User Reviews

Keith Michell makes his final "MSW" appearance here as reformed-jewelry-thief-turned-insurance-company-investigator Dennis Stanton....

Passengers live on the edge when Dutchess Lines' "Lady Wellington" cruise ship sails the Carribbean from Miami, Florida, where a murder by gunshot occurs on the dock the night before she embarks onto the high seas, as burglary, smuggling, altercations, blackmail and murder have only yet begun.

Agnes Lowry (Sarah Partridge) doesn't make the trip because illegal trafficker Janet Fisk (Michelle Johnson) steals her identity, to pass herself off as Agnes.

Roland Devereux (George Tovar), who's booked on the tour to entertain passengers as a magician, works a con game with Diana Peale (Sharon Lee Jones) as his partner in crime, before Roland recognizes Janet from Buffalo, New York, three years back, but she makes a dangerous play for Lance Brinegar (Michael Woods), who arrives with his intended, Molly Altrip (Ellia Thompson), to determine whether or not they're compatible for potential marriage.

Leslie Hunter (Lee Meriwether) has been seeing Captain Rory O'Neil (Jon Cypher) for more than a year and considers settling down with him to operate a bread and breakfast in in Carmel, California, after this, his last voyage upon "Lady Wellington" although he hasn't declared his intentions for Leslie in his future.

Alma Sobel (Jane Withers), the widowed mother of a devoted son, Marvin Sobel (Albie Selznick), suffers from Kleptomania and cannot resist getting into the act of lifting small shiny objects from the possession of various passengers although Marvin does his best to return Alma's take with the sincerest of apologies.

Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) arrives to sail the Carribbean at the suggestion of her publisher, after she completes her latest manuscript ahead of schedule. Upon boarding, she encounters old acquaintance Leslie, who hasn't seen Jessica in thirty years but requests Jessica's presence in the Captain's social circle.

In the dining room, Dennis Stanton (Keith Michell) captures Jessica's attention, when she recognizes his voice with the usual, "Dennis!?" He speaks of having retired from his position at his San Francisco insurance agency but has one last assignment to conduct.

Jessica befriends Molly Altrip after Lance Brinegar leaves her at the table to chase after Janet Fisk, while ship's Steward Philip Polachek (Dwier Brown) also takes a shining to Molly, who must rethink her future plans after being stood up once too often by a potential fiancé who lands in the ship's jail when a body is discovered, the victim of a wrench bludgeoning and shooting, before being suspended inside a hanging fishing net, while others are celebrating the ship's crossing the 25th Parallel.

So, whether Jessica is able to champion young love among any combination of Diana, Roland, Janet, Lance, Molly, Philip and Marvin, or to help Leslie and Rory to reach a decision, or to help Alma with her Kleptomania even though Alma lifts one of Jessica's pens, this must all wait for now because Jessica teams with Dennis to uncover clues as to whodunit amid a smuggling operation aboard a "Ship of Thieves."

The cast is rounded out by Kim Delgado as Purser, Sammy Goldstein as Comic, Walter Kelley as Passenger, Towers Monaco as Seaman, J.R. Starr as Shopkeeper, and Jack Garner as Mr. Worthington, the object of one of Diana's con games.

This episode represents the the first acting credit by Sammy Goldstein, the first television role by J.R. Starr, the most recent appearance to date each by Sarah Partridge and Walter Kelley, and the only acting credit thus far by Towers Monaco.

This also marks the first of two "MSW" appearances each for Ellia Thompson, Albie Selznick and Michael Woods, the second of two each for Michelle Johnson and Jane Withers, the second of three for Lee Meriwether, the third of three for Jon Cypher, and the ninth of nine for Keith Michell (each in his role as Dennis Stanton).

In the slang sense of the word, Michelle Johnson has some pair on her as she kills a DA's investigator and takes her identity and goes on a Caribbean cruise. Unfortunately not only is Jessica Fletcher taking the cruise but reformed thief and now insurance investigator Dennis Stanton is there as well. When Angela Lansbury and Keith Michell are on the same case, evildoers might as well just throw in the towel.

Johnson is after a big score on Captain Jon Cypher's cruise ship, but she herself is murdered. Once again we have a red herring as a former acquaintance of Johnson's recognizes her and wants in.

