Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) If the Frame Fits (1986) User Reviews

Rinky Dinky Kinky Twinky Set, but What About Binky?

[WeatherViolet · 7/10 · 13 November 2009]

This episode marks the only television acting role to date for Russell Merritt. Audrey Meadows, who began her illustrious acting career in television and film in 1954; Gordon Jump, who has been appearing in film and television since 1965; Cliff Gorman, who began his film and television acting career in 1968; and Christopher Allport, who has been performing in film and television since 1973, have unfortunately all since passed.

On a trip into Connecticut, Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) visits the affluent community of Cedar Heights, to review a manuscript with Lloyd Marcus (Norman Lloyd).

The widowed Lloyd Marcus' family consists of spoiled daughters Julia Granger (Anne Schedeen) and Sabrina Marcus (Andra Millian), as well as Julia's husband, Donald Granger (Christopher Allport), who shares a secret interest with Sabrina, beyond standard in-law affection.

Several other Cedar Heights residents frequent its Country Club, some without a viable means of support, including Mildred Tilley (Audrey Meadows) and her husband, the Mayor Frank Tilley (Gordon Jump), Staffer Ellen Davis (Deborah Adair) and Golfer and Art expert Binky Holborn (John de Lancie).

Attendant Forbes (Aubrey Morris) assists Police Chief Cooper (Cliff Gorman) with investigation a rash of art thefts plaguing Cedar Heights in recent nights, in which a burglar prowls for valuable paintings, and cuts them from their respective frame, whether or not "the Frame Fits."

But on the evening of a country club reception, various residents disappear from sight long enough to become suspects in a murder, once a body is discovered with evidence of a burglary, by someone who tidies the room to implicate another in order to frame the intended stool pigeon "If the Frame Fits."

Jessica assists Police Chief Cooper in the resulting investigation, which includes conflicting allegations of intent, and conflicting theories regarding the burglaries and murder.

The cast is rounded out by Michael Morgan as Young Man, and Russell Merritt as Waiter.

A good episode overall... but

[sergiosimoes-74603 · 8/10 · 9 May 2023]

This is an interesting episode in many ways, albeit with some easy-to-guess side plots (like the identity of the art thief, for example). But what took a few points off my rating was the implausibly suggested occurrence that Lloyd, the victim's father, returned to his after-dinner meeting with Jessica and Binky to discuss his book manuscript (or the manuscript of his supposed "friend") shortly after finding his daughter's corpse and tampering with the crime scene to implicate his son-in-law. We have to accept that he managed during this long conversation to hide from Jessica, with her keen powers of observation, the pain of a father who has just lost his eldest daughter which is, as I said, very implausible.

Art theft and murder

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 1 August 2017]

Have always been quite fond of 'Murder She Wrote'. It is a fun and relaxing watch that makes you think as you try to unwind in the evening. If one wants more complex, twisty mysteries with lots of tension and suspense 'Murder She Wrote' may not be for you, but if you want something light-hearted and entertaining but still provide good mysteries 'Murder She Wrote' fits the bill just fine.

"If the Frame Fits" turned out to be a pleasurable episode, with an engaging mystery that mostly seems obvious but things are not what it seems. It also serves as a fitting season finale, tonally being much more in keeping with the show's basic tone than the previous season's finale "The Funeral at Fifty Mile" which had a dark and sombre tone that was quite far removed to usual.

Not quite perfect by all means. Despite her wonderful hair and clothes, Anne Schedeen has a juicy bitchy role and didn't quite convince me in it, this is a role that she could have easily sunk her teeth into but Schedeen is a little lightweight. Personal opinion of course. The final solution is a good one, not too simple, not confusing, the how and why elements are not obvious and were believable but to me the killer wasn't that much of a surprise in a case with rather too few suspects.

Production values are high in quality as to be expected, with slick photography, nice locations and the hair and clothes are better-looking than some other episodes of the season. The music has energy and has presence but also not making the mistake of over-scoring, while it is hard to forget or resist the theme tune.

The writing is tight, thought-provoking and typically amiable and the characters and chemistry are good fun. The story is very engaging and suitably twisty.

Can't say enough good about Angela Lansbury, she is always dependable and there is a reason as to why Jessica Fletcher is one of her best-remembered roles. Norman Lloyd is especially classy in support, while John de Lancie, Audrey Meadows, Gordon Jump, and Deborah Adair add to the fun.

