The Case of the Sausalito Sunrise

The other reviews touch all the main points to discuss: this is an episode with a lot of action and in which Paul Drake takes a surprising role. Although how and when Perry realized that 'his' case and that Paul's work for the trucking company were related, I'm not sure.

However, I didn't get to watch this episode on DVD or 'in full' via some other method. I watched it on TV, and it's likely that a minute was snipped here and a scene cut here to fit it in the TV schedule. Therefore I might have missed a scene that deals with pertinent facts of the case.

So my question is this: if only Paul and the trucking company owner knew what route Paul would be driving, who tipped off the hijackers? It was mentioned prominently that nobody knew the route--certainly not the stolen art ring-leader--so the question remains... who was it??

BTW, Della looked lovely in that first scene at the art gallery. Very chic with the upswept hair.

This episode is perhaps the best in the Season 9 series. There was a lot of action in this episode with the regular cast getting out from behind the desk and taking part in the action. The action reminded me more of the first season than the last so this ranks as one of the best episode, in sometime, for the series.

Someone in this episode is stealing items and then fencing them off to other to be sold for profit. It just so happens that it is the Clune Art Gallery that is being taken and the local police is already on the case.

One detective has broken open the case and knows who has been fencing the art items. However before he can report the person, the detective is shot and killed inside the Clune Gallery. And it does not help Perry's clients when Mr Clune and Ms Dane, both already suspects, are the one that finds the body.

We also have Paul Drake going undercover as a truck driver and is given a baggage claim ticket to look into. When he goes and claims the baggage, Paul is arrest because the dead detective's gun is in the bag that Paul opens. {NOTE- At this point in the story is where red flags should alert regular Perry viewers to something very strange}

Perry has to go to trial when Hamilton Burger gets warrants on Mr Clune and Ms Dane but it proves fruitless as Perry keeps thinking about that gun in the baggage.

This leads Perry to the true murderer and ends the show in a very different way than most Perry episodes. It was looking like Perry may have met his match but thanks to Lt Drumm, Perry will be back for next week's episode. A good ending to a good show.

The acting and writing were very good in this episode. The only problem was the casting of Lt Dumm's sidekick Sgt Bradley (Mark Tapscott). It appears that they went and got a real cop, which may have won a raffle down at the local police precinct, and because he had the winning number that placed him in the role. The person that gave him a speaking part should be arrested for forgery 1st degree- he was no actor.

Note- During most of the show the writers had Lt Drumm perform his part in a rather aggressive manner. After a police officer is killed it seems that Lt Drumm is taking the killing too personal. However at the end it becomes clear that the writers knew exactly what they were doing.

In this unique episode, Paul Drake truly shines. He has no less then five scenes in which he is the main player with his many talents as a P. I. and as a character are on display. William Hopper shows a full range of character and emotions as he goes undercover, carries a gun and even gets handcuffed.

As well, this is one of the most complex and exciting episodes of the entire series. There are art thefts, kidnap attempts, truck hijackings, a car chase, two murders (one a month before the start), two disappearing clients, and an openly angry Perry Mason.

An exceptional episode for the final season.

This episode has some very bad actors and storyline. The main cast was great as ever but the others were very bad. At least Marks was not the director.

It is incredible fun to watch episodes from the original and classic Perry Mason seasons here, in the UK. Correct region dvds of the series are both hard to find and expensive to boot. So thanks goes to respective CBS drama and justice channels for showing seasons 9 and 6. Hope more will follow.

However the main purpose for doing this is to draw attention to the inclusion in the cast of Elisabeth Fraser and Allan Melvin. Both played main roles in the 'Bilko', as it was known over here. Sheer joy to see them again, as it would also be if the tv series re-appeared on our screens.