Show20
IMHO, Karen Steele as Doris Stephanak in the previous episode, and Kathleen Crowley as Marylin Clark in this episode bear a strong resemblance to one another, both so very pretty. jfh 05Mar2024
The $16,000 the heiress’ sister was swindled out of would ring in at $117,605.54 today. Barnaby and Co. are making a pretty good living it seems. Lacey says he’s made $400 ($2,940.14) on the ad. His magazine costs $1 ($7.35). Paul charges Lacey $200 ($1,470.07) for the letter. No wonder Lacey sputters. Lacey thinks they can sucker the heiress out of $75,000 ($551,275.95), the split 50-50. Barnaby has other ideas: Lacey gets $1000 ($7,350.35). Barnaby asks the heiress for $50,000 ($367,517.30) for drilling. That $8,000,000 suit Perry is working on would be worth $58,802,768.17 today. But we already knew Perry is a high-flyer. This must be one of the ways he finances those cases where he doesn’t make costs (e.g., “Fiery Fingers”). Submitted by billp, 12/28/2008.
The only episode I recall in which we meet Paul's secretary. I love the Agnes character - too bad she has so little screen time. That large planter in Paul’s office has been seen, at times, in Della’s and Perry’s offices. This plot reminds me of Ira Levin's terrific first book "A Kiss Before Dying" which deals with another serial philanderer who preys on sisters. DOD 05/17/18
How did Tragg almost immediately determine Charlie was poisoned? And that Marilyn was responsible? DOD 06/25/21
In the final scene, when Paul flips a coin to determine if he or Perry will take Della to dinner, he flips a Walking Liberty Half Dollar. They were minted from 1916 to 1947. Otto Gervaert, 6/25/21.
When the heiress is writing her answer to Barnaby’s, i.e. Drake’s, letter, we see a painting over the fireplace. This painting is a copy of/inspired by one commonly titled Two Dancers at Rest/Dancers in Blue. Whatever it’s called, it’s by Edgar Degas. I recall ballet-inspired artwork being quite popular in the 1950s. I don’t know why that was, but I remember my mom had some, too. Submitted by billp, 12/28/2008.
+ I think the set designers must not have been trained
interior decorators. The two pictures on either side of the fireplace have large lamps in front of them. Submitted by Kilo 5/21/2017
++ Speaking of moms, is this the Only episode where Perry refers to his? "My mama always said I would forget my head if it weren't screwed on tight," he tells Della in the murder room. Mike Bedard 4.16.15
+++I respectfully disagree, Mike. Perry was reenacting the scene. He merely repeated what Charley had said.
++++ You're right! I re-watched it on 4.28.16 & noted Perry's Facetious Tone of delivery. Mike B. 4.29.16
+++++ It was mentioned that Lacey intercepted Drake's letter and substituted his own using Charlie's name. Submitted by Wiseguy70005, 9/29/13.
Look at Paul Drake’s desk. It’s similar to or the same as Perry’s. Submitted by billp, 12/28/2008.
+ The top surface of Mason's desk appears to be "thicker" than on Drake's desk. Wiseguy70005, 2/22/24.
Speaking of the Mason office furniture, it strikes me as being mid-to-late-1950s Danish modern. The floating top desk, the credenza, the round table and chairs, the sofa, Della’s desk—even the art work (fish painting). I’m thinking it must have been a suite or something. Is anyone an expert on the decorative arts? Can they identify the makers and/or give other information? It would also be great to see photos (color or b/w) of the furniture from style books or what-not. Does the bas-relief over the sofa look familiar? It strikes me as some sort of imitation of Babylonian art. Submitted by billp, 12/30/2008.
The premiss of this episode is somewhat puzzling. Personal ads are notorious for being less than truthful. So why should the Post Office be so concerned about any particular ad in a trashy magazine? Submitted by gracenote, 8/30/2011.
+ The postal authorities were suspecting that the magazine itself was making up fake ads designed to elicit many responses and boost magazine sales because the mailed-in responses had to be on the form in the magazine. That's mail fraud. Submitted by 65tosspowertrap, 4-2-2014.
++ Charlie tells Lacey: "Horsing around with the mails is a FEDERAL Offense." The Constitution states: "Congress shall have power to establish POST Offices and POST Roads [Art. 1, Sec. 8 Delegated Powers]." Mike Bedard 4.16.15
+++This would be a federal offense because: (a) it utilizes interstate commerce, and (2) it utilizes a federal agency. cgraul 5.12.17
L.Q. Jones gives a thoroughly enjoyable performance as Barnaby in this episode, one of my favorites. It's too bad he didn't appear more often in Perry episodes! Ed Zoerner, 9/13/11.
+ METV is showing this on 07/12/22 and, sadly, LQ Jones died just a few days ago. I much enjoy this episode, and Mr. Jones is a very big reason. May he Rest In Peace.
++ Jones joins George Kenedy in a very select club - you can't join it during your lifetime - and our latest trivia category: performers who died coincident with their performace being televised. But he did the latter one better, having his second appearance showing last week, a few days before his death, and this one, a few days after...a DIH "L.Q.Jones Week" !! Notcom 071222.
Bad Accent Dept.: In a continuing procession of actors presumably hired for their superior talent for accents, Anna Navarro, who built a career playing women named Maria or Conchita, delivers a most unconvincing performance as a Mexican spitfire. Script writers must take some responsibility, for they seem to think foreigners are unfamiliar with parts of speech like articles ("You think I am bad girl?") and can use verbs only in the present tense ("I know she kill my Charlie!"). Submitted by francis, 5/21/13.
