Columbo (TV Series) Lovely But Lethal (1973) User Reviews

Lovely But Lethal

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 19 September 2019]

Vivika Scott (Vera Miles) cosmetics empire is on the ropes. Her new miracle cream that makes wrinkles disappear could turn around her fortunes. It could revolutionise the industry. However her young research chemist Karl (Martin Sheen) has pirated the formula and made it available to the highest bidder. This includes arch rival David Lang (Vincent Price.)

After a heated argument, Vivika kills Karl who was also her former lover by hitting him on the head with a microscope. Later Vivika needs to deal with Lang's secretary who spies for Vivika and knows a little too much about Karl's death.

Columbo quickly gets under the skin of the icy Vivika like a bad rash. In fact some poison ivy holds a vital clue.

Vera Miles who was in Psycho is radiant as an ageing beauty who turns to murder. She has an early catty scene with Vincent Price with both actors chewing up the scenery.

However I could not help thinking how much better this would had been with Price as the murderer going toe to toe with Columbo.

There is a starry cast here. An early role for Martin Sheen, even a small role for future Oscar nominee Anne Ramsey as a masseuse. Unfortunately Lovely but Lethal is too plain and formulaic.

Lovely but not quite among the best

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 29 March 2012]

As a big fan of Columbo, I enjoyed Lovely But Lethal. I think there are better entries in the series, but there are also entries that I deem worse. As always with Columbo, it is well made, slick in the editing and striking in the photography. The music is atmospheric and fitting with the period, Lovely But Lethal is strongly directed, the script has some good lines if a tad basic(there's still the murder but I can think of cleverer and more memorable ones such as with How To Dial a Murder and Swan Song) with the odd contrived moment and the story is well told and intriguing especially with the whole cosmetics industry milieu. The acting is great. Peter Falk is brilliant as always as the iconic Columbo, and while I consider Susan Clark's, Janet Leigh's and Ruth Gordon's female characters a little more interesting, Vera Miles' is credible enough and she gives her all. A young Martin Sheen also makes an impression, as does Vincent Price, part of you does wish there was more of him, but he still delivers with his smarminess and eloquence. Overall, not Columbo's best, but lovely and very watchable. 8/10 Bethany Cox

A rather lightweight but watchable Columbo story

[The Welsh Raging Bull · 6/10 · 22 April 2002]

A cosmetics queen tries to save her flagging Beauty Mark empire by acquiring a revolutionary wrinkle-removing cream from a disloyal chemist working within her company, who is ready to sell the formula to one of her rivals. Realising his total reluctance to do a deal with her she kills him in a rage....

Not a particularly strong Season 3 opener, which has an interesting if somewhat far-fetched plot. Vera Miles's characterisation does not quite have the complexity and substance of other murderesses in the series (e.g. Susan Clark and Janet Leigh) and despite her best efforts, she cannot bring much out of her rather bland part.

The approach by the script-writer (the prolific Jackson Gillis) is rather subdued and subtle. Columbo scenes with the murderess don't really have much impact until the finale and the one main clue (which leads Columbo to deduce that the murderer was woman),where he finds a magazine at the murder scene with sums of money written on it in eyebrow pencil, is symptomatic of a rather unintelligent murderess and a struggle for the script-writer to point Columbo in the direction of that person.

Disappointingly, Vincent Price, only has two scenes and his character could have been developed much more, especially as Columbo curiously seems to get very little information from him. Ultimately, one can't help thinking about Vincent Price's calibre as a Columbo murderer - he would have really shone with the right script!

The contagious nature of poison ivy becomes an all-too-easy focal point of the episode also, since both Columbo and the murderess catch it from the same source.

Two other things: the coincidence that gives Columbo the case is not particularly believable and the second murder (of the murderesses's rival's blackmailing secretary) is not referred to in a slightly rushed ending, which is also guilty of no significant build-up.

Despite the somewhat negative comments, this is generally an average but distinctly watchable Season 3 story, which is well above the quality of the series's weak episodes like "Dead Weight", "Fade Into Murder", "Old-Fashioned Murder" and "Last Salute To The Commodore."

