a good friend of Peter Falk, received an Emmy nomination for her performance. According to Grant: “I had worked with Peter a lot, so it was an easy and fun collaboration.” In fact, the two would continue their working relationship later that year, co-starring on Broadway in Neil Simon’s “The Prisoner of Second Avenue”.
At one point, Margaret is watching Hitchcock’s Double Indemnity on t.v., a movie about a wife who orchestrates the murder of her husband in order to cash in on his insurance policy.
Like the last time, my thoughts in chronological viewing order…
Even though it has its detractors, I for one really liked the stylized, hyperkinetic murder that is in stark contrast to the more visceral killing in “Prescription Murder”. I also loved the opening credits playing over the clean-up. This one hits the ground running.
Loved the moment where Leslie is in court, having a private conversation, only to redirect focus back to the court in order to object. A funny little moment that goes such a long way toward establishing her brilliance.
Falk was apparently a huge fan of the introduction of Columbo in this episode, and his awkward search for his pen. I liked it too but if the conceit is that he is doing this on purpose to disarm a potential suspect, then are we to assume that he suspects Leslie Williams of murdering her husband before he has even met her? If so, on what basis? Perhaps the fact that the driver’s side seat of the car was pushed up? That, I suppose, might do it.
I also loved the scene where the detectives are holding court and Columbo is poking his head in, bobbing in and out like a child looking to be included at the big kid’s table.
I did laugh when Leslie gives Columbo directions to the bathroom, treating him like a simpleton. And then for him to come downstairs and inquire about the lemon soaps was perfection. The Columbo character makes a huge leap in his evolution here – less direct, goofier, but downright lovable.
Really enjoyed the telephone sequence and thought the episode was really well-paced, but the whole airplane drop-off and helicopter sequence just went on way too long.
As always, our Columbo picks up on the little things others miss – like the fact that she didn’t ask about her husband. Maybe not a huge tell, but a small part of a much bigger puzzle of conjecture.
Nice to see Columbo push back against Agent Carlson, informing him: “This is murder now, and that’s my department.”
Again, lots of nice investigative touches throughout: his attempts to trip her up about the money bag, the caliber of the bullet and its trajectory.
But then I love the reversal when they’re in the plane and she turns the tables on him. “Watch out for that peak!” she says, suddenly in control even though he’s the one piloting the plane. And she effectively shuts him up by making him motion sick. A great, great scene.
I wasn’t too enamored of the Margaret character or the actress’s performance. It all felt too shrill and one-note – to the point where I was kind of rooting for Leslie to off the petulant brat as well.
Some great verbal sparring between Columbo and Leslie. “I just can’t have you accused of murder on the wrong evidence,” he tells her. And, in an observation that echoes Dr. Flemming’s psychiatrist profiling in the previous episode, Leslie offers her own take on the rumpled detective, capping it with: “You’re almost likable in a shabby sort of way”.
Like last episode, I wonder about airport security in the 60’s and 70’s. Could you really bring a briefcase full of cash as part of your carry-on luggage?
Another parallel to “Prescription Murder” is Columbo’s final assessment of the villain. In Leslie’s case, it’s “Mrs. Williams, you have no conscience and that’s your weakness.”
I did really love the final moment of Columbo struggling to pay the tab despite the briefcase full of cash sitting on the table in front of him.
Overall, I thought this another excellent outing. I felt “Prescription Murder’s” shortcomings were a result of the fact it felt small given it was an adaptation of a stage play, while “Ransom for a Dead Man” certainly enjoyed a fuller scope.
There were elements that stood out for me: the opening, Lee Grant’s performance, the plane ride sequence, the evolution of the Columbo character and some delightfully humorous scenes. On the other hands, I did bump on some narrative elements as well, mainly related to the Margaret character who I felt disjointed from the story both tonally and as a plot element. And that initial night-time money drop sequence effectively killed the momentum.
So, while I did enjoy both episodes, I would rate “Prescription Murder” slightly higher. I think I’ll keep a running count as our rewatch progresses.
