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| Peter Falk’s “Columbo” investigated two movie stars who resorted to homicide in “Requiem for a Falling Star” & “Forgotten Girl, with Anne Baxter & Janet Leigh. |
It is a round-up of when the rumpled TV
detective starred with two one-time display screen goddesses in traditional Columbo episodes.
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| Anne Baxter’s Nora Chandler finds Peter Falk’s Columbo amusing–to a degree! |
The
episodes: Requiem for a Falling Star, the Columbo episode that first aired January
21, 1973, was directed by Richard Quine, who was good with actors and had a
aptitude for humor. This season two episode showcases Anne Baxter as “fading”
main woman Nora Chandler, who will kill to protect her profession. Mel Ferrer is
Baxter’s snarky nemesis, with echoes of Addison DeWitt from All About Eve. Pippa Scott is the star’s
assistant, about to marry this arch enemy! Costume designer Edith Head, who
labored with Baxter many instances, most famously in The Ten Commandments, makes an look as herself.
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| Janet Leigh’s Grace Wheeler could also be considered one of Columbo’s most light suspects! |
Forgotten Girl, the opposite lethal movie diva Columbo episode, was directed by TV and
movie veteran Harvey Hart, additionally excellent with actors. The season 5 premiere aired
September 14, 1975. Janet Leigh visitor stars as film musical star Grace
Wheeler, John Payne as one-time associate Ned Diamond, and Sam Jaffe as her older
husband, Dr. Henry Willis. Maurice Evans is the butler, Raymond.
The Set-Up: Feminine visitor villains Anne Baxter and Janet Leigh are
each mature film stars, with Baxter then 49 in her episode and Leigh 48 in
hers. Each stars are considerably sympathetic villains, compelled to excessive
measures to keep up their star standing.
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| Anne Baxter’s star sports activities some main shades, whereas she & Mel Ferrer’s gossip hound give one another shade in Columbo’s “Requiem for a Falling Star.” |
Anne Baxter is baby star turned main woman Nora Chandler,
who’s being blackmailed by gossip author Jerry Parks, performed by Mel Ferrer,
who does smarmy so properly. Pippa Scott is Jean, Nora’s long-time/long-suffering
secretary/assistant. Regardless of protestations in any other case, Jean has been providing
Nora gossip nuggets as pillow speak to Jerry. Nora stalks Jean to Jerry’s birthday
occasion and slashes the tire of her car. Jean borrows Jerry’s car, with
Nora ready at Jerry’s. When the automotive arrives, Nora has poured gasoline all
over the drive approach and lights it up. Does Nora really know who the driving force is?
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| Movie star Grace Wheeler contemplates her future, which does not embrace her disapproving husband, in Columbo’s “Forgotten Girl.” Starring Janet Leigh. |
Janet Leigh is Grace Wheeler, former track and dance film
star, who leaves a That’s Leisure!-style
film occasion, giddy with plans to revive her musical profession, however on Broadway. Shades
of Debbie Reynolds in Irene! She
enlists former co-star and buddy Ned Diamond to direct and produce. Grace should
know her older, rich physician partner gained’t approve, as a result of she already has a
sometimes convoluted Columbo plot to off
him. The star swans upstairs with some further sleeping treatment and her
comeback plans get doused, as anticipated. After her hubby takes his tablet, plus
one by his spouse, Grace steals again upstairs later with a gun. She shoots him
and places the gun in his hand, to make it appear to be a suicide.
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| Anne Baxter’s Nora Chandler is the gracious star to Peter Falk’s fawning Columbo. |
Enter Lt. Columbo: In Requiem for a Falling Star, Peter Falk’s wiley Lt. Columbo comes on
the scene, feigning shock and fawns over residing legend Nora Chandler. Anne
Baxter’s winking grande dame demeanor makes Columbo’s professed shock and awe
fairly plausible. From then on, there’s a mutual admiration society between the
two worthy adversaries. In Forgotten Girl,
the dynamic is sort of completely different. Although Lt. Columbo appears shocked that he’s
investigating on the residence of considered one of his and Mrs. Columbo’s favourite stars,
Janet Leigh’s Grace Wheeler is extra genteel and more and more fragile. And
Falk’s Columbo, whereas dogged as ever, is extra delicate to the star’s story.
The Main Girls: Anne Baxter presents a charismatic
star efficiency whose character Nora Chandler can be proper at residence with All About Eve’s Margo Channing and Eve
Harrington. Nora has Margo’s bigger than life persona and Eve’s crafty allure.
She does appear genuinely taken with Lt. Columbo and Baxter and Falk play off
one another splendidly. The scene within the finale the place Nora is caught by Columbo
seems like a nod to Margo Channing, who catches Eve taking imaginary bows in
Margo’s costume. Apparently, Baxter had simply carried out in Applause, the musical model of All About Eve, as Margo Channing!
