Reviews

I remember this film. I only saw it once when it first came out and have heard neither hide nor hair about it since then. Yet, that vague memory has stayed with me up to the present day. When I saw the credit on Barbara Stanwyck's biog I clicked on it remembering the film from long ago. The first thing I said was "Henry Jones." He was the mailman. Sure enough, as I scrolled down the list there he was as the very last credited player Henry Jones....Postman.

What I remember best about this film was the mailman finally delivering the letter to an obviously happily married couple. The husband looks at the wife and says "Don't Open it." She tosses it in the trash and smiles. That little scene brought the whole theme of the film into sharp focus. Sometimes the moves you don't make are the smartest and most memorable actions of your life. Excellent film. Very well done.

Warning: This review contains spoilers!

I really liked this movie; in fact, I read the book many years ago and as much as I enjoyed the book, I liked this movie better. The movie is filled with hope and redemption, while the book is definitely darker. For example, the character of Walter Fane. In the book he remains emotionally stunted. He is unable to forgive Kitty for wronging him, and he is unable to forgive himself for having loved a woman who was so shallow. Despite his nobility in trying to stop the epidemic, he dies in despair. He sees Kitty change from a vain, shallow girl into a generous and courageous woman, but he simply cannot get past what she did to him. He is really a tragic figure.

The Walter in the movie is a completely different story. What a journey he makes! He changes from a repressed workaholic to a man who is truly ennobled not only by his unceasing efforts to halt the epidemic, but by forgiving his wife for her mistakes and loving her for who she was.

In the beginning of the movie, Walter loves Kitty, but he makes no effort to understand her. The pain he suffers when she betrays him with Charlie turns quickly into rage and vindictiveness. He brings her into the middle of the epidemic secretly hoping it will kill her. Instead she grows up. He sees this, and he realizes that her affair wasn't 100% her fault, he never made much effort to understand her, so no wonder she was lonely. While working tirelessly to stop the epidemic and end the suffering in the city, his love for Kitty is rekindled. When Kitty tells him that she honestly doesn't know if the child she is carrying is his or Charlie's, for a moment he looks terribly, terribly hurt. Then, with enormous generosity and love, he tells her it doesn't matter now and embraces her.

When dying, his last words to her were"Forgive me".(I guess for all the rage and hate and putting her in mortal danger) Kitty responds,"What have I got to forgive you for? Walter, I'm so sorry." They were able to come to a place of love, but sadly, their new life together was not to be. The last time we see Kitty, she is a kind and loving mother to her adorable son, who she has named Walter. She is a new person, generous, courageous, and kind. I guess it's a chick flick, but boy is it moving! Ed Norton and Naiomi Watts are terrific, and Diana Rigg is first rate as the Mother Superior of the convent in the plague ridden city. She doesn't wear a scrap of make up, her hair is hidden, and she wears a baggy habit. Her acting is amazing, and I really admire her fearlessness in letting herself look plain. China looks gorgeous and mysterious. The only reason I gave it a 9 out of 10 instead of a 10 out of 10 is because it was a little slow in the middle. But still, I highly recommend it.

The best Columbo ever. The best villain ever. Jack Cassidy had logged the most appearances of any Columbo killer up to this point. He was to die in a horrible fire only a few months later. The suave, sophisticated Cassidy and the down to earth Falk play off each other magnificently.

Santini (Cassidy) never sweats , never gets nervous, never appears ruffled all throughout the episode. Even at the end when Columbo has him dead to rights and shows him the paper which contains the incriminating eveidence against him, Santini says" This one is burned!" He then burns it into thin air. Columbo says "Watch closely, sir. This is my best trick. He then pulls out copy after copy of the document and hands one back to Santini. "You can burn this one too if you like sir, there's plenty more where that came from!" A classic ending. The best Columbo!

Richard Kiley is the second best Columbo murderer of all time. Too bad he was only in one episode (Jack Cassidy was #1 on my list). The writing of this one is tight and the characters are sharply drawn and performed. Old Peter Falk-John Cassavete-Ben Gazzara (who also directed this episode) friend Val Avery is superb in the small role of Artie Jessup. His interplay with Columbo about the fake jewels is priceless. The familiarity between the two actors is marvelous.

Peter Falk was once again in top form. His scenes with Richard Kiley play like a Broadway show. The final scene where Kiley is caught is priceless. "These are my socks, my underwear, my niece, my nephew, my brother-in-law..."