Waste of a star

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 6 June 2016]

LOVELY BUT LETHAL is a solid enough entry in the early Columbo TV series, and it features a complex-enough guest villain the form of PSYCHO actress Vera Miles, playing the boss of a beauty firm who decides to do away with a rival only to find the crumpled sleuth dogging her every move.

Coming to this as a horror fan, my only complaint is that Vincent Price is present in this story, and they didn't make HIM the villain! I guess they only had him around for a short while as he only pops up a couple of times in support, but the producers of Columbo really seemed to miss a trick by not having Price play the villain at least once. I think he would have really relished the opportunity for a battle of wits with the detective, and it's such a pity that never happened.

Otherwise, LOVELY BUT LETHAL is straightforward entertainment. Peter Falk hounds Miles wherever she goes, while she gets increasingly frustrated. I liked the beauty world as a backdrop to the tale, although the shenanigans surrounding the opening murder are a little convoluted and there's a later plot development that barely gets referred to by the characters so seems more than a little pointless. Watch out for a young Martin Sheen in support, just before he appeared in BADLANDS.

Right Up There on the Plus Side.

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 21 April 2009]

This is the one in which Vera Miles, as the head honcho of a tony cosmetics corporation, bashes in the head of subordinate Michael Sheen who has falsified the results of an experiment in such a way that he now has sole possession of the secret formula of a skin cream that will remove wrinkles.

Enter Columbo, the paragon of sartoriality, into the women's world of haute couture and expensive fat farms where they practice "body realization" and nude sunbathing. He stumbles around and catches poison ivy before unraveling the case with an intuition that is supernatural in its magnitude.

I don't know why, when Vera Miles discovered that Sheen had cooked the books and was going to blackmail her into making him a partner in the firm, she just didn't go to the cops instead of braining him. After all, stealing a secret wrinkle remover while in the employ of the corporation is stealing property that is rightly theirs, not to mention the blackmail that is extortion, a felony.

There's some comedy, but not that much, and not that much teasing repartee between Miles and Peter Falk. Sheen isn't around long. Sian Barbara Allen has more screen time and she uses it pretty well, even adding a suggestion of the kind of love that dare not speak its name in her devotion to Miles. Allen has a most idiosyncratic face. Not unattractive in any way, but slightly askew. Vincent Price is always good to see on the screen. He doesn't get to use his considerable flair for comedy in this relatively straight part of Miles' competitor in the cosmetics business. Price and Miles, though, do have one delicious exchange. They are business rivals. Miles hates Price. And, at a party, she greets him with a compliment, "Why, David, what a lovely hairpiece." You can tell the story was written by Myrna Bercovici because no man could possibly dream up such a line.

If you like this sort of thing, as I do, you probably should catch it. It's up there with the other mainstream entries.

The Chemist

[AaronCapenBanner · 6/10 · 22 February 2016]

Vera Miles plays a determined cosmetics founder of a company called Beauty Mark that is desperate to perfect a new wrinkle cream that would make her a fortune, and stave off her chief business rival David Lang(played by Vincent Price). Trouble is that her chief chemist's assistant(played by Martin Sheen) has stolen the formula and plans to blackmail her to get a fortune, but his refusal of her romantic advances enrages her to murder him with a large microscope. This brings on Lt. Columbo(Peter Falk) whose wife uses her products, but that wont stop him from getting the poisonous proof to arrest her. Mediocre episode strangely wastes legendary actor Vincent Price in a supporting role, though the other stars are fine.

Two old pros and a couple of neophytes make the show!

[garrard · 9/10 · 2 April 2006]

"Columbo" had successfully completed two years in the NBC lineup by the time this episode aired. Peter Falk was more than accustomed to the role and he knew every amusing quirk about the beloved character. This particular installment deals with the cutthroat world of cosmetics, a world where loyalty is bought and sold with the ease of putting on some mascara or cologne. Vera Miles, an actress that always seemed destined for greater stardom (she had been selected by Hitchcock to star in "Vertigo"), is outstanding as a cosmetics queen that contends with the treachery of an employer, a very young Martin Sheen. Sian Barbara Allen, another performer that eluded stardom's golden ring, plays a lackey of Miles's competition and is good in her supporting role.

