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Mannix: Scapegoat (1972)
A favorite because of Dick Ziker's voice
The plot of this is fine, the acting is good, some fun 70s airport scenes, where they climb down ladders to disembark jet airliners. We see some planes with logos of now-defunct airlines. Also there's plenty of action, and we visit the dreaded Silver City ghost town again. Site of the ill-fated college reunion. Poor Joe, modern swingin' LA guy, always winding up in that same dusty decrepit old place. It's a hoot to see bad guys in leisure suits running around the ghost town, and Joe's beautiful convertible driving up the old Main Street amidst the tumbleweeds.
So it's a decent, entertaining episode. But the thing I love most about it is Imposter Joe's voice, by stunt coordinator Dick Ziker. A sleazy hipster voice, which is hilarious! When he appears in Joe's clothes, he remarks that they're "kinda square." And whenever somebody asks him how some part of the caper went, he replies "piece of cake."
I guess there were plot holes, but I don't care, it's just a TV show. It's all good fun to watch this time capsule.
Mannix: Moving Target (1972)
Good plot twists and Art Buchwald!
The plot held my interest. Lots of twists and turns and surprises. I loved Art Buchwald as the disgruntled employee. Perfect for the role. He did good! He was an amazing person in real life. Google his obituary. It's a film he made of himself saying "I'm Art Buchwald and I just died." He was funny and irreverent to the very end.
As always, I watch Mannix for the fantastic 70s vintage vibe, and this episode did not disappoint. Althea (Jessica Walter) is the quintessential 70s girl, from her excellent hairdo, clothes and makeup to her wood paneled house. The paneling was on the diagonal! Just like a ski lodge.
The hostess robe she wore when Joe came over for a drink was fabulous. A full-length paisley number in red, harvest gold and avocado green. For the "dinner date" she wore an ivory satin shirt with large scarf-tie in front and billowing sleeves. Over that, she put on a gorgeous dark velvet jacket. Even Joe complimented her on that outfit.
Oh, that beautiful 'Cuda sure took a beating. The whole front end was a goner. On the ill-fated dinner date, Althea was saying to Joe: "didn't you wonder why I insisted on taking my car instead of yours?" Heck girlfriend, I thought it was because Joe's car was all smashed up and still in the shop.
The end shot of Joe smiling and happily going to sleep on Art's sleeve was rare. Simply delightful. Today's police should seriously look into using tranquilizer guns on unruly criminals. Just sayin.
Mannix: A Button for General D. (1971)
Great clothes, red XKE, this episode has it all
Any time I see the gorgeous red Jaguar XKE, I know it's doomed to go off the cliff and burst into flames. That film clip was used a couple of times on other episodes. Same with the blue Porsche. Beautiful but doomed.
Just like Cindy on this episode. Gorgeous girl, perfect makeup, great hairdo, yet doomed. Poor Joe, another girl gone. She could've been a contender. However, she did, after all, set Joe up initially and she planted the bug in his office, so she had a little touch of evil before she knew Mannix and Sarah.
Cindy is the first Lady in Distress to say yes to a cup of coffee from Peggy! Everyone always declines the coffee. And such cute 70s coffee mugs, who could say no to that?
The outfit she wears when she first comes to Mannix's office is a "peasant-style" dress with short puffed sleeves and contrasting vest featuring a wide lace-up waistband. This was a Butterick pattern from 1970. I sewed this exact same pattern numerous times in high school. I sewed it in different lengths and fabrics: mini, maxi, midi, and it was my favorite dress of all time. I still have a mini one in my closet to view in all its tiny vintage goodness.
The artwork on the wall of Cindy's dressing room at the club is quite mod, great colors, but we only get fleeting views of it, we don't get to view the entire piece.
The shiny long-sleeved striped blouse she wore in the make-out scene with Joe was devine. Billowing sleeves puddling down to a tight wrist. The maxi dress she wore in the final scene was a patchwork number from the same Butterick pattern, you could make it with vertical contrasting colors of fabric in the skirt, without the lace-up vest.
