User reviews

My favorite Columbo for so many reasons. Oscar Werner is one of his best adversaries - note the wonderful way he refuses to accept he has been caught and that his fool-proof plan was thwarted by a simple human frailty - carelessness. Gena Rowlands, though restricted by her wheelchair bound role, nevertheless acts as a streak of goodness running against the machinations of her husband. Look at the way she is displayed in flowing robes and long blonde hair, almost angelic.

The real strength of this episode lies in the denouement. 99% of the time we root for Columbo to outwit the murderer but here there is no winner. Gena Rowlands has neither a mother nor a husband at the end, as Werner led is away for incarceration, but there is no victory in Columbo's face, only a deep empathetic resignation and an underlining of what is the true cost when people commit the most heinous of crimes.

Especially in its early years, the Columbo series often showcased modern technology - the IBM Selectric typewriter (yes, before it was obsolete, it was brand new), the Betamax years before it was available to the public, the digital watch, and in this episode, Playback, it's home gadgetry. In order to help his wheelchair-bound wife (Gena Rowlands), her husband (Oskar Werner) has outfitted their home with doors that open when one claps one's hands, etc. He also has a state of the art security system complete with videotape, which he maneuvers in order to show the killing of his mother-in-law, who's about to close down his business, but not her killer, while he's out for the evening. Columbo finds it terribly convenient that the killer managed to avoid the camera. A little too convenient.

Werner makes an excellent villain. He's smooth as silk, and all the more of a sleaze due to the soft and sympathetic portrayal of Gena Rowlands, who seems to truly love this philanderer/murderer. By the time Columbo's through with him, though, he's toast. A really wonderful entry in the series.

This is one of the best Columbo episodes, with a tightly wound plot, beautiful pacing, and excellent acting from the guest star. Oskar Werner plays an electronics expert who has completely outfitted his house with gadgetry to help his wheelchair-bound wife. His clever plan to murder his interfering mother-in-law and to use a delayed videotape of the murder to establish his alibi seems to be working, until Lt. Columbo starts looking into the case. The unique plot technique of showing the murder and then watching the subsequent investigation gives the viewer the strange experience of identifying with the murderer. Like the killer, we know all the facts ahead of the police, and begin to feel the same anxiety and tension as the net closes in. The climax of this movie is wonderful, as the killer is trapped with the very technology he has set up to establish his innocence.

The two-timing president of an electronics firm uses his expertise in electronic gadgetry to bump off his mother-in-law who has had enough of his wasteful and philandering ways.

A very well-devised Columbo story; Oskar Werner plays a confident, cold-blooded murderer which is fully evident in his excellent portrayal.

The set-up for the murder is fascinating: the script never complicates the story and is clever in using various elements of the electronic gadgetry (not all involved in the murder) to yield Columbo's clues. This is extremely ironic given that the murderer is certain that the hi-tech, modernised equipment in his house will allow him to commit the perfect murder.

The pacing of this adventure is well-judged, the performances are efficient and the conclusion is very thoughtfully executed - the murderer's wife is on hand to confirm that what she can see on the taped version of the murder is the clinching piece of evidence.

Highly recommended - if you haven't seen a Columbo adventure before, this will highlight what you've been missing and it is very representative of the quality of the series as a whole.

This is one of the better "Columbo" episodes. Oskar Werner is excellent as Harold van Wyck. The company name is "Midas Electronics." The previous reviewer misspelled that. Van Wyck is an inventor ahead of his time. The gadgets portrayed are now everyday things so someone on the production staff did a bit of research in '74 when the episode was filmed. It was originally broadcast during the spring of '75. Van Wyck is a complex genius as the character shows. He clearly enjoys creating the new "inventions." But, he is no saint in that he does apparently like the ladies, and has several extra marital relationships going on. The acting is excellent from an excellent cast. Martha Scott as the mother-in-law is suitably nasty as the company owner out for profit over ideas. Gena Rowlands is, as usual, equally good. This episode of "Columbo" is a rarity. It is the only work done by Oskar Werner on American television.

