Columbo: Ashes to Ashes

Although "Ashes to Ashes" is not one of the best "Columbo" episodes, it is all the same a solid episode, especially when you consider that during this period the show was often hit or miss. It does have some flaws here and there. Like many of the latter day episodes, it does seem to be a bit long and slow at times. Columbo himself also seems to be a bit slower in his actions and words as well. Also, I was able to guess more or less what would prove to be the downfall of Patrick McGoohan's character in the first ten or so minutes of the episode! But McGoohan does prove to be a pretty good opponent - he comes across as smarter and craftier than the usual suspects that Columbo dealt with over the years. And while this episode is longer and slower than other episodes, I can say that it's never boring. Fans of the show should be fairly satisfied with the end results.

I am a huge Columbo fan and Ashes to Ashes is without a doubt one of my favourite episodes for many reasons. The plot is quite complex, but is explained well, has many interesting scenes, and the motive is a good one. The script is top notch, particularly in any exchange between Columbo and Eric and Verity's bitchy dialogue is a joy. As always the photography and scenery are striking, and the music is rich and haunting. Then there are the performances, Peter Falk is exceptional once again as Columbo, no surprise really he is always brilliant as the character, while Patrick McGoohan is brilliant as Eric. In fact, McGoohan is one of my favourite Columbo guest stars, and he works really well with Falk. Rue McClanahan has to work with a very strong minded and seemingly hateful character, and McClanahan conveys her with the charm she always had, not to mention her presence which is quite entrancing. The episode is also very well directed, and I was gripped right up to the final solution. Overall, first class, quintessential Columbo I'd say. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Don't really know why but out of all Columbo movies this is the one that always sticked most into my mind. I think this is mostly due to Patrick McGoohan's presence, who only a few years prior to this movie impressed with his role in "Braveheart" (how did he not won an Oscar for that?).

Like many Columbo movies before, this one got also directed by Patrick McGoohan, who also once again plays the killer of the movie. Most of the McGoohan Columbo movies are some really classy made ones, that are well directed and also better than the average Columbo movie entries. You can say that a McGoohan Columbo movie is always something special, even though not all are quite as good, such as for instance the failure "Columbo: Last Salute to the Commodore". It wasn't the last movie McGoohan would direct for the Columbo series but it was the last Columbo movie he played in.

As a matter of fact this also as of yet is the last movie McGoohan has appeared in. He did some voice-work after this movie but he psychically hasn't appeared in a movie ever since. He's still alive and kicking though, so he might once pop up in a movie again, though I assume that he is enjoying his retirement. He always had some good interaction with Peter Falk within the Columbo movies, probably also due to the fact that they have been close friends for years. Peter Falk also must have felt at ease with McGoohan behind the cameras, who in return also gave Falk lots of room to play around. This really shows within this movie.

Besides Peter Falk and Patrick McGoohan, the movie also features the great Rue McClanahan, as the movie its victim. She plays a very typical role, which has become sort of her trademark, ever since her "The Golden Girls" role. It also features some other fine actors in supporting roles, such as Richard Riehle, Sally Kellerman and Edie McClurg.

It's a movie that sticks nicely to the usual familiar Columbo movie formula. It has a nice typical murder-mystery story, although Columbo murders never really have been a 'mystery', since we always know from the beginning on who got killed by who, how and why. The story by the way also partly got written by McGoohan, so this really is 'his' movie. It isn't the most fast going Columbo movie but it nevertheless always is a good and interesting to watch, since the story progresses nicely and the movie features some nice characters and actors that are portraying them.

8/10

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"Ashes to Ashes" from 1998 is a great Columbo episode, with Falk coming up against repeat offender from past years, Patrick McGoohan, as a murderous funeral director.

McGoohan plays Eric Prince, an ex-actor turned funeral director who sold gossip to a Louella Parsons-type TV columnist Verity Chandler (Rue McClanahan) while they were having an affair.

The affair over, Verity has done some investigation and learned that when a great screen star, Dorothea Page died, a million-dollar necklace that accompanied her to the funeral home disappeared and is what enabled Prince to buy more and more funeral homes. While attending the funeral of an old cowboy star, Verity makes the mistake of announcing to Prince that she'll be exposing him on national television in a few days.

McGoohan is terrific, perfectly controlled in his internalized anger.

It's time for Lieutenant Columbo to investigate, and we all know the rest. McGoohan and Falk play off one another perfectly.

Very entertaining episode, certainly as good as any from Columbo's golden years. Falk was 71 here - most lieutenants would have retired by then, but not this guy. Good thing.

A tremendous cast, by latter-day Columbo standards, including Rue McClanahan, Sally Kellerman, Edie McClurg, Richard Libertini, Aubrey Morris, and Ron Masak have a field day chewing up the scenery in clever scene after clever scene. Legendary tap dancer Arthur Duncan even shows up to add the proper element of theatre d'absurd to the proceedings. The dialogue is well-above average in the cleverness department as well. The twists and turns are ingenious. McGoohan has a field day as director and actor. The last line puts the proper icing on the cake. This is one of the very best of the latter-day Columbo movies.