"Columbo" Double Exposure (1973)

Director:

Richard Quine

Writers:

Stephen J. Cannell (written by)
Richard Levinson (creator) ...

TV Series:

"Columbo" (1971)

Original Air Date:

16 December 1973 (Season 3, Episode 4)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

A self-styled "motivation research specialist" uses subliminal cues to commit a murder. Lt. Columbo is on the case.

Plot Keywords:

Alibi | Murder | Police Detective | Crime Investigation | Investigation

Cast

  (Episode Cast overview, first billed only)

Peter Falk	...	Columbo
Robert Culp	...	Dr. Bart Keppel
Robert Middleton	...	Vic Norris
Chuck McCann	...	Roger White
Louise Latham	...	Mrs. Norris
Arlene Martel	...	Tanya (as Arlene Martell)
Danny Goldman	...	Press photographer
John Milford	...	1st Detective
George Wyner	...	Film Editor
Richard Stahl	...	Ballistics man
Francis De Sales	...	Patterson (as Francis DeSales)
Alma Beltran	...	Housekeeper
Dennis Robertson	...	Detective Marley
Harry Hickox	...	2nd Detective
Ann Driscoll	...	Mrs. Halstead

Also Known As:

Columbo: Alibi calibro 22 (#1.2) (Italy) [it]
Columbo: Ein gründlich motivierter Mord (#1.2) (West Germany) [de]
Columbo: Ein gründlich motivierter Tod (#1.2) (West Germany) [de]
Columbo: Salattu viesti (#1.2) (Finland) [fi]
Columbo: Subconscient (#1.2) (France) [fr]

Runtime:

70 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-18 (2005) (DVD) (self applied)

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

The stage and theatre where Dr. Kepple shows his movie with subliminal cuts in "Double Exposure", with its gold curtain and distinctive stairs at stage right, is the same place where Dr. Mason delivers his motivational speech in "Columbo: How to Dial a Murder (#7.4)" (1978).

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Columbo had those photos of himself shot to splice them into the 35mm movie print, to lure out the murderer. The photos taken are 35mm slides (he shows them framed) and Columbo only stated that he had them processed and spliced into the film. Problem: Those slides would have to be converted into 35mm cine film frames. 35mm cine film runs vertical as opposed to the horizontal stills camera film. So the slides had to be rotated 90 degrees, reduced in size, the edges chopped to fit into the standard 35mm full frame "academy" aspect ratio (the movie shown was not wide-screen but rather "academy", similar to standard 16mm or Super8mm. In the 1970s, test screenings used a mechanically linked soundtrack (either 35mm or 17.5mm with 35mm sprocket holes, as opposed to the final optical (or magnetical) soundtrack-on-film, so the soundtrack and in-sync wouldn't be affected by the splice as long as no frames are missing. This all takes place in LA where all kinds of specialized labs are, but still, this is a very complex procedure involving highly specialized optical step printer facilities. Can't find those in a matter of hours, not even in LA.

Quotes:

Dr. Bart Keppel: [at an intersection] Which way?
Lt. Columbo: Beg your pardon?
Dr. Bart Keppel: Right or left? You didn't tell me where the murder was committed, Liuetenant, so I couldn't possibly know how to get there, could I?
Lt. Columbo: Turn right.
Dr. Bart Keppel: Nice try, though.
Lt. Columbo: Can't win 'em all!

Movie Connections:

References High Plains Drifter (1973)

disappointing Columbo

I must admit, that this episode of Columbo, is one of the "least good" I have seen. And it's defiantly a disappointment, looking at the era it's from, as the early/mid 70's was vintage Columbo.

If comparing it to the much better episode, "Publish Or Perish" which is from the exact same time, then "Double Exposure" lacks a lot of things. It lacks some nice direction touches (like the famous clip of a murderer hiding the deceased, is shown in his glasses, in an earlier episode. Or opening 'bombing' in "Publish or Perish"). The way Robert Culp (as Dr. Keppel) responds to Columbo's persistent inquiries seems forced and the character starts to look rather silly (in the non-humorist way), and he defiantly lacks the reliability of previous "crocks".

Also, it because clear, quite early, that everyone is aware of who the murderer is. And Columbo states (too) early, that he knows it all, which leaves the final end as an anti-climax, as all he needs is the striking evidence.

Of course the episode contains good moments, like the scene at the golf course. But all in all, not Columbo at his best, or even at his high average.

(5 out of 10)