Mannix tries to help a woman suspected of murder when she kills an intruder in self-defense, who may have been blackmailing her.Mannix tries to help a woman suspected of murder when she kills an intruder in self-defense, who may have been blackmailing her.Mannix tries to help a woman suspected of murder when she kills an intruder in self-defense, who may have been blackmailing her.
Featured reviews
Having seen this episode when it came out in 1971, it's good, minus the brass knuckles. Also you have one of the best directors, John Llewellyn Moxey running the ship.
Excellent cast, featuring Rosemary Forsyth, playing Leslie, in a very sympathetic role. She has a drinking problem and is caught up in a murder investigation, supposedly killing an intruder who entered her home. The question is did she really do it? And what happened to a third bullet that was fired? This angle was very popular on cop shows because it had endless possibilities. COLUMBO made the most out of stories like this. In fact, the shooting takes place in a bedroom with French doors. This was the same type set used in a Columbo episode, only the woman in question shot her brother who thought he was a robber.
More of a dramatic story, and you feel sorry for Leslie because her life is snowballing. Forsyth, a former model, later became a series regular on SANTA BARBARA and DAYS OF OUR LIVES. Veteran actress Josephine Hutchinson plays her mom, who appeared in scores of classic films, like NORTH BY NORTHWEST. Robert Reed returns as Tobias, taking time off from the BRADY BUNCH.
John Llewellyn Moxey handles some excellent scenes between Mike Connors and Rosemary. Robert Lenski wrote this story, regular writer for CANNON and BARNABY JONES.
In the spot the old time actor segment; K. T. Stevens plays a nun, Sister Angela. She was the daughter of famous director Sam Wood, assistant director for GONE WITH THE WIND.
Beautifully filmed, for all us armchair vacationers, at the King Gillette Ranch (the razor king) at Calabasas, about 27 miles from LA, near Thousand Oaks. Gillette built his mansion back in the 1920s. A magnificent place to shoot films and tv shows.
For fans of Rosemary Forsyth, who would appear three times on the series. SEASON 5 EPISODE 1 remastered CBS/Paramount dvd box set. Tagged as the Five Bullet Box Set. Great cover.
There's no mystery or suspense here because it's obvious right from the start who the killer is because there's no one else it could be, so it's a very tedious episode without any excitement. It's also a rare episode without any fight scenes, which only adds to the boredom.
Rosemary Forsyth is thoroughly dislikable as Leslie and her drunken tirades and constant whining are really aggravating.
There are cliches galore in this one. Joe gets shot at many times but is never hit, Adam thinks he has an open and shut case but Joe thinks otherwise and of course Joe turns out to be right, Leslie suspects there may be an intruder in her house so she goes downstairs to check but doesn't turn the lights on, and the police rush in at the end to wrap everything up.
One bright spot is Alan Caillou's performance as Derek, but he only appears in one scene. The action scene at the end is pretty good too, but beyond that there isn't anything else worth seeing.
Season five is off to a bad start.
Did you know
- TriviaIn this premiere episode of Season Five, the opening credits are altered somewhat from the previous three seasons. One of those changes is that early on a shot of Mannix standing on a lawn where a young woman pirouettes, briefly showing her panties, has been replaced by a shot of Mannix jumping off a platform onto the back of someone facing away. The new replacement scene is taken from near the end of this episode.
- GoofsThe property used throughout most of the episode as Leslie Fielding's residence is the same property used to depict the orphanage that Joe Mannix visits on his way to Mexico. In the establishing shot of the house shown immediately after the opening credits there is a distinctive white statue of Jesus, with arms outstretched, in the foreground of the shot; that same statue appears in the orphanage scenes, but shot only from the side and back, to try to disguise that it's on the same parcel as the house.
- Quotes
Joe Mannix: Ah, it's so good to see you, Mildred. Come in. Come in.
Mildred Oliver: I was just passing by and I... I saw the name.
Joe Mannix: Sit down. Golly, how long has it been?
Mildred Oliver: Now, don't you dare. I'm not as old as I look.
Joe Mannix: You look just beautiful.
Mildred Oliver: It's stull like that that used to allow you to raid the refrigerator, as I remember.
Joe Mannix: Well, after all, I was going to school on a G.I. Bill: a hundred and ten a month and all you could read.
Mildred Oliver: Those were good days, Joe.
Joe Mannix: And Mr. Oliver's great barbeques... what a feast.
Mildred Oliver: Matthew loved to have young people around, especially you, Joe. Thank you for that wonderful letter.
Joe Mannix: Well, he was a great guy. And Leslie: how is she?
Mildred Oliver: [sinks her head] Fine... as far as I know.
Joe Mannix: You... weren't just passing by, were you, Mildred?
Mildred Oliver: [shakes her head] I'm worried about her, Joe. She's drinking... excessively, I think is the clinical world for it. She was always a high-spirited girl: foolish but forgivable. But parties are just the public part of her drinking these days. It goes on day and night.
Joe Mannix: When did this all start?
Mildred Oliver: I don't know exactly. It was as if... the wind changed and no one noticed. She got worse after Matthew died. I let it go, hoping she'd find herself.
Joe Mannix: But she wasn't really looking.
Mildred Oliver: In fact, there was a time when she lost herself completely for months.
Joe Mannix: When was that?
Mildred Oliver: Five years ago. She just dropped out of sight. I was worried sick.
Joe Mannix: Why didn't you call me, Mildred?
Mildred Oliver: I thought of it, many times. She turned up, finally... married.
Joe Mannix: Yeah, I know. I remember seeing his picture.
Mildred Oliver: On a tennis court, no doubt.
Mildred Oliver: [as Mannix looks at her] Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't say that. Hardly know Glen, really. Mothers rarely approve of their daughters' choice in husbands, do they?
Joe Mannix: Well, that's all history, Mildred. What about today?
Mildred Oliver: Something's bothering her terribly, Joe. We were supposed to go shopping on Saturday, and she canceled. Then I called her on Sunday and Glen said she was out, but she never called me back. Then yesterday, we were supposed to meet for lunch, and she never showed up. And I still can't get through to her on the phone. Something's dreadfully wrong, Joe.
Joe Mannix: How can I help?
Mildred Oliver: Well... they're having a cocktail party today at the house. Glen's invited, oh, some important buyers from the East. I'm still on the Board, so they had to invite me.
Joe Mannix: And you have to invite me for old times' sake.
Joe Mannix: [as Mildred nods] Well, I hope they don't mind.