Finally, as promised, I conclude each write-up with my thoughts on whether or not Columbo will actually get a conviction based on the evidence he has gathered at episode’s end. CONVICTION or ACQUITTAL? In this case, I do believe forensic’s ability to trace the source of the money will result in Leslie’s conviction…for, well, I’m not sure what. Fraud? I mean, she is stealing her own money after all. But there is no proof she committed the murder. And, unlike a lot of murderers on the show, she doesn’t admit her guilt in the episode’s closing moments. She’s a savvy lawyer and I can see her successfully arguing her case. So, in the end,I believe she’ll escape the murder charge. ACQUITTAL!
What say you?
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I’m doing tax stuff, so I’ll get to the show later today. However, I will say this one thing about air[port “security” in the 60s and 70s. Somehow, someway, my mother was able to drive onto a runway at the Philadelphia Airport back in the day (she was looking for a parking lot). I know, because I was in the car. 😛 Soooooo…security? Not so great.
das
Wut?!
It was nighttime or early morning. My sister remembers, too…especially the part where there was a plane coming at us. I think it was a taxiway, not the main runway. She had dropped a friend off at the airport and couldn’t find her way out of the airport. 😛
das
I liked “Ransom For A Dead Man” but I couldn’t help feeling it was a rehash of the first episode:
Intelligent, highly respected professional bumps off their spouse
They divert suspicion with an elaborate, overly complicated plan
Columbo suspects them from the outset
The perpetrator exchanges hypotheticals with Columbo
Columbo employs someone close to the perpetrator in a sting operation that ultimately catches the perpetrator out
That being said, I enjoyed the flying scenes (I agree, though, the night flight was too long) and Lee Grant’s performance (although I found he hair distracting. Was it a bad wig or bad hair?). Airport security was practically non-existent in 1971. Even though there’d been a few hijackings on US soil in the ’60s it wouldn’t reach its peak until the ’70s and then start dropping off once metal detectors were installed at major airports.
The whole pen thing was perplexing to me. Did he legitimately lose his pen or was he just trying to establish his goofiness in front of everyone in order to disarm them and think he was a fool so they would tell him stuff they normally wouldn’t? I think the latter but can’t be sure. I guess that goes to show how good Peter Falk’s performance was.
The scene at the ransom drop off was laughable. The police find the money bag on the ground. What’s the first thing the cops do? Pick it up with their bare hands and rub their greasy fingers all over it. Not to mention an army of cops all stomping around the area disturbing any footprints and tire tracks that might have been there. Plus the helicopter landing right next to it also blowing any evidence away. After picking up the bag they all hop into their cars/helicopter and drive/fly away. IT WAS A CRIME SCENE!
I didn’t have the problem with Margaret that you seemed to have. She was just a surly teenager grieving for her dad and hating her stepmother. Perhaps a bit cliché and the slap at the funeral was a bit over the top but it didn’t grate. I knew she was helping Columbo as soon as she appeared at the chilli cafe. How else would she have known he was there? With that in mind I think she fooled her stepmother brilliantly. She was an equal to the verbal sparring even though it had been established what a superb lawyer Leslie was.
Conviction or Acquittal? I think conviction. Her possession of the ransom and the position of the car seat is enough to pin the “kidnapping” on her. Even if she successfully argued that there was an accomplice who helped and it was them who actually shot her husband she’d still be an accessory to murder.
Interesting parallels between the two episodes.
I think this was Columbo’s M.O. – always introducing himself in an off-handed goofy manners as a way of disarming potential suspects.
My husband liked her hair until I suggested it was, in fact, a wig.
das
Lee Grant was excellent in this episode.
Your observations were spot on!
I have been trying to find time to post for HOURS! Ugh. I’m way too busy for an old lady. 😛
My thoughts on Ransom for a Dead Man (better known as Columbo Can’t Find His Pen)…
I’ll be addressing both Joe’s and Line Noise’s observations, but my thoughts might ramble a bit due to the shenanigans I’m dealing with on the homefront.
The subplot of Columbo’s pen. This is most likely ALL Peter Falk. I have read that Falk liked to introduce (sometimes unexpectedly) a quirky aspect of his character that runs throughout the episode. It might be a diet, or quitting smoking, or his dog, some other aspect of Columbo’s life that gets woven throughout the story, helping the viewer to really connect with the character. This is one of the reasons I so love Columbo – I feel as if I know him personally.
