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bodysurfer1111
Reviews
Columbo: Forgotten Lady (1975)
Stylishly Filmed and Costumed
I want to address a few aspects of this wonderful film that have not yet been credited in previous comments . I agree with all of the other comments here about the acting , script , direction , etc . Fabulous !
I very much enjoyed the detail and time devoted to the cinematography . The number and variety of location shots is something you don't see anymore on TV or in movies , for that matter . The arroyo , hillside home in Pasadena , California was exquisitely photographed and lit . It is a gorgeous home and the crew did a fine job in showing it to us . Things that I particularly noticed were : 1 ) the occasional and discreet use of colored lighting ( a lovely red with a hint of orange filling the hallway between the upper bedrooms ; a vibrant green for the outdoor plants at night as background and seen from the inside through a window ) , 2 ) a gauzy , pull back shot of Columbo entering the murder room done from the outside balcony through a window shade , and 3 ) a medium close-up , head and shoulders / profile shot of Columbo lit in the dark home theater by the beam of the projector with a bluish back light to his right illuminating the rising swirls of his cigar smoke . These types of shots take ingenuity and time to set up and execute . Kudos to the camera operator(s) and the lighting crew !
I also very much enjoyed the costuming for Janet Lee . WOW !!! I cannot say enough about her outfits . Just stunning . She still had the body of a fit 20 year old and wardrobe took full advantage of it .
I found myself clapping at the end . This is an episode of delectable quality that I found much more enjoyable than most of today's " movies " that I pay $10 to watch .
Finally , just want to add that I am rediscovering Columbo 40 years later thanks to satellite TV and a DVR . The show is timeless .
Columbo: By Dawn's Early Light (1974)
Superb performance by the late great Patrick McGoohan
Patrick McGoohan's steely and nuanced performance earned him an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor , but his presence on the screen is hardly "supporting". He dominates every scene in which he appears which is almost every scene in the film . It is a tour de force performance that keeps the viewers eyes glued to his tightly -wound ,explosive face and body that he keeps under control so well . His trademark sly smile and clipped verbal delivery from "Secret Agent" and "The Prisoner" are still there . We just don't see this kind of pure acting on TV anymore from a character that is allowed so much screen time without the usual gimmicky intrusions or plot diversions . This episode is sheer joy to watch as 2 very fine artists play their roles to perfection .