I have to thank reviewer Glitterose, who first brought to my attention the hilarious routine that Joe goes through regarding the mail. I had never noticed that before Glitterose pointed it out. His bemused little smile as he sets the envelope aside is the best. Oh, the ladies are crazy for Joe, and they're putting it on paper, to boot!
Mannix: The Color of Murder (1971)
The annoying Diane Keaton
Diane Keaton took this role and made an entire career out of it. If you like Annie Hall, then you'll like this episode. Her Cindy Conrad character is not just ditsy, but downright psychotic. I did not enjoy this episode because Diane's hyperactive whining made me too nervous. Plus, her outfits were awful. The pantsuit with giant purple stripes was the worst fashion that the 70s had to offer. Many dangling chains. Her hairdo was almost a shag, but not a good shag.
The blonde girl had a good hairdo, but a bad outfit featuring a skirt with the most giant windowpane plaid ever seen. She had a good car, though: a pale green VW Beetle.
Peggy had the best outfits, and she was so capable and level-headed you just gotta love her.
All in all, the plot was interesting, and all the other characters were excellent. Many twists. This would have been an 8, but Diane Keaton brought it down to a 4. The final scene where she tells everything to Mannix: her overacting was reminiscent of the scene she played in the Godfather Part 2, when Kay tells Michael she's done with "this thing... this Sicilian THING!" She played both scenes exactly the same.
Mannix: A Gathering of Ghosts (1971)
No mod interiors, no mod fashions, no Peggy.
Jo-Jo? Seriously? Ugh, the dreaded ghost town college reunion show. Even though I hate this episode, every time it comes on meTV I am mysteriously drawn in to watch it again. I keep thinking there must be some small detail, some spark of brilliance that I did not see before. I watch every minute, listen to every piece of dialog carefully. Searching, searching... Alas, the episode is a dud every time.
The party set-up cracks me up. All the fancy hors d'oeuvres lined up on lovely trays. The red gingham tablecloths, keeping with the "old west" theme. The funniest are the dozens of long stemmed wine glasses on display. A lot of wine glasses for a guest list of six people! Also no cooler for the ice and beer, what kind of college football guys would neglect to bring a cooler to a party?
The fashion was not good. The drunk lady had cool boots, but the rest of her outfit was far from groovy. The other lady had a nondescript brown outfit. Ladies, those are the best party outfits you could come up with? In 1971? What happened? Were the stores all closed? Not even good hairdos.
The big clue is the smeared ink. However, ink would smear on the glossy paper of the photo, but not so much on regular paper that the note was written on.
Joe is always handsome, and his 1970 Barracuda convertible is always groovy, so there's that.
Mannix: Color Her Missing (1969)
Mod Pucci Shoes!
My favorite Mannix episode of them all. It's got everything: Plymouth convertible, Peggy finding the paisley heel of the mod shoes, Lt. Tobias looking good, and the femme fatale who is a splendid damsel in distress. Lots of double crosses. Lots of fights. Tobias showing up in the nick of time, wise-cracking with Joe.
I mainly watch Mannix for the vintage vibes. This episode has exceptional 1969 style. The swanky 60s LA high-rise apartment of the lawyer. Dallas' wardrobe and the mod decor of her apartment. Those drapes! That lamp! Even the apartment of the widow had wonderful artwork and sculpture. Formica in the kitchen.
Most unforgettable scene: Joe and Dallas, all tied up and locked in the garage with the motor running! What a panicky scene. Shot from above, looking down inside the convertible, so we can see exactly how Mannix saves himself and the girl. Oh those bad nylon-hosiery dudes, they are really bad.
The Opposite Sex (1956)
It's not "The Women," but it's fun anyway
If you like comfortable 1950s movies, you'll enjoy this. Nothing earth-shattering here, but the colorful high-fashion clothes and weird casting are fun to watch, in a campy way. You've never seen so much enormous sparkling jewelry in your life!
June Allison is goody-two-shoes boring as usual, but Delores Grey and Agnes Morehead are great. Joan Collins isn't quite there yet, she's not as twisted as she was in the 80s. And it's impossible to take your eyes off of Ann Miller, gorgeous girl, she energizes every scene she's in. The guys in the film are all quite forgettable. So are the musical numbers. Watch it for the 50s styles and you'll have fun.