And the legendary Vincent Price plays "David Lang," Miles's chief rival. Though his part is mostly a cameo, he brings about an air of distinction to the show, something that he always displayed in over one hundred films.

The ninety-minute airing time of the episode makes it move swiftly and enjoyably to its nifty conclusion.

Trade secrets

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 4 May 2014]

Peter Falk was wont to remark in this Columbo story about the security at Vera Miles's cosmetic business. You would think that the Defense Department was developing a new missile guidance system. But Miles and her close competitor Vincent Price eye each other suspiciously and both are rightly concerned with the competitor stealing trade secrets.

When one of her own chemists, a young Martin Sheen, tries to hold up Miles for some new development she kills him in a rage. That was understandable. Later on Miles kills Sian Barbara Allen in a more thoughtfully and premeditated murder for which by the way no one even suspects is a murder. Allen however was doubling as Price's secretary and her spy so not too much mourning is called for.

I have to say that Lt. Columbo got very lucky here. Contact with the murder weapon is the key here as both Columbo and Miles develop something in common.

Price got a wonderful role as a cosmetics mogul, a role he could really chew the scenery with. Miles is more controlled, but as we see quite deadly when she gets obstructed.

More luck than deduction brings our culprit to justice.

Lovely but Lethal is Classic!

[Sylviastel · 9/10 · 12 December 2005]

My biggest complaint is that we don't see much of Vera Miles anymore acting wise. She really holds this Columbo episode together. As the main character, Vivika Scott, she really brings her to life better than anybody else around. Sian Barbara Allen who plays the female spy with some suspicious tendencies toward Vivika. I do not know whether she is coming on to her or wants to be more like her. Her character is quite interesting. Vincent Price is exceptionally wonderful in his small supporting role as Vivika's main competitor. A young Martin Sheen is fabulous as the young chemist who wants more from the possible youth cream. There are some lighthearted moments like when Columbo visits Vivika's fat farm. The episode could have been longer too and that is one of my biggest complaints with it. It could have been a better two hour episode than ninety minutes on a Saturday afternoon. I always enjoy Columbo at that time. Vera Miles role as Vivika Scott is memorable for her fans. I only wish Vera Miles would act more even now.

Not brilliant but sticks to formula and succeeds for that (spoilers)

[bob the moo · 9 May 2005]

Viveca Scott is head of one of the largest cosmetics company in the country, but they have hit hard times and her continued dominance over the company of rival David Lang is very much dependant on the development of a new anti-wrinkle cream. When she discovers that Karl Lessing, her ex-lover and employee, has been selling the secrets of her new product to Lang she tries to buy it back but, failing to do so, flies into a rage and kills Lessing. Covering her tracks as best she can Scott still has to contend with the suspicions and manipulation of those around her in this cutthroat business – she is so concerned with them in fact, that she doesn't need to worry about the rather bumbling and seemingly inept Detective Columbo that has been put on the Lessing murder.

As with many TV film series (such as Perry Mason), if you like one or two of them then you'll pretty much like them all. This entry in the Columbo series pretty much follows the usual formula – we know the killer and the "perfect" plan but then watch Columbo follow his hunch and gradually starts to pick holes in the story he is told before eventually finding enough to prove his suspicions. Saying this is not a spoiler – it is simply what happens in all the films. With this strict adherence to formula it is usually down to several factors whether or not the Columbo film stands out or if it is just average. In this film we have a reasonable rare event in the Columbo series – a murder that is unplanned and is done in the heat of the moment. Regardless of the motives though, this film still stands up as a good mystery, mainly because we are not treated to a carefully planned buildup to the murder, giving us clues that Columbo will find. With this case, although we know the killer, we find out a lot of the clues at the same time as Columbo puts them together; this makes for an interesting story as we are actually waiting to see how Columbo solves it rather than waiting for him to pick up on the clues we already know are there.

The cast is comparatively stellar and produces quite a few strong performances. Falk is his usual self and delivers Columbo like it is effortless. He has a good tension with Miles, who is just as good although I normally prefer it when the murders see Columbo as an amusing rival rather than getting annoyed by him. Support is nice from Sheen and Price – neither do a great deal but they are instantly recognisable and their presence adds to the feel of a "big" film rather than a no-name TV movie! Overall, not the greatest of the series but just about above the normal standard. Fans will enjoy it and those not previously won over by the Columbo formula may appreciate the fact that we don't know many of the clues and such until Columbo finds them – making it a bit more of a mystery than some others in the series. For my money, just another in a long line of films in the series that sticks to formula and succeeds.