Columbo has always been a favourite, it is a lot of fun and very clever. Playback is one of my favourites of the series, alongside Any Old Port in A Storm, A Stitch in Crime, Ashes to Ashes, Etude in Black, By Dawn's Early Light, Blueprint for Murder and How to Dial a Murder. The story is somewhat simple, but because of how intriguing it actually is, how satisfying the ending is and how well the playback worked it was effective in its simplicity. The script is full of suspense and humour, the production values are striking, the music is haunting and adds so much to both the setting and the atmosphere and the direction is adept. The acting is wonderful, Peter Falk continues to be a joy as Columbo apart from his rather fake sneezing and Oskar Werner is very smooth, sleazy and edgy, in short one of the more interesting Columbo murderers. I also think Playback has one of the better supporting casts of the series, Gene Rowlands is excellent and Martha Scott is wonderfully nasty. Overall, classic Columbo and one of my favourites, always was and will continue to be so. 10/10 Bethany Cox

In this episode Peter Faulk is in great form, as always. And the villain of the week, Oskar Werner, turns a decent performance as well. But for me the real icing on the cake was the performance of Gena Rowlands, who in her role plays the 'innocent audience' (the audience that did not see the opening of the show), as she observes Columbo slowly peel back Werner's alibi and reveal the real perpetrator of her mothers death.

Notice how low key this beautiful, powerful, award winning actress (and wife of John Cassavetes) plays her part. Even with a relatively few number of lines to recite, Gena does not over compensate with on screen affectations in order to get the camera's attention. She is totally understated, and carries out the role almost solely with facial expressions, and of course the well timed flow of tears at the climax of the episode when her character is faced with the undeniable truth she has lost a husband as well as a mother. What a Greek tragedy!

Yes, Gena was the glue sealing the credibility of the story and allowing us, the real audience, to suspend our disbelief and take a nice ride on the murder train. Thank you Gena!

Again Columbo seems to be completely out-classed, but again his usual turn around and asking just that one question, harassing the person he thinks has done it until some progress is made. There also is the enjoyable presence of his dog, but as usual, his wife isn't there.

A brisk outing for Peter Falk's Columbo, PLAYBACK sees him going up against Oscar Werner (star of FAHRENHEIT 451). Werner plays a cad of a guy who spends his time cheating on his disabled wife. When his mother-in-law finds out about his nefarious ways, she plans to remove him from the CEO post of the company she runs, but he has other ideas.

PLAYBACK, as the title would suggest, focuses on the then-new technology of CCTV as the murderer plays with the system to give him a perfect alibi. The new technology is incredibly dated (as is the new-fangled digital watch on display) but watching Columbo figure out his way around it is a lot of fun. This mystery is a straightforward one that gets by on the interplay between Falk's bumbling detective and Werner's increasingly exasperated suspect.

Once again, the comedy here is on strong form, particularly in the scenes involving Columbo's dog. An interlude in an art gallery is another highlight, but my favourite moment is when Werner finds Columbo hiding behind a curtain. It had me burst into laughter, something few things do.

What makes this episode high on the list is the avoidance of cliché, and a sense of realism and possibility. For example, Columbo's bedroom door/ clown in the chair discovery which raises doubt but does not constitute proof, as Van Wykke and his wife point out. Also the subtlety and acting restraint, especially in the film worthy performances of Gena Rowlands and Werner, but really all players.

I did wonder about Columbo's alleged "cold" demonstrated by his alleged "sneezing" and assumed the script writer was going to work around a nasal issue of Falk's; but such a condition was not evident. Not a distraction though, with such an engrossing well timed story and fine performances. This is good Columbo, people.

