The Case of the Deadly Double

This makes for a very intriguing mystery! I especially like that Constance Ford, generally a character actress, gets to play sexy for once. Dowdy Helen Reed is also 'ball of fire' Joyce Martel, the beloved of tough-guy nightclub owner Johnny Hale. Her dual personality creates some lively complications-- is she two-timing anyone? Her doctor finally weighs in with the facts on Helen/Joyce, erroneously referring to her condition as Schizophrenia; any doctor would have known better.

Multiple Personality Disorder or Dissociative Disorder, now known as Dissociative Identity Disorder, had been first identified in the 1880s, but has still remained largely a mystery to many people. It has often been confused with personality shifts symptomatic of some forms of schizophrenia, giving rise to widespread misuse of the term 'schizophrenic' to indicate a 'split personality' or to express general duality. Schizophrenia is a psychosis, a mental illness treatable with medication, while Dissociative Identity is an acquired personality disorder usually formed as a survival mechanism after unbearable trauma.

The idea of split personality has readily leant itself to dramatic portrayal, especially onscreen, and this has served to familiarize more of the general public with the condition. There was Blanche Sweet in "The Case of Becky" (1915) from the stage success by that name, remade in 1918 as "The Two-Soul Woman" with Priscilla Dean. Still to come were Constance Binney in a remake of "The Case of Becky" in 1921, followed by Gladys Walton in "The Untameable" (1923). Barbara La Marr took on a new treatment of the theme in "Sandra" (1924). More familiar today after 1957's "The Three Faces of Eve" would be small-screen treatments "Cybil" with Sally Field, and Shelley Long in "Voices Within: The Lives of Truddi Chase". But use as a dramatic device is quite widespread. 2001's "K-Pax" even throws in an extraterrestrial twist, and "The Danish Girl" from 2015 complicates matters with a transgender issue.

"Deadly Double" is definitely worth a look.

Most Mason episodes revolve around ensemble acting and a whodunit plot. This is one, if not the only one, that revolves around a single central performance-- Constance Ford in a dual role. In 1958, multiple personality disorders were only beginning to be known to the American public thanks to the popular film Three Faces of Eve, which treated the problem in a clinical manner unlike Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde which remains a popular literary stereotype.

Ford's role is more like Jekyll and Hyde. As Helen Reed, she's timid, demure, and plain-faced; as Joyce Martel, she's boisterous, beautiful and aggressive. Of course, this is a demanding part that few actresses of the day could manage. It's to Ford's great credit that she brings off the two persona's as well as she does. The transition on the witness stand is almost hair-raising. The whodunit is routine but supplements nicely Ford's outstanding performance, the entry's unusual centerpiece.

A number of reviewers have done great recaps of the plot line here, and updated the medical component.

But trying assiduously to avoid any spoilers, i think it's as drama that this episode really shines.

Special kudos to Murray Hamilton for his superb portrayal of the "tough guy".

His performance is worthy of any of the best noirs.

That said, the episode is no doubt Constance Ford's.

Her work in this is stunning.

Watch her on the witness stand - a master class in acting.

This is one of the finest and most intriguing Perry Mason's.

Groundbreaking in it's subject matter, but still firmly rooted in exploring the human frailties that lead to disaster.

They even manage a certain melancholy for the perpetrator.

An interesting melange, well presented, and highly recommended!

Denver Pyle is the Perry Mason client in this episode. But the case turns on Pyle's sister Constance Ford who is the victim of a dual personality. She's the estranged wife of Carleton G. Young who winds up dead and it's possible that Ford might have killed her and her primary personality would not know anything about it. She has in fact a strange handbag with the murder weapon inside.

Strange to Young's wife, but not to her wild child other personality. But Pyle made some public threats to Young and that's why the cops have him in the jackpot.

With the help of Ford's treating psychiatrist Abraham Sofaer the truth is revealed.

The players are good, sad to say the writers weren't really up on their mental health knowledge in writing this story.

This episode is different than most of Perry's cases. We still have the basic concept of the show but with a new twist and set of circumstances.

Actress Constance Ford plays a women with dual-personalities. At times she is a meek, mild mannered woman named Helen Reed. Then at other times she is this hot-to-trot women that makes any man succumb to her every whim or wish. Ms Ford does a good job playing both roles. She has a way to make the viewer identify with both characters. The audience follows along because both are so far away from each other that it appears that two people are playing the one role.

Even though there is not much to the story other than the one crime- the physiological part hold the person interest in watching the entire episode.

A good support case helped in making this show enjoyable, Denver Pyle (Uncle Jessie from 'Dukes of Hazzard' fame) does a good job in this dramatic role. Proves he use do serious acting before being typecast as a southern regular.

Watching the episode, it appeared that the storyline was going to be short of a full 52 minutes of show. So they added some extra scenes that involved memorable exchanges between Perry and Lt Tragg. This along is worth watching.