A not especially nice lady....and a relatively weak episode

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 22 August 2019]

Viveca Scott (Vera Miles) is the leader of a failing cosmetics giant. To keep her company afloat, she is willing to do pretty much anything...including murder! After bashing a chemist over the head with a microscope, she's not finished with her villainy....and it's up to Columbo to stop her.

The show had some interesting actors, such as Vincent Price and Martin Sheen. And, I like the way that the cosmetics industry is portrayed....cut-throat and vicious. But what I did NOT like was the show's finale, as Columbo clearly did NOT have enough evidence to arrest, let alone convict, the killer. It really left the viewer annoyed...which is a shame as it was an otherwise good installment.

I could watch Vera for miles and miles!!!

[mufdivtwo · 10/10 · 14 August 2018]

I watched this episode over 20 years ago and I recently watched again and I must say that it is one of the best I have seen ever since I started watching Columbo.

Vera Miles is not just a first class actress but she is also very beautiful and I can't think of any actress that could have given a better performance than Vera.

I recommend this movie to everyone because it is one of the best and it stands the test of time given it was made in 1973.

Enjoyable

[edgeofreality · 7/10 · 5 January 2021]

A fine way to pass the time, Columbo and ice queen Miles, and a seedy smoking female wannabe executive, and a frustrated lab assistant toy boy, and Vincent Price all too briefly, and a washed up heartbroken scientific genius.

Lethally flawed

[Acolyte-2 · 4/10 · 20 December 2015]

It's one of the standard plot points of a Columbo mystery that either the clue which points him to the murderer in the first place, or the final clue which gives Columbo the evidence he needs to set up a final confrontation with the murderer leading to an arrest, is some minor thing out of place or unusual about the murder scene.

In this one, the clue we knew was going to trip up the murderer was a mysterious itch on the hands of both the murderer and Columbo. They focused on it so much we were obviously supposed to notice it, and it indeed turned out to be related to the final clue: That both had come into contact with urushiol, the irritant in poison ivy, and this could have happened from contact with nothing else but either something at the murder scene or the missing MacGuffin because poison ivy doesn't grow in Southern California.

However, a different plant from the same family, poison oak, not only DOES grows in Southern California, but can be difficult to avoid anywhere wild plants grow. (Urban residents often don't recognize it when they see it.) And the dermatitis you get from poison ivy and poison oak are absolutely indistinguishable -- as you would expect, since it's caused by exactly the same chemical. When Columbo sees an expert about his itch, he's told it can only be poison ivy. But no one in Southern California would even begin to suspect poison ivy. They'd say it was poison oak, period.

It's a nonsense clue, and a horrible failure by the writer to do even remotely adequate research.

If there was much comedy to this episode or if the acting were amazingly good it might be possible to overlook this issue, but unfortunately neither were the case. The result is well below average for Columbo.

The best reason to watch this one is Vera Miles!

[bribabylk · 10 August 2007]

I didn't really know much of this actress other than "Psycho," but it was a real treat to see her at the focal point of this episode. I was just fascinated by her; the way she spoke, looked, etc. She was well cast as a cosmetics mogul, because she was in her early forties when this was made and the closeups show not one wrinkle! Her hairdo I believe was a big inspiration for Charles Busch's character in "Die, Mommie Die!" The story was pretty good but not fantastic, with a young, cute Martin Sheen as the victim. I enjoyed the cosmetics industry milieu, and there were some priceless 70's moments, such as when someone is seen smoking a ciggie as she browses in a clothing store. Those were the days! The crime itself was one of passion, and with no thought put into (that) murder, the villainess couldn't really cover her tracks very well, making her ultimately an easy catch for the Lt. I have to admit I was thrown off by the itchy rash everyone was getting, thinking--as did the murderess--that it was caused by the wrinkle cream. Didn't see the poison ivy coming; but then who ever does?

