The Case of the Ugly Duckling

This episode merits watching--as every character introduced winds up either connected (testifying), or with motive to murder Harry Trilling--a man we learn has only the acumen to sell major appliances, much less, figure out what to do with his troubled niece. I remember on Second City TV, where the station manager sat in a wheelchair so he could earn respect--that's Harry Trilling--and I believe it could have been a last minute decision to put him in the wheelchair--to have him look somewhat sympathetic--otherwise this character couldn't have made it through the second scene. Anne Whitfield has a gorgeous makeover--and someone that in earlier episode was hot--Constance Towers--is somehow convinced to wear a hair wrap--clearly, not the best look for her. Watch it once--enjoy it.

I think Max Showalter's agitated confession at the end was very nicely acted. I love the little toy making irritating noises and motions throwing Max completely off his game. Much of the rest of the story was kind of silly. It's hard to see the young heiress really being so down on her appearance. At the end the fella drew a picture of her showing how pretty she was. The problem is that people with that kind of low self image can't see themselves as others do. They see themselves as unattractive. That's the inner self picture they see and unaided they cannot break past that ugly self image Good news it was just a story.

The young woman in this episode is attractive, even when her hair is a mess and she is overdoing it in the bar. But what she is is so in need of psychological help that she is a danger to herself. She is also victimized by a cruel condition in her father's will. But a problem with this episode is that the whole thing is so hard to believe. Almost no foundation is laid for anything. Still, it kept my interest.

I'll say off the top that despite its weaknesses, this is a watchable episode. The story is weak and convoluted, as bipolar as the main character. What makes it stand out is a formidable ensemble cast. Given the poor script/uneven direction they were, the cast pulled it out of what could have been a disassociated melodrama. There were some highlights, the high court crane shot and annoying toy noise during Perry's cross to Sparr being two. As also has been mentioned previously, Anne Whitfield's character, while attractive on the outside, sees herself as ugly and plain on the inside. Far from the best episode of the series, it was a decent end to season 7.

I think a psychiatrist would have a field day with most of the involved people in this Perry Mason episode. I also suspect a few issues among those who dreamed this one up.

Anne Whitfield, best remembered as Dean Jagger's granddaughter in White Christmas is the subject of one of those insane wills thought up by really screwed up parents. If she's not married by the age of 21 and she is the sole heir, her father's toy company will be sold. But her legal guardian is uncle Ford Rainey who likes being head of a big business, because as he's reminded often he was washing machine salesman before this windfall he'd like to keep going.

What Rainey does is hire an itinerant artist to play up to Whitfield and maybe marry her. Not easy as the young lady has self esteem issues and is never sure men aren't interested in her bank account. When Whitfield, Rainey gets dead. Of course she didn't do it, but she looks mighty good for it.

Adam Lazarre the artist is a truly unbelievable character, especially when he has a change of art. A plot gambit used in hundreds of films and TV shows, but not convincing here at all.

This was one Perry Mason episode I couldn't buy into.