Columbo: Death Hits the Jackpot

TV Movie
1991
TV-PG
1h 38m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Peter Falk and Rip Torn in Columbo: Death Hits the Jackpot (1991)

Cop Drama Police Procedural Crime Drama Mystery

Columbo questions a jewelry-store owner whose late nephew had a winning lottery ticket.Columbo questions a jewelry-store owner whose late nephew had a winning lottery ticket.Columbo questions a jewelry-store owner whose late nephew had a winning lottery ticket.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
The champagne that George Brower stocks his refrigerator with is the exact same brand that the murderer from the previous episode, Columbo: Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star (1991) stocked his refrigerators with.

Goofs
A lottery ticket is a "bearer instrument." There are no names on it; whoever turns it in wins the money. Once it is learned that Leon has killed his nephew, the money would not go to the nephew's wife, as Columbo says. There's no legal way to prove Freddy ever had the ticket. Had he dropped it in the street, whoever picked it up and cashed it in would get the money. He didn't sign his ticket. There is a line on the back to sign your name, which you are advised to do if you win.

However, Columbo might very well be aware of this. He is trying to elicit a confession, and all he needs for this to work is the two other characters believing him.

Quotes
Columbo: Well, the bad news, ma'am, is that Mr. Lamarr here is going to be arrested for the murder of your husband.
Nancy Brower: Oh, my God. Leon, how could you?
Leon Lamarr: Ha!
Nancy Brower: And what's the good news?
Columbo: That you've just inherited the better part of $24 million after taxes. It wasn't Mr. Lamarr who won the lottery, it was your late husband.
Nancy Brower: [pretending surprise] What?
Columbo: And even though you were in the process of getting a divorce, you were still legally married at the time of the drawing.
Nancy Brower: I get the money?
Columbo: All of it. All of those millions.
Leon Lamarr: It'll be a cold day in hell.
Nancy Brower: Leon!
Leon Lamarr: You lying, treacherous bitch, you sold ol' Leon out, didn't you? You want to see some cooperation? Girl, I'm gonna show you some cooperation.
[to Columbo]
Leon Lamarr: Who do you think it was pretending to be Freddie calling me from the studio that night?
[with Nancy ranting and raving, and with Leon chuckling]
Columbo: That's it.
[to another officer]
Columbo: All right, book 'em. Both of 'em.

Connections
Featured in Columbo: Death Hits the Jackpot

Soundtracks
Where Have All The Flowers Gone
(uncredited)
Written by Pete Seeger

User reviews33

Review

Featured review

7/10

A bit of a less serious Columbo movie, with a great Rip Torn in it.

All Columbo movies had a certain amount of relieving comedy in it but this movie can really be seen as a true comedy. It's more comical than other Columbo entries and its made more as a real comedy. It perhaps makes this movie harder to take serious than other Columbo movie entries but it of course also makes it more fun to watch as well. In that regard "Columbo: Death Hits the Jackpot" is a good and welcome, slightly different, Columbo movie entry.

It's not like the movie isn't offering any mystery-thriller elements. It of course is still a Columbo movie with all of the right required genre elements in it and it still sticks to the usual successful Columbo movie formula as well. It's not like the movie is offering the best or most original story though. It's like a combination of many other previous Columbo movies in more than just a couple of ways, even more than usually is the case. But just because the movie isn't the most original doesn't mean is not the best one to watch. It's simply too well made for that. It also has some nice twists to it, though not all of them feel very likely.

Not in the least the movie works out so well due to the acting performances. Rip Torn is just great in this. He's of course also part of the reason why this movie feels as such a comical one. He at first sight doesn't seem like the most logical choice to play the murderer in a Columbo movie but he simply truly suits his role very well. There also is some nice interaction between him and Peter Falk, who himself also seemed to be a bit improvising at times, which works out nice.

The movie also has a great ending. Again, it's not really the most likely conclusion and way for Lt. Columbo to solve the murder but it nevertheless is a nice and original one.

A pleasant little Columbo movie entry. Nothing too great or original but perfectly watchable due to its entertainment value.

7/10

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