I'm a fan of Columbo, especially on a rainy Saturday, and it was fun to see Oskar Werner after Fahrenheit 451, but this episode was very lacking. The original plot and plot twists were obvious and could be guessed way in advance, even years before the modern detective shows of today. But it was amusing to see the crazy couch patterns and "modern" electronics equipment and, of course, the mandatory suburbanite humor poking fun at modern art for sale. The high-tech home is a Jetson's or Disney version of Tomorrowland, and fun to think of writers inventing those "way-out gizmos".

If its sunny outside, go play, as there are much better Columbo episodes. Still, we should be thankful for Cable TV that these episodes are being broadcast.

Harold Van Wick has landed on his feet by marrying the wheelchair-bound Elizabeth Meadis as he has become the head of the family electronics company. Harold has driven the company to focus on gadgets like the many toys he has in his own home – a direction that mother-in-law blames for the fall in profits of her company. When she decides to fire him, Harold sets it up to kill her, make it look like a burglary and use the CCTV with a recording to make the security guard think it happened while Harold was at a party. It all goes to plan but wet mulch and the precision of Harold's timings make Columbo believe this is not as simple as a robbery gone wrong.

The problem with me having seen so many of the Columbo films is that there are so few left for me to watch without knowing the whole show. This has meant me mostly watching the modern ones which aren't as good as the original films. Playback caught my eye in the TV guide and I had no memory ever seeing it and was thus looking forward to it. This pressure of expectation could have damaged the viewing of it but thankfully this was a typically strong Columbo that sticks to the formula and delivers what the fans love about the series. The plot is the usual cat and mouse game as Columbo tries to piece the mystery together and it is a good example of how to do it. The little details are well worked by Columbo and he has good chemistry with Harold, albeit not quite as good as in the best films. The humour is present as well, which helps things move along entertainingly and makes Columbo fun as a character.

Falk is terrible here when asked to act like he has a cold – for some reason he cannot do it and his sneezes are laughable. However in every other regard he gives great Columbo. He is self-depreciating but always leaves just enough of his cogs turning visible so the viewer knows what he is doing. His turn in the art gallery is an obvious scene but he makes it work by the deftness of his comic touch – the moment where he explains to the gallery owner that his wife paints is probably one of my favourite Columbo moments. He works well with Werner, who himself is good value even if he is given a slighter weaker character than some of the better adversary roles have had. Support is so-so from Scott and Rowlands, mainly because the two men make the film theirs and work their joint and individual scenes well.

Overall then a great example of what the Columbo films do well. The formula is all in place and all parts work well – from the mystery right through to the humour. Apart from a terrible cold, Falk is strong and works well with Werner in a film that will please fans and showcase the film series for first timers.

This is a really good Columbo episode. I just watched it after frankly giving up on Columbo for a few years after watching it for decades, but I had never watched this one. It was on Roku Channel with very small commercial breaks, much better then we had to put up with on 1970s broadcast TV! I had been watching some Oskar Werner films (The Last 10 Days, about the Berlin bunker) and wanted to see more. Someone on his bio mentioned this and I'm glad I finally watched it 50 years after it was made. For me this had the best Columbo ending I ever remember, except maybe the one with Donald Pleasence, that one is also very memorable. But Oskar's character really takes the bad police news like you can believe it, not like a person automatically admitting guilt like in a Perry Mason. His acting is top notch at the end! 10 of 10.

(There are Spoilers) Lt. Columbo, Peter Falk,matches wits with electronic expert and art connoisseur Harold Van Wick, Oskar Werner, in this made for TV movie about murder and the use of state-of-the-art, circa 1975, electrical equipment to cover up the crime.