I will say this, the woman was aiming high until she meets her demise. There's quite a sweet racket connected with the ship.

Jane Withers is the comic relief, she is a compulsive kleptomaniac. But she steals something that provides the break in the case for Lansbury and Michell.

Withers is worth seeing this one alone for.

This is such a good episode, it's definitely a little different, the setting adds a little something, and the fact that the murder doesn't actually occur until about half an hour in, just makes it feel a little different.

Best of all, the ending, it really does come as a bit of a surprise, a real twist, highlighting the slightly more gritty flavour of recent episodes.

Great to see Jessica and Dennis Stanton appear together, his presence often signified a break for Lansbury, they made for a cracking team, what a shame this would be Keith Michelle's final outing on the show.

Angela Lansbury starred in one of my favourite films of all time, Death on The Nile, and is it more, or are there a couple of similarity, The mother and son, Duo, the kleptomaniac operating and masking a grand thief.

Very nicely made, the scenes of the ship look nice, and some of the shots are convincing, some of the backgrounds don't perhaps work so well, a wind machine could have helped.

8/10.

Have always been quite fond of 'Murder She Wrote'. It is a fun and relaxing watch that makes you think as you try to unwind in the evening. If one wants more complex, twisty mysteries with lots of tension and suspense 'Murder She Wrote' may not be for you, but if you want something light-hearted and entertaining but still provide good mysteries 'Murder She Wrote' fits the bill just fine.

Nearing towards the end of a wildly hit and miss Season 9 (when it missed, like with particularly "The Mole" it really did miss), "Ship of Thieves" to me has always been one of its best episodes along with "A Christmas Secret", "The Petrified Florist", "Threshold of Fear" and "Final Curtain". Notable for being recurring character Dennis Stanton's swansong, it is one of his best episodes easily and it is sad to see him go. The mystery could have featured ever so slightly more in the episode, but it is an engaging and clever one with a by Season 9 standards a pretty fabulous ending.

As said in my reviews for the previous Dennis Stanton episodes, personally like the character and consider him generally in his own way one of the better recurring characters, that was deserving of material that on the most part did him justice. His episodes with Jessica are very good to great, his book-end episodes were more variable. He is charming, suave, sophisticated and charismatic enough to be both lead and supporting, and the talented Keith Michell (we are talking about one of the best Henry VIII's, perhaps his most famous role) in film and television) portrays him beautifully. Love his sparkling chemistry with Angela Lansbury's ever dependably great Jessica, they are so charming together.

They are very well supported by a supporting cast more than up to the task, with scene-stealing honours belonging to Lee Meriwether and especially Jane Withers.

Production values as always are slick and stylish and the ship setting is very grand. On a side note, of the 'Murder She Wrote' episodes set on a ship "Ship of Thieves" gets my vote as the best one, to me it's the only great one. The music has energy and has presence but also not making the mistake of over-scoring, while it is hard to forget or resist the theme tune.

The writing is thought-provoking and amiable, especially with Jessica and Dennis, and the episode does intrigue hugely.

Overall, great episode and a worthy episode for Dennis Stanton to go out on. 9/10 Bethany Cox

While I am a fan of "Murder, She Wrote", I must admit that season 9 was a big disappointment. So, imagine my surprise and delight when I saw "Ship of Thieves"...a very good episode indeed.

Jessica is onboard a cruise ship....so you know EVENTUALLY someone will be killed! And, not surprisingly, this is exactly what happens. During her investigation, he old friend Dennis Stanton is there to assist her as well as an old friend she hasn't seen for three decades.

Unlike too many season 9 episodes, I noticed no serious problems with plot holes or ridiculous occurrences. A well written and enjoyable show...well worth seeing.

By the way, the Princess ship used for this one.... I wonder if it was the same one used in "The Love Boat".

Sun, sea and secrets and murder are what Jessica encounters on a supposedly relaxing cruise. I'm a sucker for cruise ship mysteries, and though this isn't the best MSW cruise ship episode ( Johnny Lays over the ocean from season 1 is the best one), there's enough happening to get your atttention; jewellery theft, smuggling racket, and kleptomania. Good entry.