User Reviews

Many reviewers criticize the acting in this episode, as if the actors have control over the script or production. Truth is, the actors here are drawn from the usual pool of talented character actors as throughout the Perry Mason series. Sadly, at this point in the series, the producers were attempting to keep the show going as cheaply as possible. They were also tossing in gimmicks to goose ratings (such as a color episode, Raymond Burr playing a double role, younger cast members). This episode attempts a screwball comic approach with mixed results. It can be jarring to watch Perry Mason episodes out of sequence, because the early episodes are so much richer and cinematic than during the later seasons. But the later episodes have their own merits, and I found this one a fun watch.

June Lockhart is Perry Mason's client in this episode, accused of murdering a bimbo played by Sue Ane Langdon. But her real problem is the no good reprobate sculptor she's married to played by Sean McClory.

McClory in this rather straightlaced family which is rich because of a publishing empire really has trouble adjusting. I doubt he ever really will.

Anyway in this conservative clan there are any number if folks readyto do anything to protect the family name.

Do you doubt Raymond Burr will find the right one?

Although I rarely watch this series, I've seen several episodes over the years. I think I've always liked the ones I've seen. Usually, I'm not a fan of whodunits, losing track of who's who & who did what when, often finding it difficult to keep the chronology of events straight, especially with a large cast of suspects. With certain exceptions, I've never much cared "whodunit". Exceptions would be the classier sort of murder-mystery with clearly-defined characters & fairly simple or straightforward chronologies, more like a Poirot, Columbo, or even a Sherlock Holmes. This Perry Mason episode HAS to be the worst I've ever seen, unbelievably loud, hyper, & way-overacted. I was confused from start to finish, skipping the trial as I'd long since lost interest, REALLY not caring whodunit. I forwarded to the final moments before the fadeout. The only reason I happened to tune in was because I'm a fan of Sean McClory. Until the advent of nostalgic, retro TV channels, I had no idea he was in so many programs over the decades. For years, I only knew him from the Bonanza leprechauns' episode, a Rifleman, a Death Valley Days, and Disney's The Gnome-Mobile, where he played a shady sideshow-carny. Speaking of Death Valley Days, it's interesting in that he appeared in an episode of the series with June Lockhart, and who play a married couple in the Mason episode. The latter is extremely talky, though most of them are; however, the dialogue usually is far more interesting. Not so this one---nothing but loud shouting & ludicrously exagerrated acting. I've never seen McClory in such a role, though I enjoyed him for its novelty. The story is complex, not because it's sophisticated but because I couldn't hear or follow what anybody was saying, the decibel-level killing most of it. People in real-life just don't shout, argue, or get that emotionally charged-up. Almost everyone acted like a crazy person. To be honest, I also tuned-in for Sue Ann Langdon, whom I always keep an eye out for, she being easy on them. She played her usual dumb-blonde role here but she played it well, if only too briefly before she's murdered. She was amusing, too, if somewhat detached from realism. Even dumb-blondes aren't really THAT dumb! I was surprised at how beautiful June Lockhart looked here. I've always liked her, knowing, of course, she was attractive but I never sought-out her TV appearances for that. Rather for her voice which had an elegant, cultured sound to it, along with a certain stateliness in her performances. In "Sculptor", though, she's nothing short of breathtaking, especially in the very final scene on the mansion-steps leading to the fade-out. Although she was quite-lovely in the Death Valley Days episode with McClory that I mentioned above, looking very exquisitely-classy & fetching in 19th-century garb, she seemed especially beautiful in "Sculptor". Another negative were the 2 old-ladies who opened the show, one more than the other who didn't really register with any personality. I've seen her before in things from years back, always playing the same kind of role. I've never cared for actresses who play cutesy, devious, mischievous, or comical grandmothers, or much-older busy-body women in general. I can't explain. Even if they're ideal in a certain casting-sense, I find them unrealistic & hard to take, too exagerrated or something--or a certain facial-look that makes them seem caricatures, I don't exactly know. In summary, this was a horrible episode, making little if any sense---loud, confusing, boring, and terribly-acted. I've heard some people familiar with a variety of dramatic shows from the 60's, like Perry Mason, say they tended to feature loud overacting, characters frequently angry, shouting, etc. After seeing this pathetic episode, I can see their point, though this one was extreme. Burr himself looked tired, bored, and rather old in this episode. I doubt he even knew what the plot was about, just going through the motions. If any of the regulars ever watched this episode, I imagine they all had a good laugh---if they could stomach it for more than a few minutes. Golly, it's bad!

