Make Me a Perfect Murder
- Episode aired Feb 25, 1978
- TV-PG
- 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
An executive secretary for a TV network kills her boss and lover after he broke up with her and passed her over for a promotion she believes she deserves. Lt. Columbo is on the case.An executive secretary for a TV network kills her boss and lover after he broke up with her and passed her over for a promotion she believes she deserves. Lt. Columbo is on the case.An executive secretary for a TV network kills her boss and lover after he broke up with her and passed her over for a promotion she believes she deserves. Lt. Columbo is on the case.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
James McEachin
- Walter Mearhead
- (as James Mc Eachin)
Kip Gilman
- Jonathan
- (as Kenneth Gilman)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
Kay (Trish Van Devere) is the personal assistant for a network programmer. When she learns he's getting a promotion, she's shocked to learn that he is NOT giving her his old position. So, she's apparently been sleeping with the guy but for nothing! However, she is NOT a woman to be trifled with and she comes up with a plan to murder him and get away with it. Can she do this and still manage to defeat Columbo?!
This is a decent episode (though my wife disliked it quite a bit) but it was heavily padded. For example, in one worthless scene, Columbo is staring at some computerized graphics...and it went on and on and on. Unnecessary and evidence that there just wasn't enough plot. It's a shame they didn't make the show 10-15 minutes shorter....it would have improved it.
By the way, if you DO watch the episode I'd love to know your opinion, as in some ways I think they were vaguely hinting at Kay having a lesbian relationship.
This is a decent episode (though my wife disliked it quite a bit) but it was heavily padded. For example, in one worthless scene, Columbo is staring at some computerized graphics...and it went on and on and on. Unnecessary and evidence that there just wasn't enough plot. It's a shame they didn't make the show 10-15 minutes shorter....it would have improved it.
By the way, if you DO watch the episode I'd love to know your opinion, as in some ways I think they were vaguely hinting at Kay having a lesbian relationship.
Trish Van Devere goes all out. A woman so ruthless and ambitious but also very flawed. I cannot figure out if she is "Bi-Sexual" or just pretending to be one or the other to get ahead. She does cover for her friend who has a melt down. But does not even hesitate to take out another lover who spurns her and does not reward her attentions with a new job. A very enjoyable episode. She makes a formidable and dangerous adversary
Trish Van Devere revels her role as Kay Freestone, a high-flying TV producer who murders her boyfriend after he fails to give her a well-earned promotion. Devere portrays Freestone in a strong-minded manner, a woman who takes absolutely no prisoners in her goal to reach the top. But she didn't count on a certain Lt. Columbo! This story is told to great effect, with great interaction between Devere and the legendary Peter Falk, although I did feel as if Lainie Kazan's character Valerie Kirk was rather unnecessary. As usual with the Columbo series, we get the usual gaffes and humorous moments, in this case, involving a car crash in which our great Lt. has to wear a neck brace, as well as a scene in which his television is being repaired! A satisfactory conclusion brings the case to a head, and left me very convinced (as Columbo usually does). A thoroughly enjoyable episode in the Columbo series. 7/10
Kay Freestone (Trish Van Devere) is a West Coast TV executive whose boss, Mark McAndrews (Laurence Luckinbill), is also her secret lover. When he gets promoted to a position in New York, he dumps her—and even denies her the job he's leaving. Her consolation prize is a new Mercedes. She's more interested in the gun he drops on the bed—after he jokingly invites her to shoot him. Joking or not, she takes him up on it. Later, he's found shot to death in his office. Kay seems to have been in the projection room when it happened. She was screening her pet project—a violent TV film called "The Professionals"—for her superiors. When our rumpled, redoubtable Lt. Columbo (Peter Falk) investigates, he learns this Emmy-winning producer can commit a bloody act just as well as film it.