Simply fine Columbo entry.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 7/10 · 15 April 2008]

The movie is set in the cosmetic world. With that concept the movie is perhaps a bit ahead of its time but of course its a theme of all times. Over the centuries women always tried to look younger their age.

There is basically nothing wrong with this movie and it's a good average entry into the long successful running series of Columbo movies. No, it's nothing too special or spectacular but it features all of the right required elements. It's the reason why this movie is an average one but it's also the reason why this is such a perfectly watchable one.

The movie its concept and settings provides the movie with some good moments and characters. On top of that the characters are being portrayed by some fine actors. Martin Sheen plays the victim (he was also still a fairly much unknown actor at the time) and the excellent Vera Miles plays the killer. As icing on the cake, Vincent Price also makes his appearance, who was still very popular in the horror scene in the '70's. It's rather special to watch Vincent Price and Lt. Columbo in one shot together, interacting.

The movie is directed by Jeannot Szwarc, who is perhaps best known for directing the sequel "Jaws 2" and the less successful "Supergirl". He now spends his career directing successful television series such as "Without a Trace", "Cold Case" and "Smallville". Kind of funny that he has returned to his roots now, since he also started his career directing similar television series, from a totally different decade. Television series such as "Kojak" and in a way this movie also really fits in with those series. He's obviously at ease within the genre and knows how to tell the story in a short amount of time, with a good pace and also still some class. There is also some real subtly in the directing at times.

The movie has a decent proper build up and despite some minor flaws, which more has to do with the fact that the movie needs to restrain its own running time to just over an hour, the movie is a fine one. Of course things get rushed at times and not everything gets properly wrapped up but isn't that the case with basically every Columbo movie and other different crime series?

A fine watchable Columbo movie.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

above average early episode; Vera Miles shines

[bcstoneb444 · 7/10 · 23 February 2015]

This strikes me as one of the most successful of the early-ish Columbo efforts. Falk is in good form and looks suitably befuddled as he stumbles his way through the labyrinthine world of Big Cosmetics. The villain this time is Vera Miles, who portrays cosmetics industry mogul Viveca Scott. She has an eye for the young chemists who work for her, but alas, one of said chemists gets a little too ambitious and thus must be eliminated. There's exceptional chemistry between Peter Falk and Miss Miles, even by Columbo standards, but much of the success of this episode resides with the tight script and crisp direction. Nice vistas of the ocean contribute to the vaguely exotic backdrop. Bonuses include cameos by a slimy Vincent Price and young Martin Sheen. And Fred Draper registers as the washed up, alcoholic plastic surgeon-in-chief who harbors a lifelong crush on his employer. But it's Vera Miles who dominates this episode. With her shapely figure, she looks terrific sashaying around in those awful 1970s mod clothes. Thus she's quite believable as a beauty industry tycoon who also moonlights as a health and fitness guru. She simply steals every scene she's in, giving some of the iciest stares that would freeze over the infernal realms while at the same time projecting a smoldering presence about to explode at any minute, pushed as she is to the edge by Columbo's questions and dogged persistence. It's a tribute to her professionalism that she accomplishes all with nary a curtain chewing scene anywhere.

"Lovely But Lethal" (1973)

[Wuchakk · 7/10 · 31 March 2019]

PLOT: A struggling cosmetics company mogul (Vera Miles) commits a crime of passion over a wrinkle remover cream. Vincent Price plays a rival tycoon, Sian Barbara Allen his duplicitous secretary and Martin Sheen a chemist assistant who steals the miracle formula.

COMMENTARY: By this point it's clear that each Columbo movie features a unique setting dependent upon the occupation of the murderer; in this case, it's a ritzy cosmetics corporation. Vera Miles is enjoyable as the villainess while Price steals every scene he's in, which isn't many since he's a side character. Sheen shows his formidableness at the early age of 32 (during shooting). Several sequences take place at a "fat farm" along the scenic coast of Southern Cal.

GRADE: B

a great Columbo

[blanche-2 · 8/10 · 25 November 2017]

Peter Falk is "Columbo" in this episode "Lovely but Lethal," which stars Vera Miles, Vincent Price, Martin Sheen, and Sian Barbara Allen.

