PLOT: Patrick McGoohan, in his first Columbo appearance, is brilliant as the strict disciplinarian Colonel Lyle C. Rumford, who runs a boy's school military academy. He murders the founder of the academy's grandson, William Haynes, who intends to turn Rumford's declining academy into a co-ed school. At dawn Rumford changes the charge in the cannon, which Haynes fires later that day and blows himself up. It is not long before Columbo is on the scene, and whilst everyone else is sure there will be a quick conclusion to the case and the verdict will be accidental death, Columbo is unsure. He finds remnants of a cleaning rag in the cannon. He is also troubled by reports that the gun was heard in a nearby district, which was not normal when the cannon was fired. Columbo begins questioning Rumford, who gives honest answers to all the questions, other than questions that would admit his guilt. Columbo concocts a story about his wife being away on holiday and asks if he can stay at the academy. He is given a room and uses the opportunity to ask some of the boys questions. As the investigation progresses, the evidence starts to show that Rumford was responsible. Columbo finds out about plans for the co-ed college but Rumford insists that Haynes' crazy scheme would be turned down by the board as he had the board's confidence. Columbo says that he will be checking out Rumford's story with the board members, which clearly worries Rumford who replies 'you'll do what you have to'. He also discovers that the cannon had been fitted with an explosive charge and that Rumford is an expert in explosives. However, there is nothing linking Rumford to the scene of the crime. Then Rumford inspects the boy's dormitories because he believes someone is responsible for fermenting liquor, which is strictly prohibited. Columbo finds the liquour before Rumford does and he does a deal with the culprits. He agrees not to tell Rumford if they will tell him exactly where the liquor was on the night of the murder. It transpires that the only time Rumford could have seen it was in a ten minute period around dawn on the morning of the murder, and the only place he could have seen it from was the exact spot where the cannon is. The boys had taken it in when it became light because it became visible and Rumford couldn't have seen it at night, when it was too dark. Columbo has enough evidence and confronts Rumford with it. Rumford accepts defeat calmly and is unrepentant, saying 'it had to be done'.
VERDICT: Patrick McGoohan is in top form as Colonel Rumford, a fearsome authoritarian figure. However, beneath that gruff exterior there are hints that a kind side lurks beneath. Rumford is a surprisingly sympathetic character despite his ruthless nature. The rapport between Columbo and Rumford is excellent. The episode is well paced, though the conclusion is slightly unsatisfactory. The series was at its' peak at this time. Nearly every episode was a classic and Columbo was top of his game.
Written by Mark Wilson
(C) Copyright Wilson/Young Enterprises 2006.
CAST:
Colonel Rumford...Patrick McGoohan
Miss Brady......Madeleine Sherwood
Captain Loomis......Burr DeBenning
William Haynes..........Tom Simcox
Roy Springer..........Mark Wheeler
Sergeant Kramer........Bruce Kirby
Cadet Morgan...........Bruno Kirby
Susan Gerard............Karen Lamm
