Murder by Night (7.14)

[Carmen]

You`re right that must be it and while listening or thinking he always has a finger at his lower lip. Never noticed this in other episodes.

[Jay-Firestorm]

I’m embarrassed to disagree with everyone on this one – I found the actual plot pretty boring I’m afraid! (Hence a briefer than usual review)

[rating=6.5]

In 1940s San Francisco, gumshoe P.I. Thomas Magnum investigates the murder of a newspaper tycoon – a case where many of the faces bear a strong resemblance to Mangum’s modern day acquaintances. A novel setting, but personally I find this one dull…

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Okay, I’m afraid I’m going to go against the grain here – just about everyone seems to love this episode, and while I agree that it is an interesting setting and a nice experiment, I’m afraid that personally, I find the final result rather boring.

I can’t help but compare this episode to the notable third season story ‘Flashback’, where Magnum awakes one day to find himself in the 1930s. That story came across as an interesting twist on the typical ‘Magnum, p.i.’ episode, and I enjoyed it; with ‘Murder by Night’, however, I find the plot (once you get past the initial novelty) to be pretty so-so, and it doesn’t really grab my attention.

There are two versions of this episode: the original broadcast was nearly all in black & white, whereas syndicated versions, and later overseas versions (such as the one I watched on Five in 2003) were mostly in colour. The DVD version is also in colour. To keep with the original feel of the episode, I watched it with the colour down!

In fairness, this wouldn’t make my ‘Least Favourite Episodes Top 10’ list, but I just have a feeling more fun could have been had with this one.

I don’t have much more to say on this ep – I’m glad that so many people love it, but for me, it is one of my least watched episodes from this end of the show’s run.

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Other notes, bloopers and misc.:

* Another case of no opening trailer on the DVD. Unlike some previous instances though (where there originally was a trailer but removed from the DVD version), I have a feeling that this episode didn’t originally have one, as not to spoil the black & white ‘surprise’.

* As I say in my review, the version shown by Five in 2003 was a colour version. Which kind of spoils the point of the whole story! Watching in on DVD, I turned the colour right down.

[Little Garwood]

In the years since this episode first aired, I've seen many, many Films Noir. I was prepared to enjoy this with a long-since formed appreciation for the genre. However, Murder By Night is more a drawing room mystery done in the Noir style. I found the execution poorly done; even amateurish! Just subpar performances by the guest cast did this one in, as did the below-average pacing. The regular cast acquitted themselves nicely, though.

I found the Thomas coughing and putting out the cigarette at the end a reminder of changing times, as if to tell people watching, "Don't smoke, kids!" The 1980s were vastly different than the 1970s, weren't they?

[Little Garwood]

In the years since this episode first aired, I've seen many, many Films Noir. I was prepared to enjoy this with a long-since formed appreciation for the genre. However, Murder By Night is more a drawing room mystery done in the Noir style. I found the execution poorly done; even amateurish! Just subpar performances by the guest cast did this one in, as did the below-average pacing. The regular cast acquitted themselves nicely, though.

I found the Thomas coughing and putting out the cigarette at the end a reminder of changing times, as if to tell people watching, "Don't smoke, kids!" The 1980s were vastly different than the 1970s, weren't they?

I hereby recant my previous post! That was based on a two-year old memory. Having watched it today, I found the episode well executed, with wonderful set decoration, music, and yes--performances by the entire cast! Once I got over the novelty of seeing the gang in those other roles, I just sat back and enjoyed it! It's amazing what one's mood, environment, and state of mind can do for an MPI episode...

[J.J. Walters]

It's amazing what one's mood, environment, and state of mind can do for an MPI episode...

Indeed!

[Carol the Dabbler]

Just watched this episode yesterday, for the first time since -- ? -- maybe ever. Hubby & I really enjoyed it. It's a change of pace AND well done.

I am curious about the statements that the DVD version is "colorized." Does anyone have a copy (VHS, pirated, whatever) of a version with more B&W footage? Frankly, I didn't get the impression that it's been faked up.

The credits and the pre-1941 scenes are in B&W. The switch to color occurs when we reach 1941 -- and, hey, folks, they were starting to make movies in color by then (e.g., Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind, both 1939, I believe), though admittedly, a B flick like this would still have been in B&W.

As for Magnum looking more boyish, I don't recall thinking so, but I suspect that the slicked-back hair and the suit could both contribute to a little-boy-dressed-up-by-Mama effect. You can't see TM's manly muscles when they're covered up like that!

P.S.: James -- minor correction to Note 11 on the Episode page -- it's ERLE Stanley Gardner (not Earl).