Only people without a modicum of erudition fail to see the highest film value of this show's production. The writers gave a wonderful realism that gave the acting staff a perfect venue for lifelike entertainment. This episode is beyond reproach.

The storyline is standard for this show. What is novel is the rather unique casting of June Lockhart. One would scarcely recognize her as the same woman who played the mother of. Timmy on "Lassie," the mother on "Lost in Space," or any of her other wholesome roles. While not being too specific to require spoilers, suffice it to say that this is NOT your grandfather's June Lockhart character role.

After seven seasons I can understand the writing getting stale. In this episode we have another blackmail situation that has been at the center of Perry episodes since day one. So the trick is to find different ways, with different characters, to write a interesting 'Perry Mason' show. They failed.

Here is a complex way of summing up this forgettable episode- A guy blackmails himself because he is being blackmailed and an innocent person is caught in the middle. That is the plot.

A sculptor, Hannibal Harvey (Sean McClory) is married to Mona Harvey (June Lockhart) who happens to be away visiting a sick friend. Hannibal is using a ditsy blond named Bonnie (Sue Ane Langdon) as a model in his most recent sculptor and he uses her to blackmail himself. Thus he gets money from his wife's business to actually pay the real blackmailers that has love letters from his previous girlfriend.

When Mona arrives home she finds the blackmail note and goes to see Bonnie. Well, Bonnie ends up dead and all fingers point to Mona. And Perry is left to defend her as the courtroom fight begins.

The acting in this episode is highly suspect. I thought Sean McClory , that played Hannibal, was on methamphetamines. He was all over the stage trying to play a part that was over his head. His acting might have been good at the local community stage play but for a cast in an series well out-played. And for the blond Bonnie with that high-pitched, chalk-board annoying voice made me glad that she was the murder victim.

The show settled down we we got to the courtroom with Perry and Hamilton Burger battling. But again went to pot when we got a real silly confession on the witness stand. Without the slightest evidence, a person confesses to the murder just because Perry said that he was guilty. By this time, there was little interest in finding anyone guilty or innocent only ending this poor performance.

The only good thing I have to say about the episode is June Lockhart. She does another find job in making her character interesting and believable.

Here is hoping for better shows down the road.

This is simply a terrible episode. Nearly half of the episode is complete silliness before Perry Mason is even involved. Sean McClory, who had a lengthy career is primarily lighter roles in many John Ford films, is completely "hammy" in this role and extremely irritating.

Perry Mason has been one of my favorite shows for years. As I watched this episode I could hardly believe I was watching Perry Mason. It almost seemed like a bad attempt at comedy. The plot was scattered, the acting over directed and unbelievable. I kept watching, waiting for it to get better but it never did. I didn't think a Perry Mason episode could be so bad.. So sad.

In a nutshell - boring, uninspired, lacking direction. With Lockhart and McClory, we expected more. Maybe the series just ran out of steam after an otherwise brilliant 8 year run come walking in. Oh, I do miss the great Ray Collins. Lieutenant Tragg really added a spark during his tenure on the show.

Stupid people acting stupidly. The artist is a pig and the woman who loves him an idiot (Lassie's mother, June Lockhart). The business with the money is asinine. Run from this one. As far as possible!

Convoluted, ridiculous -nay, idiotic, beyond any sense of reality. Horrible plot, screenplay and dialogue (nothing new) and pathetic acting and ham-fisted direction. The only thing I can't figure out is why all these "reviewers" act as though this is out of the ordinary for PM. All is normal in the world of Perry Mason! Only someone with limited maturity and perspicacity like hannahsdaddy-208-725325 would think otherwise.

Don't bother reading this part. It is only here to fulfill the ridiculous 600 word requirement imposed on all reviews. If they want a full-scale book for every review, they'll soon regret it. A travesty indeed, but IMDb owns this sandbox. If you own the toys, you get to make the rules. This paragraph is a shining example of what one will go through to leave a concise, meaningful post. If you have not read this, congratulations; you have shown good sense. If you have read this, you might want to re-evaluate your priorities. Thank you and bye-bye... and buy bonds.