MovieChat Forums > Columbo (1971) Discussion > A lot of the murderers would not be foun...

A lot of the murderers would not be found guilty - SPOILERS

posted 4 years ago by HedleyLamarr (404)
22 replies | jump to latest

I've been watching the show over the past few weeks. I'm up to season 3.
While Columbo does find out who the murderers are, IMOH, some of them would be acquitted in court.
In the episode in London, he had to plant evidence (when he threw the pearl into the umbrella)
Another episode, his proof was that he had a recording of the murderer's phone call, the murderer claimed was from his office. We saw it was from a pay phone. But Columbo's "proof" was because he didn't hear the clock in the office chime on the hour.

Other episodes, it's mostly a theory and he's completely dependent on a confession.

You thoughts?

[–] ColumboKate (5778) 4 years ago

That London episode is one of the worst ones, Honour Blackman was awful. That and 'self portrait ' are really dodgy stories.

Yeah, alot wouldn't hold up in court, but he's clever at figuring it all out. He unsettles them enough that they confess anyway.

[–] HedleyLamarr (404) 4 years ago

But is a confession enough in court when there's no physical evidence to connect the murderer? All they would have to do is listen to a lawyer that says, "deny what you said in he confession."

[–] ColumboKate (5778) 4 years ago

Yeah true. But it's just a show. Wouldn't be brilliant if the killer got away with it every episode 😅

[–] Roguemail (1627) 4 years ago

Different times...many, many movies and TV shows of that era played fast and loose with how the law and justice worked.

Another thing I always remember about similar old TV shows such as tge private eye ones, like Cannon, Rockford Files etc was the ease with which they obtained information, and entry to private premises.

People would answer their questions even though they didn't have to. They would be allowed into all sorts of office merely by virtue of the fact they were a private eye.

It's as though they were portrayed as having the same powers as the police.

Of course I didn't question it back then, too young. But there is a tendency for us to look at such shows now and pick all sorts of holes in them.

[–] ColumboKate (5778) 4 years ago

😄 Murder, She Wrote was the the biggest culprit of that. Jessica could find any piece of information she needed no matter how confidential it was lol.

[–] TandyMan (11327) 4 years ago

I've been watching Cannon. That's a really cool show. I take these shows as an art medium, not something to be taken too seriously. Watching him bomb around in that huge car with his big fat gut while being a total dick to people is just great. Totally not your typical sort of show. I like how he's gruff and takes pleasure in intimidating people. Last night he beat a helicopter pilot unconscious, then had to wake him up so he could be flown off the mountain. It was hilarious. But yeah, he just walks around everywhere. It's pretty implied he's something of a famous detective though. Lots of people already know who he is when he shows up.

[–] Roguemail (1627) 4 years ago

In the UK we had a show called The Saint in the 60s, with Roger Moore as private investigator and playboy Simon Templar. In the pre credits scenes, a crime would happen and he would always happen to be in the vicinity, and someone would recognise him and mention his name, and Moore would look up above his head and a halo would appear, and the credits would roll.

And he would inevitably become part of the investigation, and whenever his name was announced he was given carte blanche to walk into any office, private residence, even police station.

But the best has to be Burkes Law, 60s cop show with Gene Barry as a millionaire police commissioner who rides around in a chauffer driven Rolls Royce, complete with bar.

[–] MaximRecoil (4830) 6 months ago

"That London episode is one of the worst ones, Honour Blackman was awful."

That was a good episode and Honor Blackman was the best thing about it. I loved her theatrical style of acting, which was fitting for the character she was playing. She was one of the more memorable characters from the series.

I'd never seen nor heard of her before watching that Columbo episode, and it was obvious that she must have been a total smoke show when she was younger (since she was still beautiful even at the age of 47), so I looked her up and indeed she was, and she was also a Bond Girl, the one with the greatest character name ever, no less (Pussy Galore). I'd heard that character name before but I never knew who played the part because I'd never seen Goldfinger.

[–] ColumboKate (5778) 6 months ago

Yeah she was beautiful even at an old age.
I still hate that episode though 🤭

[–] TandyMan (11327) 4 years ago

For sure. The perps are usually seriously rich and connected as well. The flimsy evidence would never hold up in court. I've come to appreciate that for Columbo, it's just about getting his man, not about getting justice and seeing them serve time. He just likes practicing being detective.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

[deleted]

[–] seagal72 (2008) 4 years ago

In all liklihood...Yes.

But Columbo (as a character and/or show) is a procedural affair, less concerned about 'Punishment' or after-effects....Just his deduction.

On a few occasions, Columbo (seemingly) took little pleasure in catching the murderer (and was quite sympathetic towards a few of them) but always stuck to his principles (regardless of the fact that by-and-large, he tended to arrest mostly one-off murderers, that would have likely never offended again) Despite rooting for Columbo, I too have felt sympathy for some of the 'Guest-Murderers'

Perhaps a Columbo/Perry Mason cross-over could have elaborated on such?

[–] ecarle (14979) 4 years ago

It was a fantasy.

Just as with Perry Mason getting the REAL killer to confess from the stand -- or even standing up in the courtroom to confess the crime -- it had little to do with reality and a lot to do with "audience fantasy satisfaction."

Plus the killers were so often wealthy or well off (and almost always white) so there was no "grittiness' to he murders. In real life, SOME wealthy people kill people, but not as many as on Columbo.

That said, Columbo seemed to REALLY deduce the crime enough times that a case could be made.

And so often, the killer confessed to Columbo, just like on Perry Mason in the courtroom. Could these killers recant in the coutroom later? Maybe. But some of them confessed to Columbo with other witnesses present.

[–] ecarle (14979) 4 years ago

Despite rooting for Columbo, I too have felt sympathy for some of the 'Guest-Murderers'

--

Given that each Columbo episode was essential the same story("Rich person plots the perfect crime, Columbo arrives to unravel it and catch the killer"), one "variable" was to make some of the killers either sympathetic or not.

Sympathetic: Donald Pleasance(Columbo bought him a great bottle of wine and complimented him on his professionalism); Janet Leigh(dying of a brain tumor, no prosecution necessary); old Ruth Gordon(killed a bad man).

And William Shatner who played a TV detective and said "You have to admit, in this story, the killer had the sympathetic part."

Unsympathetic: Leonard Nimoy and Robert Conrad -- two killers with whom Columbo dropped the act and yelled at. And in the 90's Fisher Stevens as the arrogant "Steven Spielberg, Killer"(under another name) to whom Columbo said "the only pleasure I have gotten from this case...is arresting YOU.")

Though more often than not, the show was rather neutral towards the killer -- they were bad, but neither loveable nor hateable. Still, they often DID kill innocent victims and justice was sweet to see.

[–] Jes' Sayin' (6525) 4 years ago

SNL should make a sketch where they satirize that. A Columbo type tries those tricks, but the perp knows the law and doesn't let him get away with it. Columbo is dumbfounded, ends up getting fired.

[–] hurricane (1964) 4 years ago

I always thought that the events of A Deadly State Of Mind would never stand up in court.

"Would the prosection give their evidence?"
"Okay, yeah. So there was this blind guy....'

[–] stones78 (426) 3 years ago

These suspects are usually wealthy, and would have wealthy/powerful attorneys, so I'd bet at least half of them would win their case. Columbo's good at breaking them down though. I like the way Milo Janus reacts at the end, as he doesn't admit to anything, and Columbo's theory about shoelaces seems flimsy at best. I can see Janus winning his case.

[–] kwestmo (4385) 3 years ago

I haven't seem that episode, but have just watched 1,2, and 3. IRL, he wouldn't be able to get the DA to press charges.