The Case of the Sausalito Sunrise

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.

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.

I agree with the last reviewer, this is high adventure and legman Paul Drake shines, or rather William Hopper. This may be Hopper's best performance, and it's about time, because he was a very good actor in his own right.

Again, the story is a winner, thanks to series writer Ernest Frankel, possibly taking a cue from 77 SUNSET STRIP. It has that feel. Paul goes undercover as a truck driver, joining a company that has been hit by a series of hijackings. Lots of action, centering around some major thefts, including a famous painting called "Sunrise in Sausalito."

The painting turns up in an art museum run by Francis Clune (Daniel Murphy). A cop on the case is killed and Clune is the likely suspect, including his assistant Bobbi Dane, played by lovely Francine York.

Adding more to the mystery, Bobbi disappears and it turns the case upside down. While Drake is pursuing the hi-jackers, Perry defends Clune, which leads to a terrific courtroom showdown. If you're a movie buff, Murphy was great in this role because he was a natural at playing suspicious-looking characters in the first place. Also nice to see Francine York, a staple in many tv shows, including DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

Great supporting cast, many familiar faces like heavy Peter Mamakos as Deering, Allan Melvin as Bert and Stanley Clements (from the BOWERY BOYS) as Floyd. Veteran actor Kenneth MacDonald returns as the judge, perhaps one of the best actors to fill the role, sounding and looking like a seasoned judge. Surprisingly, MacDonald gained fame chasing the Three Stooges in many of their comedies.

A labor of love by director Jesse Hibbs, working overtime with Drake's truck being chased by a car late at night. Look out for the cliff!

Best of SEASON 9, the final season. Remastered CBS dvd box set, Volumes 1 and 2.

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.

Here we go again -- another re-write from season one. But in this case, despite knowing from the very beginning how it would all play out, it was still a very watchable episode. The episode it's based on (The Case of the Moth-Eaten Mink) is my favorite of the series, so I'll admit my bias right off.

That said, I think the writers did a good job of changing the aspects of the case to keep it interesting, despite knowing how the basic plot would run its course.

There was good chemistry in the scenes with Richard Anderson and Mark Tapscott -- with the former being obviously emotionally involved while the latter remained more emotionally detached (yet with the same perceived goal) -- and for good reason.

I also liked the similarities to scenes from the film "Bullitt", one of my favorite movies. Bravo.