Perry Mason (TV Series) The Case of the Fanciful Frail (1966) User Reviews

A strange series of events lead to a woman charged with murder

[kfo9494 · 7/10 · 6 February 2013]

To try to give the viewers a different kind of mystery, the writers went to the bizarre as we get a story that is as wacky as they come.

Ethel Andrews is a secretary in a financial company that is set to marry a co-worker named Bruce Strickland. The day before the wedding, Bruce skips town and they find out that $50,000 is missing from the company by authorization of Ethel. Ethel is so distraught that she gets into her car and starts riding.

Meanwhile another woman named Peggy Sutton gets a call advising that a mob hit from Chicago is out for her. She has no other option but to clear town as soon as possible. Peggy gets into her car and starts riding for the Mexican border.

Now comes the part that seems odd. The two women, by chance, meet up at a coffee shop and decide to change identity for a week. So they change ID's and vehicles then set off in different directions.

Ethel then finds over $50,000 in the trunk of Peggy's car and then changes direction to head back in Peggy's direction. Down the road there is a serious wreck and it just so happens Peggy Sutton has been killed. Ethel then takes the entire situation to Perry for advise.

When even more strange things happen, even Perry has a hard time believing Ethel's story. When Bruce Strickland is found dead. Ethel is charged with the murder and Perry is reluctant to defend Ethel. We can only hope that in the courtroom things become more clear.

This is so bizarre that you just have to watch till the end. If you can take all the odd situations then this is not a bad show. Perry will have to clear the heavy fog in order to get his client off on this strange case.

Fanciful Episode

[telegonus · 9/10 · 6 September 2019]

I found this one a fun and fanciful late entry of the very long running Perry Mason series, and highly entertaining. It's a tale of murder, identity swapping and corporate intrigue. For much of its length I found myself smiling and occasionally laughing at the near surreal events it depicted.

It seems that the powers that be at Paisano Productions, which produced the series, allowed the stories and the characters depicted therein get more than a bit offbeat, at times downright odd as the show drew to a close in its final season. This one's better than most, and nicely acted by a fine guest cast.

I highly recommend this episode for fans of the series who possess a sense of humor. No, it's not a comedy or a send-up; more like everyone having some good clean fun, all the while keeping straight faces while doing so.

Here Today, Gone Today

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 5 March 2022]

For the second episode in a row, the writers set up a crazy situation which would be enough. But then a melange of characters enter. It starts with 50,000 dollars connected to two entities, or is it three, or is it four. Mason is confused. Drake is confused. The defendant is confused. And the solution seemed to come out of the blue.

Answer to, just who really are the stars here

[bdosher-56652 · 9/10 · 14 May 2020]

Actually in the 50s Ford was a sponsor, he usually drove dark Ford convertibles, but once in a while he would be in black Cadillac Convertibles. I found out that the sponsor was not always Ford, and when GM was a sponsor he was in a Cadillac. In fall of 60 he started driving the new Lincoln Continental Convertible that had just came out. But by 65-66 he was in Cadillacs again. Also all through most of the 60s when he was in Continentals, and Ford was a sponsor, someone important to the story was usually driving a Buick Electra or Wildcat . Sometimes in the last year of the show, the police were driving AMC cars.

Just who REALLY are the stars here?

[Justandyandme · 22 October 2013]

For the most of Perry Mason's nine-season run, the series is punctuated by a vast collection of famous TV stars from the start in 1957. Their faces pop out at boomer viewers and cause us to remember and say : "Hey...he was on so-and-so as __________ ", or " She played a great witchy character in _________ ". But towards the end of the series run, it becomes very obvious to me that the stars get somewhat upstaged by "automobile counterparts", if you will. For me, as well as perhaps millions of auto buffs, the " CARS ARE THE STARS " in numerous episodes of this last season of Perry Mason. This episode, "The Case of the Fanciful Frail", from 1966, epitomizes this concept perfectly. Younger viewers may also notice this as self-serving commercialism at a glance and come to appreciate it as a kink in television history as well.

Raymond Burr always appears in a top-of-the-line , brand new convertible (or retractable hardtop). He seemed to get a new car every year. Their use conveyed his character and successful career in the series. Yet, on the other hand, the cars used in this production, almost seem to steal the camera (and perhaps some of the limelight from supporting cast.) The camera seems to dwell at times on the action of the sheet metal, instead of the actors, as it makes it's sometimes graceful way and sometimes dramatic way across the little screen in numerous scenes here and there again. Thus, it's not rocket science to figure out that one or another of the Detroit " Big 3 " sponsored Perry Mason at one time or another. Their sponsorship influence upon the screen play is obvious and cannot be overstated : to promote a popular consumerism with their product viewed fashionably and favorably. One can pick up on this easily, in "The Case of the Fanciful Frail".

I'm not spoiling it for you !

You tell me who was the commercial sponsor of Perry Mason at this particular point in time, or any of numerous other points in time, of this fabulous, behind-the-scenes, television history.

It only takes a glance.

Pippa Scott et all !!

[david111478 · 8/10 · 5 August 2022]

I gave it a 8 last time! I watched it again today! Pippa Scott is the fanciful frail of the title! She's jilted at the altar, framed for theft and then emerges as the defendant!!

