Just One More Thing...

The other day I was reading that Peter Falk, of Columbo fame, was suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Now, whilst this is obviously very sad news and no fit topic for humour, it has to be said that it throws a whole new light on some of his later performances as the detective. That dishevelled look, the unkempt hair, the lack of shoes, it all makes sense. Even that one where he turned up at the crime scene wearing only his underwear beneath his raincoat. Clearly the poor man was confused and distressed. No wonder his lines of questioning seemed so bizarre. I'd even venture that in his last few appearances, he wasn't even on the LAPD payroll anymore - they'd retired him on health grounds years ago, he just kept turning up the police station or at random crime scenes and taking charge. In fact, I'll bet that half the time they weren't even crime scenes he was turning up to - he'd just walk into restaurants or offices and start questioning people until the real police turn up to escort him home.

It all makes his catch phrase all the more poignant. You know, when he's about to leave, but turns to the main suspect and says "Just one more thing", before asking some devastatingly profound question which exposes the suspect's guilt. These days he probably says "Just one more thing - where do I live?", or "what's my name?", or even "what the hell am I doing here?". The LAPD probably has to spend half its time trying to dissuade 'suspects' from suing Columbo for harassment, after he's spent weeks turning up unannounced at their homes or places of work, accusing them of committing murders that had, in reality, been solved years ago. Ironically, the character was originally written (in the play Prescription Murder) as an older man, nearing retirement, who people assumed was senile and harmless, but in reality had a razor sharp mind. However, when the play was filmed as a TV movie the then much younger Peter Falk was cast in the role. SAdly, time has now rendered him perfect for the part as originally written.