PLOT: Nelson Brenner works for the CIA as a spy. He meets up with a fellow spy known as Geronimo in an amusement park, where Geronimo tells him that he knows he is a double agent. A woman from the photograph booth at the park takes a photo of them together and tells him he can buy the print and negative. Later that evening Geronimo is followed from a bar by another spy called Melville. They exchange a microfilm under the pier. Then, just after Melville has left, Geronimo hears someone call his name. He looks round and there is Brenner. Brenner clubs him to death with an iron bar. When Columbo shows up on the scene he is puzzled to find that the victim's coat has been removed. He finds a box of matches that was bought from Sinbad's, a nearby bar. He speaks to the bar manager who confirms he did see the dead man, and that another man left immediately after him without drinking his drink. They trace the dead man to his hotel and find out that he had visited Long Beach Business Park the previous afternoon. He speaks to the people at the photo booth and looks through their stock of photos from the previous day. On closer examination with a magnifying glass, Columbo sees the dead man in the back of one of the photos and another man with him. The woman in the booth says that the man had bought the photos and the negatives of the main shots he was in. Columbo then shows up at a ceremony that Brenner is attending. Columbo asks if he knew a man called Henderson (Geronimo was using the name Henderson) and Brenner denies it. Then Columbo says he knows he's not telling the truth because there was a photo of them together at the amusement park the previous day. Brenner then admits he had met him and explains they had met, but has little to tell. Columbo begins to suspect him of the murder and begins his routine of showing up all the time pestering the villain. Brenner phones Melville and puts on a heavy German accent and agrees to meet Melville that evening. He has a heavy disguise and it is dark when Melville meets him in the back of his car. Melville thinks he is a man called Steinmetz. Then, as Melville drives off, a bomb goes off in the car. Melville survives the crash and it puzzles Columbo that there were not more explosives in the car to make sure that Melville died. Melville gives a description of Steinmetz- an old man with a white beard and a severely receding hairline. Brenner had organised this charade to put Columbo off the scent. However, Columbo continues to hound Brenner. Then, while sitting eating a hot dog, two CIA men show up and order him to speak with them. They take them to a bus, where the head of the CIA is. Columbo is amazed that he is in the presence of the chief. The chief tells him that Brenner is one of his main operators and warns him to leave him alone. Columbo obliges and tells Brenner that a lot of his secretive behaviour had been explained by the fact he worked for the CIA. Brenner says there are no hard feelings and invites Columbo round for dinner that evening. Brenner puts on some classical music and Columbo says "Madame Butterfly, my wife's favourite" and Brenner says "I know". He tells Columbo he had bugged his house, though says that the bugs have now been removed now he is no longer a suspect. Columbo then looks at some of the photos on the wall and notices one of Brenner during the Korean War fifteen years earlier. Both realise the significance of this. Columbo turns up at Brenner's office the next day to arrest him. The photo of Brenner had shown a receding hairline, much like the description of Steinmetz. Brenner admits he wears a hairpiece. Brenner points to his alibi, an audio dictation that he supposedly did at the time of the murder. His secretary had taken the tape when she came in at 9am on the morning after the murder. They play it back and Columbo points out a noise of the blinds shutting. He surmises it must have been light and he shut the blinds. Then Brenner points out the chimes of the clock in the background. 11 chimes meaning 11 o' clock. Then Columbo says he has proof that the dictation was recorded early the following morning. On the tape Brenner makes some joke about the Chinese pulling out of the Olympics. Columbo says he has checked with the news agencies and that news didn't break until early the next morning. Brenner asks what first made him suspect him. Columbo says that it was when he saw the coat had been removed and there was no gun. CIA operators always carry guns and therefore he knew someone didn't want the victim's identity to be known.
VERDICT: Patrick McGoohan is in fine form as Nelson Brenner. He is a pretty crooked character and rather full of his own importance. This episode has a decent plot, though we never find out why Brenner is a double agent. Also, I somehow doubt that the chief of the CIA would meet Columbo in person, however important his employee is in the organisation.
Written by Mark Wilson
(C) Copyright Wilson/Young Enterprises 2006.
CAST:
Nelson Brenner....Patrick McGoohan
Lawrence Melville.......Otis Young
Geronimo............Leslie Nielsen
The CIA Director.......David White
Sergeant Kramer........Bruce Kirby
Louie....................Val Avery
Joyce..............Barbara Rhoades
Ruth....................Angela May
