But Stewart does have conversations with both characters in which he becomes somewhat "annoying" and dosen't accept polite replys. At end he makes a "one more thing" reentry onto the scene on the pretext he forgot his cigarette case and continues with his cat-and-mouse game until he solves the crime. Unlike Columbo, he is a formally educated guy. "Rope" ain't Hitch's best, but it's still better than many.