Tampering with evidence. Back before the 80s, rarely did you see proper police procedure at a crime scene. In fact, I saw an older movie (Mystery Street, 1950) that actually paid attention to procedure and it surprised me, since it wasn’t that common in film, or on tv. I just tried to ignore all the contamination of evidence as not being important to the overall story (though it would be immensely important in a court of law!).
How on earth did Leslie move her husband’s body all by her onesies?
As far as having a similar story design as Prescription Murder, that’s because it was the same writing team: Richard Levinson and William Link. They wrote many Columbo episodes, as well as some for Murder, She Wrote and other tv detective shows. They had a formula that worked!
Margaret. First time I watched this one as an adult, Margaret did seem over-the-top. But as you watch more episodes, you will see this in many of the female characters throughout the episodes. I don’t know why, it just seems to be so. With Margaret it sounds like her lines are all dubbed. Are they? Again, I’ve noticed it with other female characters. Their voices seem monotone, a bit harsh at times, with forced emotion. Are they channeling their inner Norma Desmond? I mostly see this with female characters, but a couple male characters also come across that way (I’ll try to point out which ones when we get to those episodes). Is it the direction given, or something else?
The Adventuress and The Bore. I liked how Columbo fit that piece of the puzzle in while trying to keep his cookies down.
That was one tacky house. Now, I don’t mind a little French Provincial here and there, but I found the decor a bit much, perhaps a reflection of Leslie’s desire for riches and fame.
I’ve tried to find out if there was any significance to her husband’s name being Paul Williams. (Paul Williams, as in the composer, actor, singer). My great-uncle was named in an old Gunsmoke episode when someone came into town, declaring that Kenneth Scholes was killed. That was my uncle’s name, and he knew someone who worked on the show. And of course, there’s ‘Das’. 🙂 So far I haven’t been able to find a connection between Paul Williams and this episode, although Williams did appear later in a movie with Falk. Aaaaand I’m way off track…
I only noticed on re-watch that when Margaret goes to board the plane, she passes a man with a box, who then followers her. That man then shows up with the box (with the briefcase inside), and gives it to Columbo at the table. I thought this was an interesting, nearly unnoticeable, detail.
Gadgets. As time goes on, we’ll see “modern” devices introduced in several episodes. This was also done in old Charlie Chan movies. I remember one in particular when they used an early fax machine to send a photograph from the mainland to Hawaii (c. 1940). Likewise, in this episode we saw the phone system programmed to make pre-recorded phone calls. I always look to see technology that’s now old to us, but was just new back when the episode was made.
And, really, how DID Leslie move her husband’s body?!
I’m sure I’ve missed something…lots of distractions today. If anything else pops into my head, I’ll post it.
das
Interesting. Didn’t think Margaret’s performance was dubbed although it certainly felt that way at times.
And, yes, to Falk adding personal touches to round out the character. His entire wardrobe (including the raincoat) was his.
Didn’t notice the guy with the box at the airport. Eagle-eye!
Not sure about the shout-out to Paul Williams but there is a character named Steve Spielberg, obviously named after the hotshot 24 year old director of the season 1 premiere, “Murder by the Book”, so it wouldn’t be that surprising.
I always find it interesting when shows include state-of-the-art tech (at the time) that becomes quaintly antiquated and instantly dates the show. I remember when the first iPhone came out and seeing it featured in an episode of CSI where they make a big deal of using it to snap photos at a crime scene. Now, rewatching the episode without context, it’s like “What the hell is going on here?”
Finally, as for Leslie moving her husband’s body – she clearly had the murder well-planned which, no doubt, included the moving of the body. Maybe she had one of those dollies at the ready. I mean, that’s how I would do it. But I’ve said too much…
Yeah, I also wondered how Leslie moved the body. Dead bodies are HEAVY!
The auto-phone gadget was intriguing. I assume it’s a real thing but I struggle to understand why you would need such a thing. It’s an expensive way to phone someone with a recorded message at a set time.
A wheelbarrow actually works better…
jus’ sayin’.
das
Reporting you to the authorities
Just make sure you say my name correctly it’s …
https://youtu.be/BOE7ixGpi2Q?si=g9nsdGrDhqYspXRg