Feeling that he's been iced out of his mother-in-law's electronics corporation with his wheelchair bound wife Elizabeth, Gena Rowlads, put in as chairwoman of the board Harold plans to murder her, Mrs.Meadis (Martha Scott), and make it look like it was the result of a break in. Setting everything up with the video camera to be activated by sound to tape anyone trying to break into the mansion. Harold gets Mrs. Meadis to walk into the study and shoots her to death with him being out of camera range. Harold then sets up the video camera , with Mrs. Meadis being shot and lying dead on the floor, to start recording some 15 minutes. Later he safely leaves the mansion to attend a show at an art gallery in Beverly Hills. Harold makes it look like with the security guard Baxter, Herb Jefferson Jr. as a witness that Mrs. Meadis was shot 15 minutes after he left the mansion.

Complicated yes but not that smart on Harold's part since he didn't realize that no matter how smart you are the eye of the camera, or video camera, doesn't miss a thing. What it didn't miss was what Lt. Columbo spotted, by enlarging the video image, that totally destroyed Harold's alibi. In fact it was the very alibi of Harold not being in the house at the time of Mrs. Meadis murder that did Harold in.

I have to say that I never heard of Oscar Werner until I saw him in this Columbo episode. He plays dashing but strange, charming but unfaithful electronics expert who wants to maintain control of his wife's family company which is what he is an expert in. The house has cameras and security that anybody would envy. When his mother-in-law played by the legendary actress, Martha Scott, announces her plans to give the company control to another family member. Werner's character stages a perfect murder so to say but you forgot that COlumbo is investigating it. Anyway his wife is played by the glorious and beautiful Gena Rowlands as an invalid who needs special care. She describes herself that "she's not that fragile." OF course, your heart breaks for her. I love the scene with Columbo in the art gallery with Patricia Barry, another great actress.

No way that is among the best of the Columbo movies but it s still simply one fine entry in the long and popular running series.

The movie is directed by Bernard L. Kowalski, who is perhaps my favorite director out of the entire Columbo movie series. He directed numerous Columbo movies, of which this one isn't his best or most interesting to watch but there simply is just not such a thing as a bad Bernard L. Kowalski Columbo movie.

The entire movie is mostly set at one location; In and around the house were the murder was committed. Not that this is something unusual for a Columbo movie but this one is perhaps an extreme example of it. But of course when you have such a large 'high-tech' house, it isn't anything to surprising that this approach got picked with its story. It's of course also a real typical approach for a murder mystery to have most of the movie set at a large house. It's of course an approach Agatha Christie novel/movies are best known for. Guess Columbo also wanted to have a taste of this.

The fact that the movie is mostly set at one location is perhaps the main reason why the movie feels rather simplistic. It tried to make the story more interesting and tried to spice things up by inserting lots of modern high-tech gadgets into the movie and weave it into the murdering plot. But of course all of those high-tech gadgets are no terribly outdated and they look quite ridicules honestly. But who knows, maybe in 20 years from now people will also laugh at seeing our 'modern' tools and gadgets in movies. It's at least not as ridicules as the robot in the other earlier Columbo movie "Columbo: Mind Over Mayhem".

The movie is also quite short and just over an hour long. Because of this not everything seems developed and wrapped up properly. Especially the ending just comes too soon and the movie feels as if it could had used some more moments in which Columbo tried to make things tough for his main suspect, played by Oskar Werner and some more moments in which the killer tried to fool Columbo and conceal his crime better for the world in order to avoid getting caught.

Peter Falk is good as always as Columbo, who this time again has a cold. Also present again is his dog. Oskar Werner also plays his role just fine, although the movie also leaves you the feeling that they could had done some more and developed his character a bit better. Austrian born actor Werner is best known for playing the main lead in the original "Fahrenheit 451", which is currently being remade. He quit acting shortly after this Columbo movie, most likely forced due his drinking problems. He also died quite young of an heart attack in late 1984. Also present in this movie is Gena Rowlands. But due to the limited running time of this movie, non of the supporting roles are quite big or interesting enough to be worth mentioning.

