I thoroughly enjoyed this episode of COLUMBO and did not expect to find so many mixed reviews here on IMDb. I thought the episode struck a perfect balance between humor and suspense, due in great part to the levity brought by Bob Dishy. In fact, the whole cast deserves credit for putting this one over the top. I'll focus on them since the plot has been dissected and discussed numerous times already.
Pity Ray Milland. A number of reviewers commented on the appearance of this big film star of the 1940s and '50s, and I love LOST WEEKEND, THE BIG CLOCK, and DIAL M FOR MURDER as much as anybody. But 1972, the year of this COLUMBO episode, was also the year he appeared cheek to jowl with Rosey Grier in THE THING WITH TWO HEADS!
As a STAR TREK fan, I got a tremendous kick out of seeing two of its memorable guest stars in this episode, even if their only shared scene was a catty phone call. Arlene Martel as Gloria was still beautiful at 36, but the blonde wig and her native Bronx accent were light years away from her iconic portrayal of Vulcan vamp T'Pring in "Amok Time" back in 1967. I also fondly recall Martel as the sexy-scary morgue nurse who cried "Room for one more, honey!" in the "Twenty-Two" episode of THE TWILGHT ZONE. Conversely, Sandra Smith's portrayal of adulterous wife Cathy Goodland was strikingly similar to the amoral and ambitious Janice Lester she played in STAR TREK's final episode, "Turnabout Intruder." Cathy was an unsympathetic leading lady, to be sure, even if not a murderess. But if looks could kill . . . ya gotta admire any woman who can give a glare to burly William Smith and make him gulp in fear, as she did upon learning about Bill's on-the-side shakedown of Tony.
Bradford Dillman was great fun in his few scenes as the cuckolded sap Tony. I'm used to seeing him in more commanding and authoritative roles (such as a would-be Wild West Napoleon in a two-part SHANE from 1966). He played well the patsy and seemed to be enjoying playing against type. With his hair long, he at times reminded me of Bruce Dern.
Speaking of long hair, it was a delightful surprise to see a post-LAREDO and pre-INVASION OF THE BEE GIRLS William Smith step onto the stage. Smith looks just as he did in the 1972 horror movie GRAVE OF THE VAMPIRE, which must have been filmed at about the same time as this episode. Smith also has a cameo in the aforementioned and never-to-be-forgotten THING WITH TWO HEADS (available on Blu-ray, believe it or not!). Smith just radiates awesome, unflappable coolness, like when he asks Columbo, almost as an afterthought, "Who are you?"
But it was Bob Dishy who was the breakout star of the guest cast. To fully appreciate Dishy's Sgt. Freddie Wilson you have first to enjoy him as Officer Tully in "Second Story Story," a 1971 episode of THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW. I'm suspecting it was his memorable appearance there as an over-eager police officer determined to make detective that landed him this COLUMBO gig. Dishy had top billing in 1975's I WONDER WHO'S KILLING HER NOW, which really should have been the cult movie of the year instead of that other one with time-warping-again transvestites.
As much as I enjoyed "Greenhouse Jungle," it had its shortcomings. I thought Dishy's night photography would have played a bigger role since Dillman's face was pretty recognizable under the stocking mask, especially the profile shot. I also wondered why the skid marks of the bigger car weren't traced back to Milland's distinctive vehicle. My speculation as the credits rolled was that Milland would escape the murder rap since Columbo's illegal search and seizure of that third bullet wouldn't be admissible in court. And it would serve Columbo right for his ingratitude after Milland nursed back to health Mrs. Columbo's ailing African violet!
Pity Ray Milland. A number of reviewers commented on the appearance of this big film star of the 1940s and '50s, and I love LOST WEEKEND, THE BIG CLOCK, and DIAL M FOR MURDER as much as anybody. But 1972, the year of this COLUMBO episode, was also the year he appeared cheek to jowl with Rosey Grier in THE THING WITH TWO HEADS!
As a STAR TREK fan, I got a tremendous kick out of seeing two of its memorable guest stars in this episode, even if their only shared scene was a catty phone call. Arlene Martel as Gloria was still beautiful at 36, but the blonde wig and her native Bronx accent were light years away from her iconic portrayal of Vulcan vamp T'Pring in "Amok Time" back in 1967. I also fondly recall Martel as the sexy-scary morgue nurse who cried "Room for one more, honey!" in the "Twenty-Two" episode of THE TWILGHT ZONE. Conversely, Sandra Smith's portrayal of adulterous wife Cathy Goodland was strikingly similar to the amoral and ambitious Janice Lester she played in STAR TREK's final episode, "Turnabout Intruder." Cathy was an unsympathetic leading lady, to be sure, even if not a murderess. But if looks could kill . . . ya gotta admire any woman who can give a glare to burly William Smith and make him gulp in fear, as she did upon learning about Bill's on-the-side shakedown of Tony.
Bradford Dillman was great fun in his few scenes as the cuckolded sap Tony. I'm used to seeing him in more commanding and authoritative roles (such as a would-be Wild West Napoleon in a two-part SHANE from 1966). He played well the patsy and seemed to be enjoying playing against type. With his hair long, he at times reminded me of Bruce Dern.
Speaking of long hair, it was a delightful surprise to see a post-LAREDO and pre-INVASION OF THE BEE GIRLS William Smith step onto the stage. Smith looks just as he did in the 1972 horror movie GRAVE OF THE VAMPIRE, which must have been filmed at about the same time as this episode. Smith also has a cameo in the aforementioned and never-to-be-forgotten THING WITH TWO HEADS (available on Blu-ray, believe it or not!). Smith just radiates awesome, unflappable coolness, like when he asks Columbo, almost as an afterthought, "Who are you?"
But it was Bob Dishy who was the breakout star of the guest cast. To fully appreciate Dishy's Sgt. Freddie Wilson you have first to enjoy him as Officer Tully in "Second Story Story," a 1971 episode of THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW. I'm suspecting it was his memorable appearance there as an over-eager police officer determined to make detective that landed him this COLUMBO gig. Dishy had top billing in 1975's I WONDER WHO'S KILLING HER NOW, which really should have been the cult movie of the year instead of that other one with time-warping-again transvestites.
As much as I enjoyed "Greenhouse Jungle," it had its shortcomings. I thought Dishy's night photography would have played a bigger role since Dillman's face was pretty recognizable under the stocking mask, especially the profile shot. I also wondered why the skid marks of the bigger car weren't traced back to Milland's distinctive vehicle. My speculation as the credits rolled was that Milland would escape the murder rap since Columbo's illegal search and seizure of that third bullet wouldn't be admissible in court. And it would serve Columbo right for his ingratitude after Milland nursed back to health Mrs. Columbo's ailing African violet!