User Reviews

***SPOILERS*** Again, Perry's client is accused of murder because of the murder being attached to a burglary she's jailed for. After she decides, stupidly, to take her own counsel, instead of just calling Perry, she walks into a convenient trap. Of course, this is all necessary because the bait for everything is a check for a million dollars. Even her fiance (because he's part of the family), won't just tell the truth; it involves some timing of he payout of the check. The family seems to be split equally between reluctantly honest, and happily, unabashedly greedy people who know very well what's at stake. The fiance finally comes down, with his father, on the side of honesty. Actually, it is his reluctance that makes him more believable when he states his love for the defendant. See, if he was truly greedy, he would have immediately signed up on her side; knowing that if she inherits, he's part of a million dollar payoff. Perry, with Paul's very tricky help, figures out the real motive and the real reason for the killing, and who really did it. As usual, the timing is very important, and has to be carried out to an exacting degree for it to work out. I think the main problem is the fact that it's a virtual repeat of several previous plots. To me, it seemed like no one was interested in their parts as actors. The important part of this case is the attachment of murder to a burglary, and therefore part of P.C.189. The actual crime, however, is gonna fall under P.C.187, deliberate murder. See the episode, this part of it explains why it's important to not be part of the initial crime, even if the intent wasn't killing.

Kind of obvious Mason adventure is saved by being a virtual 1960's babefest. Madeline Randall (played by the beautiful Sherry Jackson of "Make Room for Daddy" fame) is about to marry into a seemingly wealthy family when she discovers a dying woman left her a check for one million dollars. However, the check has been kept a secret and not turned over to her because the money is being used to keep the dying woman's family company from going under and revealing some major embezzlement. When Madeline goes to demand her check, the guy holding it turns up dead and she's the number one suspect.

Script failure is the main problem with this one. Paul gets a embarrassing scene as he tries to get information out of the drop dead gorgeous assistant to the victim, Carla Eden (Kathie Browne) by trying to tempt her with a screen test. It comes off as very phony. Later Mason says he knows who the "mystery woman" is who was in on the embezzlement scheme and had an affair with the dead man. Hmm...wonder who it could be? Maybe Carla? The script doesn't really give any other suspects, so we have to wait for Mason to confront Carla on the witness stand, where she makes a bad verbal mistake, then doesn't learn from that and keeps talking when she should shut up.

From a sub-par eighth episode to this well-written story number nine of the seventh season, the series returned to its roots staying in the city of Los Angeles where there are plenty of goings-on to fill an excellent crime-drama. The celebratory perpetrator is a near-surprise to the audience but of credibility-she could have done the crime making sense of her greed laden motive. The story is believable as facts are brought to bear with the help of Paul Drake and Perry's excellent intuition.

Watching a relative pass away before their eyes while on her deathbed before announcing through her lawyer the beneficiary being the attending nurse in residence tweaks the insides of the immediate relatives standing over the dying woman. The would be heirs contest the will announced to them and the legal counsel representing the deceased withholds the funds deemed for the bequeathed; he becomes the victim in his own house. The immediate series of events after the attorney's house fire leaving his charred remains bring the defendant to Perry because she leaves the burning home, briefcase in tow, belonging to the victim. She is met by a policeman exiting the building thinking she had retrieved the check issued to her alleged mother, the nurse.

This episode is definitely a must watch for series' fans as there is no part it that appears contrived and the motive for killing the victim was simple financial gain. The plot contains all sorts of fun items being pieced together by Perry and Paul with plenty of suspects to choose as the killer. I enjoy the story when things fall into place toward the last quarter of the program; all items are justified as could have happened for certain.

Watch the actor's faces when approached in the courtroom by both Burger and Mason. Also, notice the signals later on by the subordinating cast when met by Paul or Perry; it is delightful how well acting can make a good story great.

As mentioned before, the defendant winds up engaged to her nephew - takes a while for that realization to hit.

However - the best scene is towards the very end when Chester hears admitted infidelity from Eloise during testimony and mutters: "Why don't you just shut up" to Eloise.

The smirk on Paul Drake's face directly behind them is alone worth recording this episode.

The opening scene is plays out perfectly to set up the heirs' character development - and then the finale (albeit a bit of a let down).

Lots of moving parts and as usual - Perry ties everything together with longshot relationships at the ending few scenes.

Definitely a Top 10 episode.

Airing on Thanksgiving night 1963, the first episode in which Lyndon Johnson was president, this outing was not one of the better episodes. Maybe the series was starting to tire out, but it was and is not that well done.

That said, seeing Sherry Jackson in a major guest role here is a real treat. A child actress who had starred on "Make Room For Daddy," she had blossomed into a real beauty by the time she made her appearance here. She does not disappoint.

Kathie Browne, who would go on to marry Darren McGavin, also has a juicy role here. We also get to see William Talman here, though he seems a little subdued, compared to other episodes.

Sadly, though, she and the rest of the cast are let down by a substandard script. Normally, it would seem the show had its high-water mark by then, and it largely give that impression until the end of 1965. "Perry Mason" seemed to get a second wind at the beginning of 1966, when the scripts featured more action and even one colour episode.

But until then, it would be business as usual. Overall, worth a watch because of Ms. Jackson and Ms. Browne.

***SPOILERS*** Only worth watching because of the two babes in it. The sweet as well as sexy blond Kathie Browne as aspiring actress Carla Eden and the #1 suspect in an arson murder case that Perry, Raymond Burr,is handling. The innocent,she's still a virgin, but gorgeous, especially in a one piece bathing suit, looking Sherry Jackson as Madeline Randall. It's Madeline who's caught at the scene of a fire where it's later discovered Justin Grover, John Howard, was fond murdered with his skull bashed in.

Claming that she was there to talk business with Grover about something that had to do with a one million dollars check he has for what turned out to be(Slight Spoiler) her mom Hetty Randall, Anne Seymour, when the lights went out, by her being bopped on the head, and then all hell broke loose. It's a flimsy case of murder against Madline at best yet she's indited for not only murder but arson and burglary as well by the local D.A's office!

As it turned out Perry didn't just get Madeline off, piece of cake for him, but reunited her with her long lost family members that she had no idea were related to her. As well as made it possible for her to get married with Deed Brent, Ray Stricklyn, by staying out of prison. Reed happens to be the son of the woman whom Madeline's mom Hetty was a private nurse and caring for Beabe Brent, Anne Barton. It's Beabe who left her the million dollars check that all the trouble and tension in this Perry Mason episode is all about. Leaving Hetty the million dollar check outraged Beabe's, who had since passed away, vulture like relatives who felt that it was them that deserved it!

***SPOILERS*** Perry as usual got to the bottom of this mess by not only getting Grover's killer, who together with him embezzled Beabe out of $150,000.00,to confess his or her crime but also made it possible for both Madline and Reed to get married legitimately without any embarrassing questions being asked. That's by Perry, in by him proving Madeline's innocence, also proved that her father whom she never knew the mysterious Uncle Max, Jon Hall, was in fact legitimately married to her mom Hetty Randall when Madline was born!