Not the worst Columbo movie but there are definitely better ones out there, especially also from Bernard L. Kowalski.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

I was a middle school teacher around the time that videotape became commercially possible. I do remember the first instant replays during football games. So cool. I also remember our school had one videotape player. Those gigantic reels with all the pitfalls of the possibility of breakage or dropouts. I also remember that we had no timer so I would run in at night when a certain show was on that I wanted to show my kids. There were no timers on the thing. Anyway, to see the sophisticated array of video technology was a real treat after all these years. The story is pretty terrific. Oskar Werner is a nasty, self centered guy, who is running a highly sophisticated company. We find out he is a womanizer and is destroying the company with his excesses. He is married to a beautiful invalid in a wheelchair, whose mother discovers what her husband is up to and fires him. Before that can become official, he shoots her and uses his video magic to cover things up. Columbo, who knows nothing about this new technology, uses what he learns, to put together the solution. Werner is really nasty but is a genius. This is partially what gets him caught.

Oskar Werner plays Harold Van Wick who after marrying his wheelchair bound wife, Elizabeth (Gena Rowlands) runs the family electronics company.

Harold has taken the company in new directions such as home security gadgets and digital watches. His mother in law Margaret Meadis (Martha Scott) is not happy with declining profits. The worldwide recession is no excuse and she wants Harold to step down as chairman. Harold has murder in his mind and plans to manipulate the cctv recording system he has installed at the house.

Columbo does not buy that the murder was a robbery gone wrong. Nothing was stolen and the intruder seemed to have cleverly sidestepped the security cameras.

This is a nice episode to see the talents of Oskar Werner who made so few movies. Most people would know him from Fahrenheit 451. I could understand his anger at his mother in law. Hasn't she seen Michael Winner's film Death Wish released in 1974? What else will send home security system sales soaring!

Technical wizard Harold Van Wick plots a fiendishly clever method of shooting his domineering mother in law, and supplying himself with the perfect alibi, Columbo has to be at his best to unpick the watertight defence.

Another classic episode, one where I'm really blown away by the cleverness of the plot, such imagination went into this one. It seems like an impossible case, once again we see the diminutive Detective at his best.

Worth remembering where we were in terms of technology at the time, this is way ahead, quite futuristic.

Oskar Werner is terrific as the villain of the piece, he truly steals the show, one of the most memorable villains.

How wonderful to see the dog too, I like that they didn't overuse him, so when we do get to, it's joyous.

8/10.

PLOT: A genius inventor (Oskar Werner) murders his mother-in-law when she pressures his resignation from her electronics company, making it appear like he was at an art gallery during the crime via surveillance wizardry. Gena Rowlands plays his paraplegic wife while Trisha Noble is on hand as a secretary at the art house.

COMMENTARY: "Playback" is a rather obscure episode with a not-too-famous actor playing the antagonist (it was Werner's penultimate role). It's decent, but sorta forgettable because it came after six outstanding, longer Columbo flicks in a row, which represented the series at its apex. Here the series returns to the shorter 73 minutes and it just comes across as an overall downgrade. But, like I said, it's still a worthwhile installment.

Gena still looks great at 44, but the beautiful Trisha Noble steals the show on the female front. She was 30 during shooting and went on to appear as a wild-haired villainess in the Buck Rogers episode "Cruise Ship to the Stars" (1979).

GRADE: B-

I used to love Columbo when I was a child. I used to watch it with my mother, every Saturday night. It was great.

Now I'm watching these episodes again and I find the plot holes so numerous, it's ridiculous.

Columbo says he has a cold, he doesn't sound like he has a cold at all, it's just stupid

In this episode, the daughter wants to go back in her room and stay in the same house where her mother was murdered 1 hour before.... Who wrote these scripts? It's just so dumb

Every episode has stupid stuff like that. How come Columbo ALWAYS finds and goes to speak to the murderer straight away.... He never speaks to anyone else before, it's just nonsensical.

It's just pure fantasy. Not even 1 percent of what he does is credible and would happen in real life.