this be the first regular film columbo movie episode but yet it air a the second and after steven spielberg columbo represent murder by the book . it also at the same time among one of the good one . bernard l. kowalski be one great creative director . no wonder that they later ask him to direct three more columbo movie . the movie have some real creative and innovative shot sequence and the movie a a whole be also clearly make with style and passion and eye for detail . every shot connects and be a reason why this movie be well and also well look just any other average make for tv movie . it definitely one of the good direct columbo movie . it a quit original columbo entry for a couple of reason . the murder be more or less an accident and be an impulsive act . so the killer this time doesn not have any time to plan out the perfect murder in advance and his to clean up any of the trace afterward and have to dispose the body . the killer in this movie be not only be handle a the man who commit the crime but more a the man who help out lieutenant columbo to solve the murder . it make the character a more interesting and layer one as well and also help to make the way columbo solve the whole crime seem way more interesting as well because of that . of course columbo start to suspect him pretty early on and a always he come to solution by make himself vulnerable and look more stupid than he of course truly be and by gain the killer trust . this be obviously no spoiler since this be the way every columbo movie get set up . i like the story of the movie and how it progress . it also help the movie that it have such a fine cast . at the time of this movie peter falk have really make the columbo character his own and the character at this be already fully develop . robert culp be truly great a the short temper brimmer . funny thing be that he would later star in three different columbo movie again and one mrs. columbo episode and only in totally different role . he even play the murderer in a couple of those movie as well again . he by the way be not the only actor that do this in other late columbo movie . also the great ray milland make an appearance in this movie and a the husband of the victim . all in all and a real great early columbo movie and among the good one out of the long running series of movie . positive .