Vivika Scott (Miles) runs Beauty Mark, a once highly successful but now failing cosmetics company. She has her hopes pinned on a miracle cream that makes wrinkles disappear, but the formula disappears when her chief chemist (Sheen) steals it and wants to sell it to her competitor (Price).

Vivika attempts to seduce her chemist, thinking that's what he wants, but it turns out he's just after revenge. In a rage, she kills him by banging him over the head with a microscope. Price's secretary (Allen) attempts to blackmail Vivika, but that's the least of her worries - Columbo is investigating.

Entertaining episode with wonderful performances, with a good scene at a fat farm Vivika runs while Columbo follows her around talking to her. We could have used more of Price and a little more script development, but this episode is still good.

Vera Miles Just Shines

[martinxperry-14868 · 7/10 · 14 April 2018]

This is not the best, and not the worse episode. The cast is stacked with heavy weights Vera Miles, Martin Sheen, and Vincent Price. Mr. Piceand Ms. Miles put in strong performamces and it make this episode easy to watch. The talent and beauty of Vera Miles is front and center here. Good story line and well directed.

A satisfyingly good episode

[BaileySEA · 10/10 · 30 December 2004]

Vera Miles as cosmetics mogul Viveca Scott is a rarefied hoot. Vera Miles at her all time best. Sian Barbara Allen ( a 1970's TV-Movie staple), a young Martin Sheen, and the always eloquent Vincent Price show up as fine supporting players. Seems the high-strung Viveca killed her research chemist (Sheen) to silence him as he falsified the testing on her newest beauty cream, that was actually an age renewing miracle.Vincent Price shows up as a rival cosmetics tycoon who uses Sian Barbara Allen as a spy. Meanwhile, Fred Draper, a John Cassavetes regular has a field day as the drunken plastic surgeon Dr. Murcheson. Levinson and Link's TV show COLUMBO was at the very least, classy. It had a great formula, and was social commentary on the motives of the L.A. rich.

This is a delicious episode you shouldn't miss. Buy it on Amazon, you won't regret it.

When you itch you scratch

[sol-kay · 6/10 · 13 November 2006]

**SPOILERS** Being in a life and death struggle with her competition the smooth and sarcastic cosmetic mogul David Lang, Vincent Price, to keep her cosmetic company afloat Beauty Queen Viveca Scott, Vera Miles, has come up with the miracle of the ages. A miracle cream that prevents aging developed by her ace chemist the brilliant but, at times, hopelessly drunk Dr. Murchison, Fred Droper.

Happy at first that she finally got a product that will blow her rival David Lang's company into chapter 11 Viveca is shocked to find out that the miracle cosmetic cream developed by Dr. Murchison is a complete fraud. This from the doctor himself who sadly tells her that the earlier results were a fluke and that the cream is about as effective, in getting rid of wrinkles, as putting a blob of Chirico on one's face.

We then get to find out that Viveca had a spy working for her in David Lang's company his personal secretary Shirley Blaine, Slan Barbara, who uncovered a plan by one of Dr. Murchison assistants the very underpaid and unappreciated, at least thats what he thought, Karl Lassing played by Martin Sheen.Karl had stolen the new wonder drug from right under his boss Dr. Murchison's, probably while he was out cold drunk, nose and was trying to sell it to Lang for $200,000.00.

Viveca getting the news from her spy Shirley Blaine goes out to Karl's place to see what she can do to get the secret formula back from him. It turns out that Karl had the hots for the beautiful Viveca and her treatment of him over the years, using Karl as if he were just a play toy, really got to him. Now with him in the drivers seat Karl's the one who'll decide what and if the price is right. The price that Karl want's is nothing more and nothing less then being an equal 50/50 partner with Viveca in her company. Before Karl can even finish his long planned and euphoric speech he gets smashed over his head by a heavy microscope that Viveca picked up from his study table killing him.

With Karl Lassing murdered Lt. Columbo, Peter Falk, is put on the case and he quickly goes to work on just who would be the person who would most benefit from him being knocked off? this leads to David Lang. Finding out that Lang had no idea who Karl was since his only contact in Lang's was through his private secretary Shirley Blain not with him Karl just wrote the check with no questions asked.

