i sort of like this columbo movie it atmosphere and which be real thriller like and it approach even at time remind me of film noir and in the movie it first 30 minute or so . it really nice and do in a good old fashion way and with the right camera angle and use of light . it doesn not mean instantly that this movie be a brilliant one though but it solid enough to consider this a good late columbo movie entry . it definitely a good movie than the average late columbo movie entry . 26 year after his previous columbo movie appearance and george hamilton return once again to play the main lead opposite peter falk and again a the murderer and in a total different and new role of course . i like him in his role and he be a good columbo villain and who give the good old lieutenant some good competition . they have some nice sequence together . problem with the amodern new columbo movie always sort of have be that it do not feature a good well know actor opposite peter falk . this movie obviously doesn not suffer from this problem . but i must say though that this movie doesn not feature peter falk at this best . he have certainly play the character well and his performance isn not quite consistent enough within this movie and which be probably also due to he movie it director daryl duke and who also direct the really dreadful movie tai pan and among many other project . it have a rather good and enjoyable story but the fact that the same sort of plot to cover up the murder have be use before in an early columbo movie also doesn not help of course . it get use before in the 1975 movie columbo represent playback . nevertheless it of course also still have plenty enough original moment of it own with it story and even though of course in essence every columbo movie be more or less the same . but oh well and that be what make the columbo series so great and consistent . if it ain not break do not fix it . it also be true that within this movie more clue than usual be leave out for the lieutenant and which doesn not mean that the movie it murderer be more stupid or sloppy but i more see it a the writer be more overly enthusiastic than others . it doesn not make the movie or story bad and it in fact perhaps even make it more enjoyable and to see columbo hard at work and discover all kind of small but important clue . luckily the movie be also fill with some enjoyable effective relieve columbo comedy . simply a good late columbo movie entry . positive .