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Global Telly Talk
Classic US TV
"Just one more thing...": Rewatching Columbo
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<blockquote data-quote="Mel O&#039;Drama" data-source="post: 284542" data-attributes="member: 23"><p style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-size: 22px">Agenda For Murder</span></strong></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://i1.wp.com/columbophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Agenda-credits.jpg?w=910&ssl=1" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="width: 611px" /><img src="https://i2.wp.com/columbophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Agenda-gotcha-2.jpg?w=808&ssl=1" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="width: 449px" /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-size: 15px">We’re back in some very familiar territory here. The political backdrop strongly evokes <em>Candidate For Crime</em> from back in 1973, while - most importantly - the killer is played by none other than Patrick McGoohan. Last seen as Nelson Brenner in <em>Identity Crisis,</em> and probably best remembered as Colonel Lyle Rumford in 1974’s <em>By Dawn’s Early Light.</em> Mr McG also takes directing duties here so it must be pointed out that - somewhat less favourably - his last connection with the series was directing the infamous <em>Last Salute To The Commodore</em>. Naturally, I was interested to see which end of that spectrum this episode would land. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-size: 15px"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-size: 15px">Reassuringly, the first act set a very high bar. The motive is clear, the murder scheme nicely written and these opening twenty minutes are full of atmosphere. There’s nothing overly showy or attention-grabbing. Just honest to goodness story. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-size: 15px"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-size: 15px">As in <em>By Dawn’s Early Light</em>, we spend a lot of time with McGoohan as he wordlessly prepares his murder scheme. Watching him tearing two pieces of kitchen foil from his kitchen, opening a bullet or breaking open a cigar creates an air of anticipation about where he’s going with it. It’s just fascinating to watch his attention to detail. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-size: 15px"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-size: 15px">Of the recurring <em>Columbo</em> killers, McGoohan is the most impressive when it comes to getting deep into his characterisations. I could watch each of his episodes back-to-back and still struggle to recognise them as the same actor, so very different is he in each. Every facet of his character seems incredibly well-studied and ingrained. And he certainly looks different. In his portrayal of Oscar Finch I was strongly reminded of Alan Napier (best known to me as Alfred in the <em>Batman</em> TV series), which added an avuncular familiarity to his character. There was also a bit of the Donald Sutherland to him, which added a slightly sinister undertone. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-size: 15px"></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-size: 15px">His delivery is everything as he comes out with a series of acid drops designed to put down Columbo as the episode progresses. My favourite came towards the episode’s end as he gravely reminded the Lieutenant while shaking his head sadly: "All you have is a looooad of unsubstan-seee-aa-ted, circumstantial, popp-eeee-cock”. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">[MEDIA=youtube]Hm8ZfS0Thec[/MEDIA]</p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="font-size: 15px"><em>continued...</em></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mel O'Drama, post: 284542, member: 23"] [CENTER][B][SIZE=6]Agenda For Murder[/SIZE][/B] [IMG width="611px"]https://i1.wp.com/columbophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Agenda-credits.jpg?w=910&ssl=1[/IMG][IMG width="449px"]https://i2.wp.com/columbophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Agenda-gotcha-2.jpg?w=808&ssl=1[/IMG][/CENTER] [COLOR=#000000][SIZE=4]We’re back in some very familiar territory here. The political backdrop strongly evokes [I]Candidate For Crime[/I] from back in 1973, while - most importantly - the killer is played by none other than Patrick McGoohan. Last seen as Nelson Brenner in [I]Identity Crisis,[/I] and probably best remembered as Colonel Lyle Rumford in 1974’s [I]By Dawn’s Early Light.[/I] Mr McG also takes directing duties here so it must be pointed out that - somewhat less favourably - his last connection with the series was directing the infamous [I]Last Salute To The Commodore[/I]. Naturally, I was interested to see which end of that spectrum this episode would land. Reassuringly, the first act set a very high bar. The motive is clear, the murder scheme nicely written and these opening twenty minutes are full of atmosphere. There’s nothing overly showy or attention-grabbing. Just honest to goodness story. As in [I]By Dawn’s Early Light[/I], we spend a lot of time with McGoohan as he wordlessly prepares his murder scheme. Watching him tearing two pieces of kitchen foil from his kitchen, opening a bullet or breaking open a cigar creates an air of anticipation about where he’s going with it. It’s just fascinating to watch his attention to detail. Of the recurring [I]Columbo[/I] killers, McGoohan is the most impressive when it comes to getting deep into his characterisations. I could watch each of his episodes back-to-back and still struggle to recognise them as the same actor, so very different is he in each. Every facet of his character seems incredibly well-studied and ingrained. And he certainly looks different. In his portrayal of Oscar Finch I was strongly reminded of Alan Napier (best known to me as Alfred in the [I]Batman[/I] TV series), which added an avuncular familiarity to his character. There was also a bit of the Donald Sutherland to him, which added a slightly sinister undertone. His delivery is everything as he comes out with a series of acid drops designed to put down Columbo as the episode progresses. My favourite came towards the episode’s end as he gravely reminded the Lieutenant while shaking his head sadly: "All you have is a looooad of unsubstan-seee-aa-ted, circumstantial, popp-eeee-cock”. [/SIZE][/COLOR] [CENTER] [MEDIA=youtube]Hm8ZfS0Thec[/MEDIA] [COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)][SIZE=4][I]continued...[/I][/SIZE][/COLOR] [/CENTER] [/QUOTE]
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Classic US TV
"Just one more thing...": Rewatching Columbo
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