Columbo catches on to Viveca right away sensing that she somehow was involved with Lang's murder by finding out that she broke off the affair she had with him some two years ago. There's also the fact that the day that Karl was murdered he was set to take a trip to Europe that would have cost him a lot more then what he had in his bank account $300.00.

Lt. Columbo is at his best in this movie with his nudnik-like badgering as he hounds poor Viveca Scott, even though she deserved it, day and night. Lt. Columbo even invades her exclusive $200.00 a day fat-farm outside Malibu with his constant questioning and just making a pain in the butt of himself to not only Viveca but everyone else he comes in contact with. Shirley seeing that she can now get Viveca to give her a high paying job in her company, unlike the peanuts that she's being paid by her cheap and current boss David Lang, puts the screws on her. Viveca gets rid of Shirley by slipping her a mickey-Finn, in the form of a cigarette. This has Shirley lose control of her car and drive off a cliff killing herself.

Columbo had been having this annoying itch on his left hand ever since he got on the case and it's that itch that leads him to find out who was the one who murdered Karl Lassing. Since the only way one could have gotten that itch is by being present at the murder scene! Just guess who else, beside Lt. Columbo, was in Karl's place investigating his murder, got it? yes the person who murdered him his boss and former lover Viveca Scott.

Outstanding but almost solely due to beauty Vera Miles

[belanger75 · 9/10 · 8 March 2019]

If Miles was not so ultra-great and fascinating in every scene in this and a lesser lady had this part this episode would have been a bomb. I will talk about how it is outstanding. First Miles is alluring in every scene she is in. She is strong willed and beautiful. A few fascinating bits one of which is when Miles's character is exercising notice how she is not that physically involved in that while talking to Columbo and get a load how stiff she is while coaching a class of women exercising. Actually, there is a regular coach too but she was very distantly doing the actual coaching herself. And notice that she wears sexy high-heeled sandals with pantyhose while she exercises and coaches showing that she is indeed not that physically into it and she will not stop looking like a classy beautiful lady. This makes her very physical bludgeon murder hard for Columbo to believe as she is a speaking lady not very physical (personally I do not think she exercises at all alone she has a perfect figure that she manages to keep without doing much physical workout -I think the exercise is all merely just for show to others). Another great bit is the gloves she wears for the rest of the ep. Two pairs one white the other flesh-colored. We saw her great hands ungloved quite a bit before she forever is gloved. This is a sexy touch but personally I wish Columbo had made her remove them to show her poison ivy spot. (Question: Did she have the gloves before the murder or were they purchased only after the poison ivy set in!)

Lovely but lethal

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 11 December 2023]

Viveca Scott (Vera Miles) is the owner of a high-end cosmetics company, recently sales have gone down and she's trying to fend off a takeover from corporate rival David Lang (Vincent Price). Viveca is pinning her hopes on a new wrinkle removal cream that her company has developed. But when she finds out that her chemist, Karl Lessing (Martin Sheen), is going to betray her and sell the compound to Lang, she beats him to death with his microscope. Viveca attempts to throw suspicion on Lang, but certain clues, like a scribbled note written in eyebrow pencil, point Lt. Columbo her way. There's also the matter of Shirley, Viveca's spy inside Lang's company, who knows a lot of secrets and also guesses what really happened to Karl.

Solid episode with a great performance by Vera Miles, who isn't quite evil. She's just desperate to save her business and turns to murder (she has no intention to kill Karl but so out of rage because he's adamant in selling the formula to her) in order to achieve it. Vincent Price is good in his small role but it's Sian Barbara Allen who steals the scene as a slimy employee who sees an opportunity to climb the ladder via blackmail. Columbo does his usual thing by torturing the main suspect by saying "one more thing" and "somethings bothering me - I hope you can help me on this." Me personally would just hand myself to the closest police station, confess and tell them to lock me up. Anything to avoid Colombo's pestering.

Huge Columbo fan here, but this episode was pretty weak

[bregund · 4/10 · 31 July 2022]

Vera Miles is mesmerizing as a stylish, manipulative CEO, and all the usual Columbo "one more thing" is on full display as he drives her to madness with his endless questions, but the ending was terrible. She's arrested because she scratched her hand? What about the second murder, Columbo usually pins these on the perpetrator as well but there's no mention of it after her car accident. Poorly written.