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| Anne Baxter as Nora Chandler, stunned to seek out Columbo on her tail on the finale! |
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| Anne Baxter within the title function of “All About Eve” is equally stunned! |
Janet Leigh is without doubt one of the most empathetic golden period movie actresses,
so regardless of being the villain of the piece, it isn’t onerous to sympathize together with her
determined actions. Some plot twists alongside the best way make you much more on her
aspect, if you happen to do not give it some thought an excessive amount of! Whereas Leigh’s Grace has a protected
harbor marriage to the rich retired doc, she longs to be again within the
highlight. This appears to have been Leigh’s story off-camera, too. Although she
had a loving marriage to a rich businessman, Leigh by no means fairly made the highest
tier in Hollywood, then aged out by the top of the ‘60s, all of which appeared to
eat at her. And although Janet was nonetheless lovely, she seems reed skinny and
pinched, with each line exhibiting on her 50-ish face. A lot, a lot later, daughter
Jamie Lee Curtis alluded to her mom having an consuming dysfunction. This offers
her efficiency as determined Grace much more poignancy. Although I didn’t fairly purchase
the finale’s revelation, it’s nonetheless touching.
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| Janet Leigh’s star with a worry of fading away was not too removed from her personal life. With Peter Falk as Columbo, in “Forgotten Girl.” |
Star
Model: Anne
Baxter sports activities a enjoyable ‘70s model wardrobe—not by Edith Head—and in a single scene
sports activities a slinky magenta high that reveals off her trim determine. All that’s capped
with a Lauren Bacall-style mane of hair! Because the veteran star, Anne performs with
her typical depth, but additionally with nice humor.
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| Anne Baxter has a wow second, earlier than placing on her jacket, because the star on the run! Within the Columbo episode, “Requiem for a Falling Star.” |
Janet Leigh additionally seems
trendy, although undercut by her wraith-like determine. Leigh had aged drastically
in simply six years after sporting a trim however curvy determine within the horny Home on Inexperienced Apple Highway. Janet would
age very like fellow MGM star Lana Turner: bleached helmet hair, tan, and really
skinny. Nonetheless, Janet wore some glam robes and retained her heat attraction. Because the
troubled star, Forgotten Girl is one
of Janet’s finest latter day performances.
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| As movie star Grace Wheeler, Janet Leigh seems pretty, however a lot older than 48, within the Columbo episode “Forgotten Girl.” |
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| Janet Leigh going through 50 jogged my memory of 60-ish Lana Turner. |
Falk
as Columbo:
Peter Falk is in tremendous type in these traditional Columbo
episodes. Falk, together with Carroll O’ Connor, have been each
two middle-aged character actors who hit it large within the ’70s by creating their
iconic characters Lt. Columbo and Archie Bunker. Each actors loved their
belated superstardom and have been remembered for these roles over 50 years now.
Whereas I like Falk’s performing, I usually really feel the identical towards his character as
Kevin McCarthy’s studio head does in Requiem
for a Falling Star, who resents Columbo’s dogging Nora: “Lieutenant,
you’ve gotten an obtuse method which some folks discover ingratiating. I don’t. Do you
comply with me?”
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| Columbo meets legendary designer Edith Head, courtesy of Anne Baxter’s Nora Chandler, in “Requiem for a Falling Star.” |
Edith Head’s cameo is
enjoyable, as she was then Common’s head movie costume designer. Peter Falk would
hand Head her eighth Oscar for The Sting
in 1974.
Falk would borrow a
few components from Requiem for a Falling
Star in a a lot later Columbo
episode he directed, It is All within the Recreation.
Faye Dunaway starred as an much more charming and throaty-voiced femme
fatale, who additionally tries to get him to put on a brand new tie!
It’s so enjoyable to revisit these ’70s Thriller Films, as they maintain up fairly
properly with robust writing, emphasis on characterizations, and
terrific performing by star Peter Falk and his mixture of younger and veteran visitor
stars.
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| Peter Falk’s Columbo, this time wowed by the presence of Janet Leigh’s Grace Wheeler, within the episode “Forgotten Girl.” |
Right here’s my take a look at Anne Baxter within the title function of All About Eve: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2020/04/mankiewicz-masterpiece-all-about-eve.html
And right here’s Janet Leigh in one other near the bone
efficiency as an sad housewife, in 1970’s Home on Greenapple Highway: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2022/10/janet-leigh-haunting-in-house-on.html
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| Anne Baxter’s bigger than life Nora Chandler was giving me a critical Charles Busch vibe from “Die, Mommie, Die!” |
