The Greatest Columbo Episode - Any Old Port in a Storm (1973)

[@robertwheatley2471]

Incredible episode that was always in my top 10 but has steadily climbed over the years and is probably top 3. One of my "go to" episodes. Pleasence was masterful in this.

[@Heritage367]

The ending, where Colombo let's Carsini enjoy a final glass of dessert wine before turning him in, has always been particularly moving to me.

[@Vitatalks]

Agreed. It's the best of all the endings. I think Columbo genuinely liked Carsini!

[@davidg-ig8vj]

Yes, I love this episode too. The fact that I'm a wine nerd makes it even better. And Donald Pleasence is one of my favourite actors.

[@blastfromthepast7005]

Pleasance's performance is EPIC. A masterclass in acting.

[@MrBjanders]

Great essay on what makes this episode so special, thank you!

[@otterproof1]

The best guest actor in my opinion. Donald Pleasence is awesome, on the scene with Adrian's brother, his acting gave me goose bumps !

[@josephstevano5905]

It is well worth watching this excellent review of this Columbo episode: you'll learn a lot.

[@AdamSweeneyMetaphysics]

Great video!

[@sandranelson7124]

My absolute favorite "COLUMBO" episode EVER!!!

[@johnlaslett5339]

You can always tell columbo didn't like having to arrest the ones he respected, but has to do it. And the joy he shows when it's the ones he doesn't like. Peter Falk created the Columbo we all love, not the script writers. He and alone can only play him. It's like someone else playing Del Boy it wouldn't work.

[@gerardcousineau3478]

I remember watching this with my dad.

[@BrentWilkins7777]

That Columbo episode was directed by Leo Penn, father of Sean Penn.

[@DeltaStar777]

Great work, thanks for this!!

[@aquincum9482]

Yep, my favourite episode

[@mikhailiagacesa3406]

Pleasence first caught my eye in the Twilight Zone, but I became a Fan after the Great Escape (him being the only cast member that was an actual POW from a German camp). He was amused that other cast members kept pumping him for how to act as a wartime prisoner (the director admitting it added to the film). I was delighted when I found out he was going to be a 'guest murderer' on Columbo. Falk wanted friend Robert Shaw for the part originally, but Shaw suggested Pleasence would be a better fit for the role.

[@chadjoestar1230]

Cool

[@AnthonyAntolino]

The guy from Halloween. Carsini. Bigtime

[@HowardSchoonover]

I just watched this ep, columbo not your vid, and i have to say for me it fell short. Yes all the pieces were in place, the actors were in top form, probably what happened was it was butchered in editing for time. My trouble is this: How did Columbo catch him? It was never explained in the episode how exactly the spoiled wine would show that Mr. Carsini was guilty. What was the connection between the wine cellar and the corpse, how did Columbo come to suspect that the body had been in that cellar? Now we can easily SPECULATE that the time in the cellar had delayed decomposition of the body therby causing the date of the crime to be misjudged, MAYBE it took a while for the victim to succumb to his injury - HINTED AT by the disarray in the cellar when Mr Carsini came back after his trip. MAYBE this tied in with the coroners call, saying that the victim had not eaten for two days prior to death. This episode focuses on characterization and sacrifices clarity. Columbo never even explains it to Carsini, it seems as if he just takes it for granted, 'if the wine spoiled while I was out of town, that clearly means I did it' But it clearly does not - the wine would have spoiled whether there was a body in that cellar or not.

[@KevinJohnson-hy4oc]

I agree wholeheartedly with all your criticisms. This WAS a confusing episode. I would have loved if Carsini actually asked Columbo at the end, "How does a lot of spoiled wine prove that I had a dead body in the room?" I would love to have heard Columbo's explanation! To me, maddeningly confusing plots like this are simply poor storytelling.

[@qdiace80]

My brother "collected" a severe foot injury stepping into a glass shard in the river. Thus, this episode ended for me with a strong unsympathy towards Carsini who fills the ocean with dangerous shards. :(

[@mikhailiagacesa3406]

Probably a beer bottle.

[@rowdiken4837]

Did Carsini give up because I didn't see a clear last piece of evidence that usually follows the shows formula

[@TheAlmostHarmless]

You're right, there really wasn't a final "gotcha" in this one. The completely circumstantial heatwave shows up when he has to leave to create an alibi for himself, and the loss of his collection breaks him.

[@trukomf1nn162]

I consider this the most miserable one - Columbo won´t explain at all - unlike in other episodes - how this wine warming incriminates Mr. Carsini.

[@Thrifty032781]

Why did Carsini turn off the air conditioning in his wine cellar anyway?

[@HowardSchoonover]

I personally suspect that this episode was butchered in editing. There was supposed to be a series of scenes in which it showed that his brother had survived in some weakened immobile state for 2 days in that cellar. HE knocked over those baskets Carsini discovered when he returned, HE turned off the AC. That was why the coroner report showed that he had not eaten for two days. Without that information there is actually no connection left in the episode as aired between the corpse and the cellar, just because the AC was off, how does that prove anything?

[@NotAGoodUsername360]

To asphyxiate the victim, the room was made airtight. Cask of Amontillado reference- he was essentially buried alive.

[@asteverino8569]

I see and agree with your comments about this episode. But also I think, Adrian Carsini demonstrated some arrogance and also some " talking down to" others, including Columbo sometimes. Donald is a very good, learned and accomplished actor. I first noticed him in 'Stalag 17', the movie.. Anyway, thanks for sharing your critique. I appreciate it.l.

[@somedude2748]

Must give this episode a watch, sounds like a fun watch. Quick aside, did you upload previous videos to this one and delete them? I was already subbed to your channel when this video was uploaded, but I saw this was the first video!

[@Vitatalks]

Thanks for watching, yes this episode is well worth a watch. Decided to do an overhaul and re-brand of the channel.

[@TheGlass50]

Love this episode but it’s not my favorite. A Friend In Deed The Jack Cassidy and Robert Culp episodes. Etude in Black Johnny Cash episode Ect