The Most Dangerous Match
- Episode aired Mar 4, 1973
- Not Rated
- 1h 14m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
2.8K
YOUR RATING
A chess player murders his opponent before a big match. Lt. Columbo must out-maneuver this crafty, but craven, killer.A chess player murders his opponent before a big match. Lt. Columbo must out-maneuver this crafty, but craven, killer.A chess player murders his opponent before a big match. Lt. Columbo must out-maneuver this crafty, but craven, killer.
Photos
Heidi Brühl
- Linda Robinson
- (as Heidi Bruhl)
Oscar Beregi Jr.
- Proprietor
- (as Oscar Beregi)
Richard Drout Miller
- 1st Reporter
- (as Drout Miller)
Ray Ballard
- Mr. Williams
- (uncredited)
Benjie Bancroft
- Chess Match Observer
- (uncredited)
Richard Boyer
- Chess Match Observer
- (uncredited)
Robert Buckingham
- Diner Patron
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAlthough Clayton is one of the best chess players in the world, during his simultaneous exhibition, one of the people he is playing beats him after playing only two moves, a losing combination known as the "Fool's Mate" and notorious for being the fastest possible way for a player to be checkmated. This, presumably, is meant to demonstrate how much Columbo is unnerving him.
- GoofsThe list that Clayton is re-creating from memory shows digitalis and digoxin as the first two items on the list. These two are the same thing, and if a person was to take double a life-saving dose, it would be fatal.
- Quotes
Emmett Clayton: Well, chess *is* the ultimate test of the human mind, isn't it?
Tomlin Dudek: You think so? I always thought it was women.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 25th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1973)
Featured review
Very well done
I have been a fan of Columbo for as long as I can remember, and I really enjoyed this episode. My only gripes are to do with one or two things that weren't quite as well thought out as another reviewer points out so well, which is the business with the hearing aid and the times that Harvey's character goes back to the hotel room without being seen happened all too easily in my view.
That said, it looks great as you would expect from a standard Columbo episode, the script is still deft and assured and the story is wonderfully paced and always interesting with a final solution that had me completely satisfied. The music is memorable too and fits well with the atmosphere and period, and the direction is tight. The acting is great, Peter Falk is stellar and Laurence Harvey brings a more intense and tormented side to his style of acting which made him all the more riveting.
Overall, a very well done episode. 8/10 Bethany Cox
That said, it looks great as you would expect from a standard Columbo episode, the script is still deft and assured and the story is wonderfully paced and always interesting with a final solution that had me completely satisfied. The music is memorable too and fits well with the atmosphere and period, and the direction is tight. The acting is great, Peter Falk is stellar and Laurence Harvey brings a more intense and tormented side to his style of acting which made him all the more riveting.
Overall, a very well done episode. 8/10 Bethany Cox
helpful•93
- TheLittleSongbird
- Mar 12, 2011
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Schach dem Mörder
- Filming locations
- 3803 Riverside Dr, Burbank, California, USA(Paul's French Cuisine, demolished)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 14 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 4:3
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