How to Dial a Murder
- Episode aired Apr 5, 1978
- TV-PG
- 1h 13m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
2.6K
YOUR RATING
A behavioral psychologist whose wife died under suspicious circumstances trains his dogs to kill on command using a telephone.A behavioral psychologist whose wife died under suspicious circumstances trains his dogs to kill on command using a telephone.A behavioral psychologist whose wife died under suspicious circumstances trains his dogs to kill on command using a telephone.
Fred Jay Gordon
- Technician
- (as Fred J. Gordon)
Henry
- Columbo's Dog
- (uncredited)
Paul LeClair
- Audience Member
- (uncredited)
Richard Niehaus
- Audience Member
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOne of the many movie posters on display in Dr. Mason's house is for the thriller, The Suspect (1944), starring Charles Laughton. This is significant, as the structure of "The Suspect" prefigures the formula for "Columbo", presenting the viewer not only with a killer whose identity is known from the outset, but also a seemingly mild-mannered and polite police detective who befriends the killer and knowingly uses him as a sounding-board for his various theories about the crime. It is the close relationship between killer and detective thus formed that leads to the resolution of the story. It is not known if William Link and Richard Levinson, creators of "Columbo", ever saw this film.
- GoofsDr. Mason addresses Columbo as "Lieutenant" when they first see each other at the crime scene, even though they hadn't met yet. Then the detective introduces himself as Lieutenant Columbo.
However, the psychologist is seen exiting his own house where he can have asked a police officer who was in charge and where to find them.
- Quotes
Lt. Columbo: [trying to trigger the attack word for the dogs] Kill! Kiss! Diamonds! Rubies! Sneakers!
- ConnectionsReferenced in The Simpsons: Smoke on the Daughter (2008)
- SoundtracksThis Old Man
(uncredited)
Traditional English children's marching song
Whistled by Peter Falk
Featured review
Williamson is good, but don't say 'Rosebud'.
British actor, Nicol Williamson, as the guest murderer, earns his transatlantic paycheck in this fine story. As always with Columbo, the culprit is rich, resourceful and highly intelligent, and Williamson's take on the character, a motivational psychologist, is detailed and meticulous. It may not be his finest screen performance (check out The Bofors Gun and Inadmissible Evidence), but he makes a worthy foil to Falk.
The story has some interesting cultural asides, such as L.A.'s burgeoning self-help craze of the 70's, and the cult of the movies, particularly Citizen Kane; something which proves to be both the killer's murder weapon and his eventual undoing.
The only let-down is the somewhat low-key ending. I would have preferred more of a flourish from both actors, but it wasn't really in the script for them.
Over all, it's an intelligent and interesting movie. Patrick Williams' ethereal/ominous music (woodwinds and low strings) is rather good, and which, once or twice, quotes a fragment of Bernie Herrmann's Psycho score; why? For the hell of it. And why not?
The story has some interesting cultural asides, such as L.A.'s burgeoning self-help craze of the 70's, and the cult of the movies, particularly Citizen Kane; something which proves to be both the killer's murder weapon and his eventual undoing.
The only let-down is the somewhat low-key ending. I would have preferred more of a flourish from both actors, but it wasn't really in the script for them.
Over all, it's an intelligent and interesting movie. Patrick Williams' ethereal/ominous music (woodwinds and low strings) is rather good, and which, once or twice, quotes a fragment of Bernie Herrmann's Psycho score; why? For the hell of it. And why not?
helpful•201
- heathblair
- Jan 4, 2003
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Mord per Telefon
- Filming locations
- Colonial Street, Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA(N side, E of Elm St, Laramie Western Street as Callaghan Film Ranch, demolished)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 13 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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