Swan Song
- Episode aired Mar 3, 1974
- TV-PG
- 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
3.3K
YOUR RATING
A gospel singer wants to be rid of his zealous wife. But a murder made to look like an airplane accident does not fool the wily Lt. Columbo.A gospel singer wants to be rid of his zealous wife. But a murder made to look like an airplane accident does not fool the wily Lt. Columbo.A gospel singer wants to be rid of his zealous wife. But a murder made to look like an airplane accident does not fool the wily Lt. Columbo.
Don Mantooth
- Phil
- (as Donald Mantooth)
Douglas Dirkson
- Jeff
- (as Doug Dirkson)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe black guitar used in this episode is the first ever black Martin D-35 guitar. Johnny Cash had the luthiers of the Martin company make him this one-of-a-kind guitar without the permission or knowledge of Martin's president, C. F. Martin III. Mr. Martin never wanted his company to make a black guitar and was against making one. Martin didn't find out that the guitar had been built until he saw Cash playing the black Martin on this show. The first black Martin became Johnny's favorite guitar, and he used it on many recordings and on concerts for the next 20 years. The Martin company eventually came to accept the black Martin and has made two different tribute guitars to Cash - The Black Martin D-35 and the Black Martin DX.
- GoofsThe odds of Tommy's parachute landing being anywhere near the scene of the plane crash would be near zero, especially since the plane continued flying after Tommy jumped out. Yet, Tommy managed to limp to the crash site on his injured leg.
- Quotes
Lt. Columbo: My ears pop in an elevator. As a matter of fact, I don't even like being this tall.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Blow up: Le web magazine cinéma d'Arte: Johnny Cash (2019)
Featured review
Oh that evil Johnny Cash!
This is quite a special Columbo movie, not because it's very original or is of exceptional quality but because it features famous singer Johnny Cash as the murderer.
Of course Johnny Cash also plays a musician in this movie and he more or less plays himself. This is always an handy and safe approach when you work with an actor that is not really an actor in the first place. As a matter of fact, Cash spends halve of the time singing in this movie.
Besides Johnny Cash and Peter Falk the movie, among others, also features Ida Lupino. Columbo movies often featured movie stars from the 'old days'. Ida Lupino actually also starred before in the other previous Columbo movie "Columbo: Short Fuse". Lupino is best known for the work she did in the 40's, with movies such as "High Sierra", "The Sea Wolf" and "They Drive by Night" on her resume.
The movie is directed by Nicholas Colasanto, who also directed the most excellent Columbo movie "Columbo: Étude in Black". That movie was mostly great since he left the two main leading men, Peter Falk and John Cassavetes, lots of room to improvise and do things their own way, rather than being hold down by a script or directed. But of course with a movie that stars non-professional actor Johnny Cash you can't really afford to choose this approach, even though he obviously still gave some of the other actors some room. The directing for this movie also most certainly is not bad, it's actually quite great but it can't really touch "Columbo: Étude in Black". Nicholas Colasanto himself by the way still better known to the world as an actor, who portrayed the character Coach in the hit-series "Cheers", right till his death in 1985.
Nicholas Colasanto's directing style on the other hand has as a consequence that the movie is slow moving in parts and you have the feeling at times that Colasanto's overdid it perhaps at times with his directing approach.
An all in all good Columbo movie, that is obviously especially worth watching for the fans of Johnny Cash.
7/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
Of course Johnny Cash also plays a musician in this movie and he more or less plays himself. This is always an handy and safe approach when you work with an actor that is not really an actor in the first place. As a matter of fact, Cash spends halve of the time singing in this movie.
Besides Johnny Cash and Peter Falk the movie, among others, also features Ida Lupino. Columbo movies often featured movie stars from the 'old days'. Ida Lupino actually also starred before in the other previous Columbo movie "Columbo: Short Fuse". Lupino is best known for the work she did in the 40's, with movies such as "High Sierra", "The Sea Wolf" and "They Drive by Night" on her resume.
The movie is directed by Nicholas Colasanto, who also directed the most excellent Columbo movie "Columbo: Étude in Black". That movie was mostly great since he left the two main leading men, Peter Falk and John Cassavetes, lots of room to improvise and do things their own way, rather than being hold down by a script or directed. But of course with a movie that stars non-professional actor Johnny Cash you can't really afford to choose this approach, even though he obviously still gave some of the other actors some room. The directing for this movie also most certainly is not bad, it's actually quite great but it can't really touch "Columbo: Étude in Black". Nicholas Colasanto himself by the way still better known to the world as an actor, who portrayed the character Coach in the hit-series "Cheers", right till his death in 1985.
Nicholas Colasanto's directing style on the other hand has as a consequence that the movie is slow moving in parts and you have the feeling at times that Colasanto's overdid it perhaps at times with his directing approach.
An all in all good Columbo movie, that is obviously especially worth watching for the fans of Johnny Cash.
7/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
helpful•174
- Boba_Fett1138
- Jul 8, 2008
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Schwanengesang
- Filming locations
- 861 Flintridge Avenue, La Cañada Flintridge, California, USA(Home location, demolished 2022)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
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