[J.J. Walters]

Thanks for the correction Carol.

Regarding the color vs. black-and-white issue, I'm going on memory only. Others have chimed in (here and elsewhere) with the same recollection. It appears that it was only in the original broadcast. How or why they changed it, I have no idea. Colorizing black-and-white film is a tedious process. Why would they go through the time and effort to change it? Maybe they shot it in black-and-white AND color at the same time? This seems odd, as well. Who knows, we could all be remembering it wrong!

[Little Garwood]

Come to think of it, the episode is less a Film Noir and more a "Drawing Room Mystery" like Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Sort of a Salon Noir?

[MagnumsLeftShoulder]

This one doesn't quite come together for me. I like the idea of it, but the mystery is sort of dull. However, the final scene is very funny. In fact, I think something similar would be a good final scene to the last episode of Mad Men. Ha!

[Tuan Vu]

Just watched this episode for the first time and thought it was great! To me, it was very tongue-in-cheek, wink-wink kind of episode paying homage to mystery/detective movies of the past. I suppose for those who are not familiar with film noir genre, they would not get all the subtle (and clever, I thought) references to those films of yesteryear.

I really appreciated the humor, too. For example, when Higgins praises Magnum's book, Magnum realizes there is something wrong and that he must be dreaming, so goes back to bed! Ha, ha!

Also, the way Magnum treats all the women in this episode was very macho and politically incorrect. He kisses them, calls them "precious", and grabs them and tosses them down in the chair. Very reminiscent of how Bogart would treat women in his movies. How times have changed!

And all the smoking and drinking done in the episode reminds me of how much they used to do that in the movies in the "old days." I am sure this was done intentionally to create the feel of the movies of the 1940s, when they did not know smoking was bad for you.

Also, the fact that there would be a black inspector in the 1940s seems so hilarious to me. And why is inspector Wolf using a cane? That is never explained, but I guess just one of the quirky humorous details about this episode that makes it interesting.

All in all, this was for me one of the most enjoyable and fun episodes. This whole season seven seems like they anticipated this to be the last season of Magnum, p.i. Many of the episodes are very innovative, and perhaps they were willing to take chances and go entirely out of the normal settings of the show to do it before it ended.

In any case, I am thoroughly enjoying going through the seventh season DVD. If the show had continued with this quality, it might have gone on many more years. Actually, I am surprised it didn't. Maybe everyone just wanted to move on, or maybe the nation was into comedies at that time (I think the Cosby Show, Family Ties, Cheers, etc. were the shows of choice back then).

[Carol the Dabbler]

And all the smoking and drinking done in the episode reminds me of how much they used to do that in the movies in the "old days." I am sure this was done intentionally to create the feel of the movies of the 1940s, when they did not know smoking was bad for you.

I'm sure you're right, that it was done intentionally, for that 40's effect. But people back then knew that smoking was bad for you (though the doctors wouldn't admit it, because they all smoked too). My father used to say that back in the 30's and 40's, the slang term for cigarettes was "coffin nails"! But everybody smoked anyhow, because it was "cool" and "sophisticated" -- as though the entire country consisted of teenagers!

[mandolabar]

I have been home sick today--bad cold--and have comforted myself with watching many Magnum episodes. This one was a blast! I am still on my first progression through the series (I was away at college with no TV, when these later seasons aired).

I was delighted with this one--not just for the change of venue, as it were, but because it was such a brilliant example of how this show was willing to *play,* to not take itself too seriously. And once they got a fun idea, they generally did it well--I mean, the opening and ending credits? This episode stayed "in character" from beginning to end--I just loved it.

(and can the Hillerman fan in me marvel at his range? Wow. Thank you.)

[J.J. Walters]

I couldn't agree more mandolabar! Wonderful episode! Film noir meets Agatha Christie.

"Will you have a drink? I don't trust a man who won't have a drink."

[mandolabar]

I watched this with the family last night--we were in a mystery mood, and 3/5 of us had not seen this episode yet. It was a great favorite. And I already bubbled about it here not long ago, but can I just say again, John Hillerman? Wow.

There was Tom Selleck playing Magnum, pretty much straight translation into that era. And there was Larry Manetti playing Rick playing an alternate role; and Roger Mosley playing TC playing an alternate role. But John Hillerman was playing Sam Caldwell. You forgot he ever WAS Higgins. He created a totally believable new person right there in the space of 45 minutes. Not a nice person, but a totally complete one, divorced entirely from his regular Magnum role, which is something none of the other three did. Just, wow.

~Amanda