MovieChat Forums > Columbo (1971) Discussion > Murder By The Book

Murder By The Book

posted 5 years ago by CharlotteXavier (2357)
17 replies | jump to latest

I have some questions about this episode.

Why was it sloppy for Ken to get Jim to call Joann from the cabin and say he was in the office so she’d hear him get shot? Lack of forensic evidence in the office that would indicate a shooting?
If yes, then why didn’t Columbo check the cabin and Ken’s car for evidence?

Lili - She was so star struck! She knew Ken was a killer but had him over for dinner and still adored him, yet she knew better than to go out in the boat with him.
Why didn’t they investigate her house for foul play or evidence of another person? Columbo looked around a bit when he had the chance and after he found the cork he could’ve told the investigators about it since it showed the likelihood of a guest since most people don’t drink champagne alone. They could’ve searched her place and probably found evidence of the meal, unless Ken came back, did all the dishes and discarded the leftovers, lol. But they didn’t even check the garbage. And if somebody gets bludgeoned to death with a wine bottle, there’s gonna be some spatter.
Also, nobody questioned that Lili was out in a boat alone at night in a nice dress. Ken didn’t even remove it before he chucked her overboard. And nobody questioned why the boat capsized on such a calm, breeze less night.

And toll calls get charged so there’d be a record of it. Jim called Joann from the cabin San Diego to LA. That’s long distance so it would be known.

The part where Jim was feeling deja vu in the car, which we later find out is bc the whole murder plot was a storyline they’d discussed 5 years earlier but Jim forgot about, that was a nice touch.

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[–] [email protected] (6224) 5 years ago

I always thought that Lili was just "asking for it". She did have a crush on Ken, but to blackmail a killer and then invite him to your house for a cozy, intimate dinner was foolish in the extreme. Did she have a death wish or was she just that dumb?

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 5 years ago

She was extremely desperate and lonely, but come on! THAT EXTREME??

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[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

She's one of the more memorable non main characters throughout the entirety of Columbo for both myself and my mother. Both for her odd choices and behaviour throughout and her offbeat looks.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 5 years ago

She's one of the more memorable non main characters throughout the entirety of Columbo for both myself and my mother. Both for her odd choices and behaviour throughout and her offbeat looks.

Yes, she was an interesting character and actress.

In another Columbo episode, the one with Blythe Danner and John Cassavetes where the pianist woman “gives an ultimatum” to the maestro, which is basically blackmail, to leave his wife or he’ll be exposed, it’s a bit similar.

Doesn’t seem wise to be friendly with someone you’re blackmailing, lol. And imagine marrying someone you had to blackmail!

Edit: I did the quoting by the book and it came out all wonky!

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[–] Adam60z (3781) 5 years ago

Barbara Colby, the actress who. played Lily was really killed in Venice, CA. That was a bad crime area back then.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 5 years ago

That’s so sad. Apparently the shooting is still an open cold case.
It wasn’t even a robbery but a drive by.
I’m wondering if it was motivated by the gentrification that was threatening the gang turf.

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[–] Adam60z (3781) 5 years ago

I don't think that was even a thing back then. I lived in Venice a long time ago and was robbed. I think. then as now it's mostly drug addicts behind the crime.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 5 years ago

The Venice 13 goes back to the 60’s.

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[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

And toll calls get charged so there’d be a record of it. Jim called Joann from the cabin San Diego to LA. That’s long distance so it would be known.

That's why Ken called Jim's wife from the pay phone at the general store just prior to getting to the cabin with Jim. He could pass off the record of the call Jim made as the one he made to Jim's wife to smooth everything over.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 5 years ago

Ohhhh...

But he was banking on her not remembering exactly which time she received each call, and couldn’t the police have done a reverse look up on the calls she received, since the pay phone was also long distance. Maybe they didn’t keep track of prepaid calls made with coins.

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[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Yes he was banking on that it would seem. I don't know how phone records were kept in the early 70s, I don't think records of local calls were kept at all. The call he made from the general store was made by him requesting a "station to station" call from the operator which I'm not sure exactly what that meant in the early 70s but I always assumed at the time it made sense to those watching what he was doing to cover his tracks. I figured it was a way of making a long distance call without leaving a toll trace. It's been a while so I'm going to to have to rewatch this to see if it's referenced any more in the episode.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 5 years ago

I believe station to station meant that he would speak with whomever answered the phone and still agree to pay, as opposed to person to person, which would mean he’d only have to pay if the person he needed to speak to was available.

I’d forgotten about the operator Ken spoke to. Columbo could have shown up at the phone company and questioned the operators about any long distance calls made. It would’ve been a long shot, but plausible bc he suspected Ken right off the bat for not flying back and for opening his mail. I picked up on the mail. That was really sloppy lol.

It seemed really weird to me that anyone would believe that Jim was shot in the office. Joanne heard the shot on the phone but there was no forensic evidence at the scene suggesting a shooting. There would have to be some blood somewhere.

Columbo suspected Ken and knew Ken had been at the cabin, so why not search the cabin and Ken’s car?

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[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

I think that since Jim had told his wife he was at the office Columbo wouldn't have had probable cause to search the cabin or his car which is for the best because it would've been a short episode if he had.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 5 years ago

Hahaha! For sure..

But that’s a good point. The victim himself had told his wife where he was.

I just love discussing the plots and the potential plot holes and I love when I’m proven right and wrong.

I’m about to watch A Matter of Honor and I’m sure I’ll have comments and questions if you care to check back!

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[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

That is one of the episodes I'm least familiar with so I may have to watch that one again before commenting but look forward to your thoughts.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 5 years ago

I’m kind of dreading it as it’s theme is bull fighting, which I don’t care for.

I do however love Ricardo Mantalban, and so I’ll have to watch it.

I recorded it.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 5 years ago

I finally watched it. Was good but I didn’t have any questions at the end. I like when I have something to figure out.

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