In conclusion, pleasurable and well done season finale. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Innovative!

[jenniferroseescobar · 10/10 · 19 November 2021]

This is was a fun episode with a variety of interesting characters, multiple crimes, and several viable suspects. It was fun trying to figure it out before JB Fletcher had her epiphany!

Two crimes for the price of one.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 14 November 2017]

After a boring party Jessica and old friend Lloyd Marcus arrive back at his house to discuss the novel of a so called friend. As the pair begin to talk a crash is heard upstairs, it seems the local art thief is at work, as a valuable painting is stolen. Not long after his socialite daughter Julia is killed, and another artwork taken, number one suspect is her cheating husband Donald.

A rather good mystery, quite a clever crime. This one fits together rather neatly, and Jessica has to be doubly clever, in solving two crimes, one of murder, one of art thief. Some of the characters are pretty good, John de Lancie's Binky is wonderfully theatrical, and great in the part, the wonderfully evergreen Norman Lloyd (responsible for producing one of the best ever episodes of Tales of the Unexpected Nothing' Short of Highway Robbery) is great. I was less impressed with some of the others, the mayor and mayoress for example are perhaps a little too big, but even they are no match the Detective's glasses and shirts.

A good mystery. 8/10

Mucking up the investigation

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 21 October 2017]

This episode of Murder She Wrote has Jessica Fletcher visiting an old and quite rich friend Norman Lloyd. He has two daughters Anne Schedeen and Ellen Davis and a son-in-law in Christopher Allport whom he despises. Allport was first with Davis but ended up marrying Schedeen. Lloyd is convinced the man is a fortune hunter and nothing more.

There's also been a string of thefts around the rich neighborhood but reported fatalities until Schedeen is found dead in her mansion. Now police chief Cliff Gorman has a murder to solve.

Lloyd is really something in this episode. So badly does he hate his son-in-law that he starts mucking up the investigation and planting clues to implicate Allport. It screws things up considerably but viewers of the show always know that Angela Lansbury will sort it all out.

Some others in the cast are Star Trek TNG's Q John DeLancie as a most gay golf pro and Gordon Jump and Audrey Meadows as the mayor of the rich town and his gossipy wife.

Lloyd is the one to watch in this story.

Was Jessica really needed?

[nickknightforever · 8/10 · 21 February 2022]

Lloyd Marcus discovers his daughter Julia dead apparently killed by the local art thief but decides to rearrange the room to frame his son-in-law (Julia's husband) who arrives shocked at the scene and Lloyd says "You killed her, you killed my daughter" but Jessica feels something isn't right proves Donald was framed by Lloyd who confesses to destroying evidence that pointed towards the art thief including a pizza cutter. Now the search is on for the art thief who when found out scoffs at the idea of using a pizza cutter which leads Jessica back to the real killer. Apart from discovering who the art thief was Jessica wasn't really needed because Lloyd had unknowingly framed the real killer who originally framed the art thief.

If the frame fits

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 20 August 2023]

Jessica is spending her holidays with an old friend, Lloyd Marcus, to review a manuscript. However, the murder of Lloyd's daughter Julia shatters the planned tranquil evening. At first all the clues point to a robbery gone wrong, then to matrimonial homicide ( Her husband Donald becomes the prime suspect.) then Lloyd gets arrested, which prompts Jessica to dig through the frames of the murder to find the real killer.

Interesting characters, which includes the droll foppy Binky Holborn, and a snaky diversion in suspects makes this one a fairly good watch. Stolen artwork, dead woman, a button found in her hand and a broken clock are some of the clues at hand, though Jessica soon clears that early as a frame-up job. But who really done away with the lady?

The killer did confess...but only after quite a bit of evidence was presented to them.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 2 November 2022]

Often in "Murder, She Wrote" killers confess their crimes when there really isn't much, if any, evidence to prove they did it. It's a major weakness of many episodes. Fortunately, when the killer does confess, it's only after the police and Jessica present them with irrefutable evidence...making it a good episode.

As for the killing, a series of valuable art thefts have occurred and the final theft appears to have been ill-timed. It's because it looks as if the thief was caught in the act and killed a woman to hide their identity. Of course, Jessica is on hand to help sort all this out and capture the real killer.

Aside from a decent plot, the episode has a few fun performances. Norman Lloyd plays a marvelous old curmudgeon, though John De Lancie REALLY shines as an effete and rather flamboyant rich guy. Well worth seeing.