 |
| year: 1990 cast: Peter Falk, Ian Buchanan, Rebecca Staab rating: **** |
If every COLUMBO episode can be judged upon how conceited and prosperous, and downright horrendously in-your-face lucky
the villain is, you can chalk this up as one of the best...
That is, of
the latter episodes made during the 1990's wherein Peter Falk is
an older, scruffier Columbo, still feigning naivete with his ruffled trench
coat and even wearier eyes, not even having to act the way he seems and looks being older: yet he's still always thinking...
 |
| Rebecca Staab as Tina in COLUMBO CRIES WOLF |
Herein he deals with
a playboy photographer and co-owner of a million dollar mansion that
would make Hugh Hefner jealous... or at least concerned about the
competition (or copyright!).
Enter Billy Zane lookalike (with a touch of Peter Gallagher) Ian Buchanan is the haughty, sophisticated Sean Brantly, more suave and
egotistical than most of the seedy rich jerks Columbo deals with...
 |
| Rebecca Staab as Tina in COLUMBO CRIES WOLF |
His
trophy model girlfriend Tina is played by the outrageously gorgeous Rebecca Staab, who is constantly at his side, and oh does he flaunt her but good... And as any Columbo fan knows, the prettier the moll, the more audiences want the baddie to be busted... It just works that way, somehow... Class envy, in spades...
But here, Columbo
doesn't balk... in his usual "One More Thing" fashion as he sticks to the
duo. Although, this particular case isn't a homicide. Brantly's partner, a
beautiful but slightly older blond-haired woman, goes missing... after having
threatened to sell the company from under him... and her body can't be
found.
 |
| Ian Buchanan with Rebecca Staab in COLUMBO CRIES WOLF |
Set in the a bogus Playboy Mansion there are obviously lots of beautiful women (though none equally Staab's Tina, which is why she's the main girl) and best of all, Columbo meandering around a
setting that doesn't become him, and where he sticks out like a broken thumb: Leading to a good twist that occurs
before the conclusion, which eventually provides a very clever "Gotcha"
at the very end.
What makes Rebecca Staab the best of the beautiful villain's molls, other than her great looks, is the fact she's somewhat aware of her man's... dishonesty, but not enough for Columbo to nab her too. She's way too lovely to be put away, after all.
 |
| Peter Falk with Rebecca Staab in COLUMBO CRIES WOLF |
 |
| Ian Buchanan with Rebecca Staab in COLUMBO CRIES WOLF |
 |
| Peter Falk with Rebecca Staab in COLUMBO CRIES WOLF |
Robyn Hilton enters into an eclectic exploitation comedy career in Wonder Women circa 1973 As mentioned a few posts ago, ROBYN HILTON, b...
year: 1978 cast: Allen Garfield, Leif Garrett, Kathleen Lloyd, Tony Alva, Pam Kenneally rating: ***1/2 Although promoted as a Leif Garr...
Mary-Louise Weller in NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ANIMAL HOUSE ANIMAL HOUSE, directed by John Landis and produced by Ivan Reitman, stars John Be...
Kari Michaelsen in Saturday the 14th year: 1982 In LOVE AT FIRST BITE, a popular comedy that took the vampire genre by satire, Richard ...
Robyn Hilton on STARSKY AND HUTCH Model/Actress ROBYN HILTON played Mel Brook's secretary in BLAZING SADDLES and turns up in an epis...
Cornelia Sharpe in BUSTING Year: 1974 Rating: **** Starring Elliott Gould and Robert Blake as determined vice cops BUSTING hookers, makin...
Kerri Green and John Candy in SUMMER RENTAL Year: 1985 John Candy, in his first leading role, plays a burnt-out air traffic controller ...
WILLIAM SMITH AS FALCONETTI ON RICH MAN POOR MAN The baddest of all TV bad guys… Matt Dillon’s character in BEAUTIFUL GIRLS calls Antho...
Robyn Hilton in Video Vixens the same year as Blazing Saddles: 1974 The Anthology of Comedic Parodies, already done in several Woody All...
Susan Dey in Skyjacked YEAR: 1972 Some of the best elements of hijacking, plane crashing, ship sinking, building burning or any other di...
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.