Ep 15. The Leaper
- Not Rated
- December 28, 1958
- 25 min
-
7.7 (109)
Peter Gunn is a gritty and stylish crime drama series from the late 1950s and early 1960s, following the investigations of the eponymous private detective in a seedy underworld of crooks and criminals. In season 1 episode 15, titled "The Leaper," Gunn takes on a case involving a man who has been jumping off tall buildings in the city.
The episode opens with a tense scene of a man on the top floor of a skyscraper, looking down at the street below. He seems to be contemplating jumping, and a crowd has gathered below to watch. Gunn arrives on the scene and tries to talk the man down, but he eventually leaps to his death. The police arrive and take the body away, and Gunn is left wondering what could have driven the man to such extreme measures.
As he investigates the case, Gunn learns that the man was a successful businessman with no apparent motive for suicide. He begins to suspect that there may be more to the story, and starts digging deeper into the man's personal life. He talks to his wife, his business associates, and even his mistress, but nobody seems to have any answers.
Gunn's investigation takes him to a seedy dive bar, where he meets an ex-convict named Louie who may have some information on the case. Louie is initially hostile to Gunn, but eventually agrees to talk to him in private. He tells Gunn that he knows the man who jumped, and that he was involved in a shady business deal with some dangerous criminals. He also reveals that he saw the man being thrown off the roof by two people just before he jumped.
With this new information, Gunn starts to piece together a picture of what really happened. He tracks down the two men who threw the man off the roof, and learns that they were hired by a rival businessman who saw the victim as a threat to his own business interests. It turns out that the man who jumped was actually murdered, and the suicide was staged to cover up the crime.
Gunn confronts the rival businessman and his accomplices, and a tense standoff ensues. There's a showdown on the rooftop, and Gunn is forced to use his wits and his marksmanship to keep himself and the other characters alive.
Ultimately, Gunn is able to bring the criminals to justice and solve the case. He delivers justice and closure for the family and loved ones of the victim.
Overall, season 1 episode 15 of Peter Gunn is a gripping and intense crime drama, with a clever plot, strong character development, and plenty of suspenseful twists and turns. It's a must-see for fans of classic noir-style crime fiction, and a testament to the talents of the show's writers, cast, and crew.