Columbo: How to Dial a Murder (1978)

Peter Falk is back as Lieutenant Columbo in Columbo: How to Dial a Murder (1978), a TV mystery about movie buffs, hungry mutts, and murder most foul. Nicol Williamson is a moneybags noggin doc and super-duper cineaste; having already offed his wife, he's decided to up the stakes on his next taking of life. The target is his ex-lady's lover, and his plan is an homage to Citizen Kane (1941)—he calls Joel Fabiani and coaxes him into saying "Rosebud" repeatedly into the phone. That's the order that triggers Nicol's dobermans, Laurel and Hardy, to tear the poor guy limb from limb. Naturally, Nicol thinks he's pretty crafty, but he doesn't realize that no one gets away when Peter's on the case. Colombo always gets his man! Meanwhile, the audience gets its share of mams when young Kim Cattrall pops up in a bikini.