The final 1965 episode of "Perry Mason" reflected conservative values still in place in the United States at that time. An owner of a magazine turned girlie rag is murdered. His partner has been charged. And Perry gets him off.
But it is the story, based on a story by Erle Stanley Gardner, that is interesting. The story is solid, but there are corny touches. Why does murder victim Stacy Garnett drive a Chevrolet convertible when his real-life counterparts would drive more exotic vehicles? And those Golden Bear outfits on those women are stupid to say the least.
The poignant part is the casting of Angela Dorian, in real life Victoria Vetri. She went on to become Playboy's Playmate of the Year for 1968.
And like her character in this episode, someone who has run afoul of the law. Ms. Vetri was arrested on 16 October 2010, and charged with attempted murder, after she allegedly shot her boyfriend from close range inside their Hollywood apartment. As of this writing, she is awaiting trial.
The ending is likewise poignant. We see the magazine has become a cleaned up gentleman's magazine, as it once was. Little did people realize how society would really begin to change almost immediately thereafter. The Sexual Revolution was about to go into full swing, leaving the conservatism of the 1950s behind. Overall, a worth episode because of its time capsule value.
But it is the story, based on a story by Erle Stanley Gardner, that is interesting. The story is solid, but there are corny touches. Why does murder victim Stacy Garnett drive a Chevrolet convertible when his real-life counterparts would drive more exotic vehicles? And those Golden Bear outfits on those women are stupid to say the least.
The poignant part is the casting of Angela Dorian, in real life Victoria Vetri. She went on to become Playboy's Playmate of the Year for 1968.
And like her character in this episode, someone who has run afoul of the law. Ms. Vetri was arrested on 16 October 2010, and charged with attempted murder, after she allegedly shot her boyfriend from close range inside their Hollywood apartment. As of this writing, she is awaiting trial.
The ending is likewise poignant. We see the magazine has become a cleaned up gentleman's magazine, as it once was. Little did people realize how society would really begin to change almost immediately thereafter. The Sexual Revolution was about to go into full swing, leaving the conservatism of the 1950s behind. Overall, a worth episode because of its time capsule value.