I think the best part of this is how Jack methodically set his murder plot in motion. It was actually clever and diabolical. Jack himself is charismatic and smug, acting superior to Columbo. Kind of a narcissist really. Well, we know how that works with Columbo. The person ends up making mistakes. His mistake here was that there was a witness, Lily. Now he has to get rid of her too. Lily was played by Barbara Colby, whom I was shocked to read was murdered at a very young age.
I think a mistake Jack made in his plot was to kill Jim so soon after they had an argument. I mean that instantly makes him a number one suspect. And of course, Jack does what murderers often in murder mysteries(and in real life too), they want to "help." That's another check against Jack by Columbo. Also, Jack's mob hit theory he put forth was incredibly weak. Then of course Jack dumps the body in his own front yard, He is constantly putting himself right in the middle making it seem suspicious. Then there's the Lily problem that Jack handles very clumsily.
I thought Columbo's reasoning he did it based on that he drove back vs taking a plane back was a little weak, to be honest. I mean that hardly seems enough to believe a man committed murder, especially when he had a pretty solid alibi. However, when you add that to the other things then it starts to become compelling. And yet Columbo says it was that one thing. The ending is a little weak and came off as anticlimactic as Columbo puts forth his evidence to Jack, and Jack quickly gives in.
Columbo was great as usual, though not much of the sort clown-ish behavior that I enjoy that often puts the murderer at ease thinking that Columbo is a buffoon and that they will get away with it.
I enjoyed this movie, directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Steven Bochco back in 1971. I thought the direction was very good and loved the way it started off with the sound of typing. 8/10.
I think a mistake Jack made in his plot was to kill Jim so soon after they had an argument. I mean that instantly makes him a number one suspect. And of course, Jack does what murderers often in murder mysteries(and in real life too), they want to "help." That's another check against Jack by Columbo. Also, Jack's mob hit theory he put forth was incredibly weak. Then of course Jack dumps the body in his own front yard, He is constantly putting himself right in the middle making it seem suspicious. Then there's the Lily problem that Jack handles very clumsily.
I thought Columbo's reasoning he did it based on that he drove back vs taking a plane back was a little weak, to be honest. I mean that hardly seems enough to believe a man committed murder, especially when he had a pretty solid alibi. However, when you add that to the other things then it starts to become compelling. And yet Columbo says it was that one thing. The ending is a little weak and came off as anticlimactic as Columbo puts forth his evidence to Jack, and Jack quickly gives in.
Columbo was great as usual, though not much of the sort clown-ish behavior that I enjoy that often puts the murderer at ease thinking that Columbo is a buffoon and that they will get away with it.
I enjoyed this movie, directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Steven Bochco back in 1971. I thought the direction was very good and loved the way it started off with the sound of typing. 8/10.