Show213
Had absolutely no sympathy for the 17-year old whiny brat Susan Foster. Her behavior in court was unforgivable. She never spoke a kind word to her brother, but had no trouble accepting cars, clothes, and a roof over her head from him. "I want to be treated like an adult whaaaa." What exactly would you like to do that you can't? Go out drinking at bars? Spend evenings with an older man who tells everyone that he's just "having fun with Foster's kid sister?" Or would you like to bury the one person who has always looked out for you? If you're such an adult, why not get a job and an apartment? Maybe have a little self respect for a change.
Jason Foster's arguments against his opponent's conservation views look pretty bad in retrospect to this Southern Californian! In fact, I fail to see what makes Foster a good candidate for state senator. He acts precipitously and violently throughout the episode! Not only that, but he calls his little sister "Kitten" and "Baby," which creeps me out a bit. I for one was sad when he won the election!
+ This episode begins seeming like a re-working of the 1957 movie "The Sweet Smell Of Success" starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, and a host of others. jfh 11Feb2019
++ It also seems like a preview of the Columbo episode Lady in Waiting in which Richard Anderson plays an authoritarian older brother who dominates his sibling (unlike here, tho he lives...er dies to regret it). Notcom, 072221.
And once again, as I said in TCOT Borrowed Baby, I really feel for her. Della, don't give up! Submitted by DellaFan, 12/19/2013.
Bachelorhood Doomed? In the last shot of the Final Wrap scene, Perry, referring to another male character, says "A good man is worth fighting for." Della, smiling beautifully and cuddling his shoulder, gives Perry a very long-lasting look of admiration/love/etc and utters a single one-syllable word which I couldn't make out at all.
*What was that single word of Della's?
*Did viewers in '64 believe that Perry's Bachelor Days were finally finished forever?
With me, this rates right at the top, along with Della's tears in the final wrap of TCOT Borrowed Baby and a few other scenes in which she gave Perry those looks! Submitted by Gary Woloski, 1/12/12.
+ I agree this is one of Ms. Hale's finest moments. What an actress! The word she utters is simply, "Yeah..." Agreeing that a good man is worth fighting for, meaning, of course, Perry! Submitted by dwhite 28 Feb 2012
++ Sadly, by the standards of those days, had Della married Perry, she would have been expected to quit work and become a housewife. Sacrificing a main character is not something the writers were likely to do. Yes, I know Barbara Hale was married; I believe actresses continuing to work when they were "supposed" to be at home contributed to the long-held attitude that actresses were somehow "racy" and questionable for inclusion in "polite society". OLEF641 7/22/21
+++No Bells for Della: I just finished reading a biography of Erle Stanley Gardner, The Case of the Real Perry Mason. In it the author cited ESG's views on linking Perry and Della. He was quite conscious of the tension provided by having them not married (remember, those were books and not movies or tv shows then). Apparently he considered having them get married, but thought that would eliminate that energy. JohnK, 22 July 2021
+I have to say I somewhat agree and glad they didn't do this (sorry, Della). In I Dream of Jeannie, it just changed the whole atmosphere of the show when Maj. Nelson married Jeannie. Maybe if Perry and Della married sometime before the TV movies, that could have been a nice touch, but then I don't think it would have worked having her essentially being his secretary again. [Krazy Karl 82]
There was a hint of Perry and Della getting together at the end of episode 208 TCOT Careless Kidnapper. They didn't enter the party and the dialoge seemed to indicate there was something serious in the works. Added by H. Mason 4/5/15
Although not yet mentioned, I am sure everyone knows Richard Anderson makes his second PM appearance here, and the following season he became a regular as Lt. Steve Drumm. It's always interesting to see actors shift characters within the same series. cgraul 12.29.14
+ And, in his later appearances as Drumm, it seems Mr Anderson has magically grown more hair. DOD 02/11/19
++ Ah, the miracles of modern toupee-making! OLEF641 7/22/21
Dan Tobin will appear in the next episode "Scandalous Sculptor" as Dickens before his other 14 appearances as restaurateur Terrance Clay [IMDb]. Mike Bedard 4.7.15
The policeman enters the bar and arrests Susan Foster for underage drinking and escorts her out without so much as a by-your-leave to the bartender. The last time I checked, serving alcohol to a minor was against the law, and the bartender should have been cited along with the management of the establishment. And it matters not a whit if the minor had a fake ID. Submitted by PaulDrake33. 29 December 2014.
+ But in this context the arrest of only Susan makes perfect sense: remember it was a political set-up, not a law-enforcement action. cgraul 7 april 15
++ Actually it does matter a whit, since falsification of age is a defense (though not necessarily a successful one). What seemed curious here was that the gendarme asked Miss Foster for her "ID Card", then for her CDL; presumably this was b/c he felt the first wasn't authentic, but it makes little sense why he wouldn't just ask for a license in the first place. Submitted by Notcom, 042016.
The lighting in the courtroom was very unusual, even for PM. It is very high-contrast, and shifts from an even blanket over the entire courtroom to isolated highlights. Look, ie, at Perry's examination of Harry Mardig - spots on Perry and Harry, the rest of the people much darker. The same occurs during the court interlude when Foster, Susan and Perry are talking. cgraul 7 april 15
+Somewhere in the middle of the 7th season, they started to get creative with the way the show is shot. Extreme closeups, bird's eye views of the courtroom, unusual editing. It was only a matter of time before they got creative with the lighting too. Perhaps it was something to do with the shift toward more "auteur" directors in films of the 60s. TV followed suit.
Paul Barselow, playing the Coroner's Physician, delivers his lines in a strange way. His tone seems rather strident, more like the way a witness under cross examination would talk, rather than an expert giving dry scientific testimony.
Submitted by scarter, 4/19/15
+ He was freakish. Submitted by catyron, June 15th, 2018
I do not recall another episode where powder burns were so visible on the body. There is usually no sign of any bodily injury.
Also when the record player was playing the 45 it reaches the end, arm picks up, and starts playing off camera what seemed like a different song (new record) yet there was no records to drop on the platter. Submitted by Perry Baby 10/18/16
+ When Margaret bursts in we've only just heard the last few notes of the record. When the music starts again it is highly plausible it's the same tune. OLEF641 7/22/21
Did anyone else notice the odd booth where Susan Foster was sitting in the opening scene? An occupant can sit on only one side of the table. David Cartwell has to pull up a chair in the aisle. Kilo 3/24/2020.