Now You See Him

This the third Columbo that Jack Cassidy has played the villain and sadly the last. This is my favorite of the three where Cassidy plays the Great Santini who is on a us tour for his magic act. Santini's boss is aware that the Great Santini used to be an ex-Nazi named stefan Mueller during the end of world war II and the exposure of this leads Santini to preform the " perfect murder." In my opinion this was one of the most clever murders of the entire series due to beguiling tricks up Santini's sleeve. Once Peter Falk joins the festivities the pure magic begins as these two icons of film trifle around about magic tricks and secrets that must be revealed to sort out alibi's. Lt Columbo states "Your really not in that cube"? This terrific episode continues with other side acts including a Sergeant from a previous Columbo titled "The Greenhouse Jungle" returns to rekindle some comic relief with Lt Columbo. Lt Columbo constantly forgetting his new coat and Seargent Wilson always finding it for him is some of the funniest moments in the series. As good as Falk is here the show really belongs to Cassidy with his cocksure panache and smug posture really is convinced that he has preformed the perfect murder until Columbo tests his abilities to pick a pair of handcuffs for hardened criminals. This particular scene is one of tense moments in the entire series. Cassidy knows if he picks it he is guilty but still the master of illusions is more concerned about his image than to confess a murder. It's at this point Columbo moves in for the kill and starts to glean and glean some more until The Great Santini succumbs to his confession. This is in my top Five Columbo's of all time.

Jack Cassidy returns for the third and final time as a Columbo villain in this thoroughly entertaining episode of the show. Cassidy had previously essayed villainous turns in PUBLISH OR PERISH and MURDER BY THE BOOK so by now he was an old hand at the show and his turn as a murderous magician is delightful. Columbo would later turn back to the magic world in COLUMBO GOES TO THE GUILLOTINE, but this earlier episode is definitely the stronger one.

Aside from Cassidy, this TV film has plenty of reasons to watch. The magical backdrop means there's a whole smoke-and-mirrors feel to the story, with mystery lurking in every corner. The supporting cast members include a reliable Robert Loggia and a fine and sympathetic turn from Bob Dishy as one of the detective's helpers. Humour comes from Columbo's new coat, which is a poor fit in comparison to his beloved overcoat. There's nothing really to dislike about this story, which is one of the strongest of the series.

Columbo has always been one of my favourites, and Now You See Him... while not quite among my absolute favourites is still a very good episode. It has lovely locations and the editing and photography are as slick as ever. The music also adds much to the atmosphere. The story is diverting in concept right from the well-constructed murder and never lets go. The ending is clever and satisfying if not going off like fireworks like Suitable For Framing or A Stitch in Crime did. The script is tense and clever with bits of humour that doesn't feel jarring. Now You See Him... is beautifully directed too. Of the support cast, it was interesting to see Nehemiah Persoff and Robert Loggia, but neither don't have that much to do really. I have to say though Bob Dishy has a role that is much better written than his role in The Greenhouse Jungle(which I liked but remember it for Ray Milland than anything else) and it shows, he really makes the most of it. I was most impressed by Cynthia Sikes, very beautiful and she can act. But it is the two leads that dominate. Peter Falk is brilliant as Columbo, while Jack Cassidy(one of the series' most justifiably most frequent and memorable guest stars) is wonderfully and smug. While Publish and Perish is my personal favourite of his three episodes(Murder By the Book is great too), my personal favourite performance of his in the Columbo series is here. In conclusion, a very good, no scratch that, great Columbo. 9/10 Bethany Cox

The story in "Now You See Him" is one of the best of all the "Columbo" episodes. It is quite enjoyable to watch...and extremely well thought out and intelligently written.

When the story begins, you learn that the great illusionist, The Great Santini* (Jack Cassidy), has something to hide...and he's being blackmailed because of it. His boss (Nehemiah Persoff) knows that Santini was actually an SS soldier who worked in a death camp during WWII. To rid himself of this threat, Santini uses his knowledge of magic and deception to make it appear as if he could never have done the murder as he was in a different part of the nightclub at the time of the killing. It's up to Columbo to match wits with Santini and best him at his own game.

The writing was just exquisite in this one and the story very exciting. It's a shame that Cassidy died later the same year he made this guest appearance, as he was always wonderful on the show. Also interesting is seeing Sgt. Wilson on the show, as he played Wilson in an earlier episode ("Greenhouse Jungle")...though his first name, oddly, changed.

*Not to be confused with the character played by Robert Duvall so expertly in 1979.

The Great Santini (Jack Cassidy) is a brilliant stage magician with a hidden past. His real name is Stefan Mueller and he was an SS officer assigned to the concentration camps. Jesse Jerome (Nehemiah Persoff), his current employer, has learned of the illusionist's Nazi career and is using the information to blackmail him. One night, while ostensibly performing his celebrated trick of being locked in a steel cabinet and dowsed in a tank of water, Santini is really disguising himself as a waiter and walking unseen to Jerome's office. When Jerome turns up dead, it looks like a contract killing. But our rumpled, redoubtable Lt. Columbo (Peter Falk), assisted by the overeager Sgt. Wilson (Bob Dishy), has a few tricks of his own.

If Columbo can outmaneuver a chess champion ("The Most Dangerous Match"), out-think a scientific genius ("Mind Over Mayhem") and outwit a master spy ("Identity Crisis"), what made a master illusionist think he could do any better?

This is a splendid "Columbo" episode, with all the tricky plotting, delightful comedy and tense cat-and-mouse play that fans love. Did I mention the comedy? In the weak "Greenhouse Jungle," Bob Dishy is clearly a good actor playing a tedious character. Here he returns as Sgt. Wilson but the script by Michael Sloan is much better. Wilson's comic business, this time involving Columbo's new raincoat, is much better integrated into the plot than in "Greenhouse"—and it's much funnier.

Harvey Hart does a very nice directing job. Somebody in his crew had an excellent eye for detail. I especially like how a little water trickles out of the trap door after Santini's daughter (Cynthia Sikes) opens it.

The ending is ordinary, without one of those great thunderclap surprises, as in "A Stitch in Crime" and "Suitable for Framing." I love the final scene anyway, with Columbo's funny yet unnerving imitation of a magician's stage technique. This "Columbo" will work like magic on any fan.