This would have been a top-notch "Columbo" episode if about twenty minutes had been trimmed off. The first section of the film—the murder sequence and everything leading up to it—is some of the best stuff in the series. Freestone's use of a tape recording is an especially effective dramatic device.
After the murder there are two impressive scenes—one in an elevator with Freestone and Columbo, and another surreal sequence, where he harasses her via the multiple TV screens in her control booth. Most everything else is slack. There is a long, pointless scene where Columbo fools around with the TV equipment. There's a needless subplot with Lainie Kazan (who is too young to be playing an aging Judy Garland-like has-been). There's a limp scene where Columbo confronts Freestone at her old, now-abandoned home and offers sympathy.
Some of these scenes seem to be an attempt to make the villain more human than usual. That's fine, but the "Columbo" formula demands that any confrontation between detective and quarry be tense. "Columbo" works because of its formula, not in spite of it. The closer it hues to it, the better it is.
The formula also demands that what finally trips up the killer be a surprise. The ending here is very predictable. "Columbo" fans will want to watch this one, despite its flaws. Others, beware.
This would have been a top-notch "Columbo" episode if about twenty minutes had been trimmed off. The first section of the film—the murder sequence and everything leading up to it—is some of the best stuff in the series. Freestone's use of a tape recording is an especially effective dramatic device.
After the murder there are two impressive scenes—one in an elevator with Freestone and Columbo, and another surreal sequence, where he harasses her via the multiple TV screens in her control booth. Most everything else is slack. There is a long, pointless scene where Columbo fools around with the TV equipment. There's a needless subplot with Lainie Kazan (who is too young to be playing an aging Judy Garland-like has-been). There's a limp scene where Columbo confronts Freestone at her old, now-abandoned home and offers sympathy.
Some of these scenes seem to be an attempt to make the villain more human than usual. That's fine, but the "Columbo" formula demands that any confrontation between detective and quarry be tense. "Columbo" works because of its formula, not in spite of it. The closer it hues to it, the better it is.
The formula also demands that what finally trips up the killer be a surprise. The ending here is very predictable. "Columbo" fans will want to watch this one, despite its flaws. Others, beware.
I'm not saying any person should be killed, but the coldness Mark(Laurence Luckinbill)gives to Kay(Trish Van Devere), after getting a big time job offer, even made ME want to hit him. Let me mention that Van Devere is terrific as the scorned woman, and she was the best among a field of Patrick O'Neal, who was also very good in a cameo or 2, Lainie Kazan, whose New York accent you could chop off with an ax, Ron Rifkin, reliable James McEachin, and Columbo veteran Bruce Kirby. The best scene for me was when Columbo is getting his TV fixed, as the repairman(Kirby)talks to Columbo about his dog, who is also in the shop. Kirby and Peter Falk have good chemistry together, although Kirby's characters usually talk down to Columbo. Look for the rare appearance of a late 70's Mustang, a strange looking model which doesn't get much publicity. Although I sometimes criticize how silly the murderer acts around Columbo, I felt Van Devere gave a somewhat realistic performance as the walls came closing in on her.
Did you know
- TriviaThe Playland Arcade scenes were filmed at the Santa Monica, California Looff Hippodrome. This location also was used as the carousel where Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman's character in The Sting (1973)) lived and worked. In The Sting, the carousel was located in Chicago.
- GoofsThe image of Columbo's car sitting in the parking lot can be seen reflected in the glass of the CNC building as Kay enters it before she commits the murder.
- Quotes
Columbo: [entering Kay's office] That's a very impressive desk, Ma'am. You can run the world from a desk like that.
Kay Freestone: The world doesn't count - just the West coast.
- ConnectionsFeatures Bolero (1934)
- SoundtracksThis Old Man
(uncredited)
Traditional English children's marching song
Whistled by Columbo (Peter Falk)
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Mord in eigener Regie
- Filming locations
- 26646 Latigo Shore Drive, Malibu, California, USA(Mark McAndrews' beach house)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
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