+ Good observation. Navarro played "Maria" 12 times in different shows and films. cgraul 5.12.17
++ I said she was supposed to be Italian. My wife said she was supposed to be Russian. We were both wrong about the country but correct that "she is bad actress." Submitted by Vladimir Estragon 9/23/2020.
+++ This is definitely on the script writers. Notice how she switches from 'You think I am bad girl? To 'Now, are there anymore questions, Mr. Mason?' when she tells that she is a diabetic. As clunky as the switch is, it worked for me, because I didn't buy into the characters' act of being unable to speak/understand American English. It would have made more coherent sense for her to say, 'Do you think I am a drug addict?', but the clunkiness of the dialog seemed to me a way of establishing her as a con artist. Not until she broke down did I have believe her dialog to be 'real', and even then I had my fingers crossed - symbolically! Submitted by MikeReese, 10/25/2020
And Delores (why not the more-usual Spanish spelling of Dolores?) is yet another testifier with a heavy foreign accent who the prosecution does not supply with an interpreter, even though the prosecution is using her to help build their case. A good (defense) attorney can trip up such speakers. For example, after Delores had admitted that she had known the victim for eight years since meeting him in Mexico City, Perry asks her, "And from then on you were his accomplice?" Delores responds, "You mean I help him?" The Spanish word for accomplice is the similar cómplice and, given her history, I wonder why Delores had trouble with "accomplice". Further, per Hamilton, Delores "is not familiar with our system of jurisprudence". I also wonder how well he prepped her pre-trial. Submitted by (lowercase, with a comma and period) masonite, 07/20/13.
+ Someone should remind Hamilton that, for someone who "is not familiar with our system of jurisprudence", she certainly is familiar with Sgt. Kramer, who has since become Lt. Kramer. jfh 05Mar2024
Paul Drake: That establishing shot - PAUL DRAKE PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR - seemed to indicate he was a one man operation. In most episodes before and after this one his business was called the PAUL DRAKE DETECTIVE AGENCY. Submitted by H. Mason 10/2/14
Where was Paul's business suite located? I can't find any instance when the location was given. Even episode 238 TCOT Duplicate Case that included Kushy Walky arch supports, the business right beside Paul's, no numbers were shown. This story made it look like he was on the ninth floor. He left his office to cash the check from Edmund Lacey and met Perry in the hallway. Submitted by H. Mason 10/2/14
+ Paul's office was supposed to be on the ninth floor. In episode 31 TCOT Fiery Fingers Gertie said Della was down the hall in Drake's office. Added by H. Mason 10/7/14
++ In the books and other episodes it is made clear that Drake's office is on the same floor as Mason's, and is between Mason's office and the elevator. cgraul 5.12.17
The power of No'ing Delores' refusal to answer Perry's questions proves quite fortuitous as it gives him time to discover the crucial evidence; had he cross-examined her based on what he initially knew, what could he have learned ?? (Perhaps he could have called her back as his own witness - is that permitted ?? - but based on her attitude, good luck with that !!) Notcom, 091317.
Interesting that Tragg was able to determine at the murder scene that the cause of death was poison. Seems like that would have to be discovered by an autopsy. Submitted by Kilo 3/9/2018.
Once again, the scriptwriters try to fool the audience -- the person who discovers the body, and acts so shocked, turns out to be the killer. Delores is alone when Charlie falls down dead and she's surprised and grief stricken, yet it turns out she herself poisoned him. If she's putting on an act, who is it for? She's alone. The same thing happens in The Case of the Golden Fraud and The Case of the Glittering Goldfish. Submitted by Scarter 12/14/13
+Elementary, Sherlock. She still loved him--it's as simple as that. Submitted by Old Colony St. Gar
++ To quote Anna Russell in her monologue on The Ring Cycle, after Brünnhilde has Siegfried killed; "Well of course, as soon as he’s dead she’s sorry . . I know you men are going to say “so like a woman,” . . " OLEF641 10/24/2020
Keep in mind that Lt. Kramer was still in the room when Delores broke down. He was going for the phone which seemed to be just off camera. So, whether she was still in love or not, she was not breaking down only for the audience's sake. Submitted by Kenmore 01/15/2022.
For the third time in the first twenty episodes, we have:
Champagne bottles are pressure vessels with 70 to 90 pounds per square inch of pressure. I would guess that sticking a syringe through the cork of a champagne bottle would result in a catastrophic loss of pressure. Submitted by Vladimir Estragon, 9/23/2020.
The same trick has been used in other shows, notably an episode of “Colombo”. As I understand, the cork closes in on itself as the syringe is pulled out, keeping the bottle pressurized. DOD 06/25/21
+ The champagne wrapper would have a hole in it regardless. You'd think the police would examine the wrapper. BTW - that Columbo episode was good! Rick P 11/4/21
The Country Boy may have torn the wrapper to get at the cork. That is rather common, so a hole in a crumpled, torn wrapper may not have drawn that much attention. Since the hole in the cork probably no longer existed or at least was not identifiable, I could see how the police could overlook it. Submitted by Kenmore 01/15/2022.
Submitted by 65tosspowertrap, 4-2-2014.
Had Marylin also partaken with the champagne, she would've been dead as well leaving Delores as the only suspect. But I guess she was fine with that possibility. Submitted by Kenmore 01/15/2022.