The Case of the Reluctant Model

Episode aired Oct 31, 1963
1h

IMDb RATING

8.4/10

293

YOUR RATING

Raymond Burr and Robert Brown in Perry Mason (1957)

Crime Drama Mystery

Maxine Lindsay, aspiring artist and model but naive, becomes embroiled in a law suit about whether a painting is a fake. She repeats the comments of Colin Durant about the painting. Durant i... Read allMaxine Lindsay, aspiring artist and model but naive, becomes embroiled in a law suit about whether a painting is a fake. She repeats the comments of Colin Durant about the painting. Durant is found shot in her shower, so she is charged.Maxine Lindsay, aspiring artist and model but naive, becomes embroiled in a law suit about whether a painting is a fake. She repeats the comments of Colin Durant about the painting. Durant is found shot in her shower, so she is charged.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.4/10

293

YOUR RATING

4User reviews

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos5

User reviews4

8.4293

Featured reviews

8kfo9494

Everyone is a suspect in this episode

Hold on to your hats in this mystery as we get one of those stories where everyone of the guest cast was a suspect in this show. It will not be until Perry assembles the entire cast that one person is still standing in the suspect area that we know the true murderer.

Maxine Lindsey is a young art student that attends an unveiling of Gauguin painting aboard a yacht owned by the millionaire, Otto Olney. Colin Durant, a teacher of Maxine, tells her that the painting is a fake. When Maxine spreads the word, Otto is not amused.

When a young artist named Goring Gilbert advises that he did paint a Gauguin painting it becomes apparent that something is afoot. Not too much longer Colin Durant is found dead in Maxine's apartment and evidence points to Maxine as being the murderer. Perry will defend Maxine in court against charges from Hamilton Burger's office.

It will be away from the courtroom as Perry asks Hamilton Burger to attend a meeting aboard the yacht. There Perry will quiz each cast member until only one is left standing. A different ending from the norm but held the viewers interest till the very end. Good show.

Note- Nice to see Ray Collins back after an extending absents.

10tcchelsey

GAUGUIN -- OR GO CHASE YOURSELF?

Was director Jesse Hibbs thinking Hitchcock for this winning episode? The victim is killed in a shower, only they deserved what was coming to them. Not grisly, but appropriate.

John Dall at his most arrogant best, playing a smug art collector who confesses to his young protege, Maxine (Jacklyn O'Donnell) a newly unveiled Gauguin painting is a worthless fake. This little reveal gets Maxine in deep with the inner art circle, resulting in more trouble for her than Durant (Dall). Nevertheless, one of the multitude of snooty snoots wants him dead. In a surprise scene, it's Della who discovers Durant DOA in the shower, however fully clothed. This even requires Della to get on the witness stand, questioned by Burger of course.

I agree, hold tight, the list of suspects is lengthy, backed by some fine acting. Leading the pack is Joanna Moore (Grace), also veteran actress Margaret Hayes, known for many film classics. John Dall, who became a star in Hitchcock's ROPE, plays a similar cad. This may have been one of his best latter performances. Dall passed suddenly in the early 70s.

PS; The password is "bus ride."

Best of SEASON 7 EPISODE 6 remastered CBS dvd box set. For ultimate fans, all nine seasons are available in a single (mega) box set. Worth the price. Thanks METV for the memories.

Trivia
Stock footage is used again when Perry leaves his parked car by the curb and walks up the steps into the "Los Angeles County Courthouse 1958." This footage was first seen in The Case of the Playboy Pugilist (1962), and was used again in The Case of the Skeleton's Closet (1963). Perry's car is a 1962 Ford Galaxie 500 XL convertible (claimed), and his license plate reads "XCF 01_" (probably "XCF 015"). This footage will be seen again in future episodes.

Goofs
In the bus station at the Mexico border, the plural for "bus" spelled 'BUSSES' in large metal letters on the wall in the background. Until 1961, this was a preferred plural of "Bus". This story was made in 1963. It was not unusual for old signs to still be used. Therefore, the sign is not misspelled.