Prescription: Murder (1968) (TV)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Richard Irving

Writers:

Richard Levinson (teleplay) &
William Link (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

20 February 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

A psychiatrist uses a patient he is having an affair with to help him kill his wife, but his perfect alibi may come apart at the hands of a seemingly befuddled LAPD lieutenant.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Psychiatrist | Alibi | Investigation | Detective

Cast

Peter Falk	...	Columbo
Gene Barry	...	Dr. Ray Flemming
Katherine Justice	...	Joan Hudson
William Windom	...	Burt Gordon
Nina Foch	...	Carol Flemming
Virginia Gregg	...	Miss Petrie
Andrea King	...	Cynthia Gordon
Susanne Benton	...	The Blonde
Ena Hartman	...	Nurse
Sherry Boucher	...	Air Hostess
Anthony James	...	Tommy

Also Known As:

Columbo: Prescription Murder

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-7 (2004) | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills Police Department - 464 N Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

The house with pool used in the final scene is the same house and pool used in "The Rockford Files: Backlash of the Hunter (#1.0)" (1974) (The Rockford Files (1974) (TV)) and later in "Columbo: The Most Crucial Game (#2.3)" (1972).

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: The reception room at Dr. Fleming's office features a distinctive painting of trees and white houses with red roofs, which is prominent in several scenes. This same painting later appears in "Columbo: Suitable for Framing (#1.4)" (1971), as part of the art collection sliced and stolen by Dale Kingston. In its return appearance, this painting is also part of a goof because it magically mends itself and returns to the wall, after it was vandalized and removed.

Quotes:

Burt Gordon: I think a toast is in order. To our host and hostess on the tenth anniversary of their horrible mistake.
[Carol Flemming makes a sound of protest]
Dr. Ray Flemming: You'd better rephrase that, counselor.
Burt Gordon: Pleasure, Your Honor. To the two finest people I ever knew. Here's to ten more years of happiness!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "The Simpsons: Dial 'N' for Nerder (#19.14)" (2008)

original Columbo pilot film--a must-see for fans

Now that the original 1967 pilot film for the Columbo character, PRESCRIPTION:MURDER (based on Levinson and Link's play), is available as part of the new Columbo DVD set, I hope that many more Columbo fans will be able to see the original interpretation of the character. I had never seen this before, and I was quite impressed. About 85% of the elements that comprised the Columbo "formula" are there, but Mr. Falk's hair is shorter and neater, the overcoat is not rumpled (as much), and Columbo is a bit more aggressive than we are used to based on the later shows. It took a second pilot film three years later for Columbo to get picked up as a series, but the magic was there in 1967 for this film. Don't miss it. Gene Barry is a fine sparring partner for Peter Falk, and no fan will be disappointed.