People are right about this one! The acting keeps it afloat but the central premise is ridiculous!! Characters even speak out " The girls story is ridiculous ".

Why did the killer turn up at the trial? It would be safer to say no!! As I said earlier I can watch a lot of episodes again! It must be a good show!!!

Can't Wrap My Head Around This One

[mewfymewf · 7/10 · 24 March 2016]

I'm baffled as to how Peggy Sutton came by the $51,000 in counterfeit money in the first place. So, she somehow stole it from the mob, who was laundering it for Ethel's boss? @_@ Then she immediately demonstrated more of her bad driving/judgement by crashing Ethel's car, getting burnt beyond recognition?

Peggy had a horrible gambling habit and supposedly was just cut off by her rich stepfather. So, where did that cash come from?

Was she laundering counterfeit money for the mob? Why did she look so blissfully happy in the opening scene, smoking in bed without a care in the world?

Did this inspire David Lynch?

[dwhgzvsx · 7/10 · 3 November 2023]

I watched this episode today and it was so different from what I expect from Perry Mason that I had to look it up. I'm not a huge follower of the show but enjoy watching it with my elderly mother so maybe there are other episodes I just haven't seen before.

I've never seen them use handheld cameras like they do here. Am I mistaken about that?

Anyway, while watching I kept getting impressions of moments in David Lynch's movies and twin peaks. The whole random meeting and switching identities and tone of the entire episode of it being so ridiculous that even the characters can't believe it. It really makes me wonder is Lynch was a Perry Mason fan as a kid.

If You Can Firgure This Out...

[live-and-let-live · 5/10 · 6 January 2022]

Then you are either a genius or crazy!

It's like they took twenty plot lines, threw them out onto a table and said, "Pick ten, splice 'em together and We got us a show...".

I THINK I Finally Figured It Out...

[cranvillesquare · 7/10 · 25 April 2019]

It's taken me several viewings to figure out the link between the characters played by Jack Betts and Barry Kelley. Only thing, to me, which could bridge the two seemingly unrelated crimes is a case of mistaken identity, and mistaken by more than one person! Otherwise, the episode itself is too fanciful for belief.

One thing about these last shows from Season Nine which I really love is the producer's fairness in picking out the automobiles shown in each weekly show. Most producers stuck with the Big Three - Ford, Plymouth and Chevrolet - in their choice of autos, although "My Three Sons" featured cars from the Pontiac Division of General Motors. "Perry Mason" acknowledged the existence of the #4 automaker in the United States - American Motors. The last nine or ten episodes of the series very prominently showcased the 1965 Rambler Ambassador 990 4DR sedans as police cars (I know the model, my parents' family car for eight years was the identical car - it was indestructible!) This wasn't artifice, by the way; a LOT of local, county and state police entities bought the Rambler for its economy of use and its durability. Nice to see these cars featured here.

Not really a surprise, as the series ALWAYS featured interesting cars.

A rather tall tale

[bkoganbing · 3/10 · 10 May 2012]

A plot too convoluted for its own good and a lead character that's truly impossible to believe characterize this Perry Mason episode. How could anyone like Pippa Scott get herself in the potential jackpot she's in.

Pippa who's a rather shy girl works in a brokerage house and her fiancé not only leaves her at the altar, but holding an empty bag where $50,000.00 from her firm is supposed to be. She takes it on the lam to get clear of the law and find her missing man.

And then she runs into Abigail Shelton who suggests they switch identities since they do have something of a physical resemblance to her. Shelton also has money and man troubles. But Shelton is killed in a car crash and buried with Pippa's identity.

So Pippa comes to Raymond Burr with this rather tall tale which he and everyone else is having trouble with. Sad to say including the audience.

There's always Della

[darbski · 5/10 · 5 April 2017]

Okay, I've watched this episode about twice. The reason that it's "about" is because the defendant is just too goofy for words; I can't summon up the fortitude to witness all the details. There is one thing about it that is completely consistent with almost all other episodes, and that is the ability of the actors. Especially the main characters, the acting is top notch. The fact that the show persevered for as long as it did proves that point, I believe. To be able to confront so many weird defendants every week and do it with a straight face is my evidence.

The "Cars" interest should be clear. OF COURSE Perry has a new car every year; anyway he should. The guy is a legal and business genius. How many times has he had to interrupt a legal/business case to give his attention to a homeless waif, little rich kid, hopelessly romantic idiot, or other turkey that can't afford his services, and which he'll almost always write off? Because he's a litigation shark. He's made a fortune in business law.

In fact, I find it absurd that he's reduced himself to driving a Ford anywhere, when it's obvious that he should have the latest Cadillac convertible to drive himself and Della around in. It HAS to be a convertible when you have someone that beautiful as passenger.

Earlier in the series, he'd sometimes have a real pretty Buick, But a FORD? utter nonsense. Paul many times has a Thunderbird, and that is entirely acceptable, It actually makes far more sense for Perry to have a T-Bird than Paul (private detectives are supposed to be unseen, aren't they?) In the end, there is a currency question when Paul borrows $50 from Perry it a funny line.

familiar episode

[cdcrb · 5/10 · 17 August 2018]

You know it's time to pull the plug when the writers start borrowing from themselves. this is a rip off of "the case of the footloose doll" from season 2. with ruta lee. only a few episodes left in season 9 after this.