Perry Mason (TV Series) The Case of the Red Riding Boots (1960) User Reviews

Dramatic, watchable episode

[Panamint · 9/10 · 4 July 2016]

A teenage girl and some red riding boots, sounds kinda like a gimmicky series TV episode doesn't it? Well, in this case don't be deceived by the title, its an excellent filmed drama more like a serious movie. I don't know how this little group of actors managed to create such good character relationships within the constraints of weekly series TV production, but they manage to collectively rise above "just another week's episode of television". Also, the direction and editing are above average for the quickly made series TV genre as a whole.

This drama also features a fully focused, believable and sincere performance by Raymond Burr. No courtroom shenanigans this week. Burr's career was a long grinding one that mostly emphasized enormous quantity of work over quality, but Burr almost always did a good job and he really delivers in "The Case of the Red Riding Boots".

This whole episode is slightly a change of pace for the Mason series and features a different, highly absorbing ending. On a sad note, Tragg (portrayed by Ray Collins) is only seen sitting down in every scene and is obviously frail. He was very ill during the latter years of the series and died before "Perry Mason" ran its course.

I recommend this one-hour drama as a chance to view a rare example of quality television product.

No one telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 13 September 2018]

Unlike a lot of Perry Mason episodes this one has the identity of the perpetrator practically screaming at you. You so want it to be this individual that in the end you are so happy it is.

Raymond Burr's client in this story is Frank Maxwell who is ranch foreman for John Archer. Archer is getting married again to Shirley Ballard who is a no- account unapologetic gold digger. That's leaving former wife Linda Leighton and daughter Ellen Wilard most unhappy.

The trouble that Burr has is that no one including his client is being truthful with him or on the witness stand. All are trying to protect someone else.

The climax is not in the courtroom, but it is a highly dramtic ending and yes we're so happy at who is revealed to have done the deed.

"Is that all the story Joe?"

[gkimmarygleim · 9/10 · 22 January 2019]

Another episode without D.A. Hamilton Burger (William Talman). However there is a short scene in what appears to be Lt. Tragg's office between Tragg and Perry. Then Perry also questions one of the suspects (Joe Dixon) in the same office. I believe this is the first time we see this office. Perhaps the Producers would continue to use the Tragg office set if William Talman didn't return to the series. (Not a Spoiler: D.A. Burger does of course return to the series.) I gave this episode 9/10 because there are several good, unexpected plot twists.

Under the Bus

[darbski · 10/10 · 1 September 2017]

**SPOILERS** Okay, I'm giving it a 10 for now; I might change my mind during these thoughts. It's hard to like an episode when you basically hate everyone's guts. Take the defendant, Joe, for example. He was trying to defend his half brother Rennie, who was obviously a creepy scurve who deserved a phone call to the State Patrol over a manslaughter charge in another state. The defendant was so stupid that he would let a known killer throw him under the bus? If it were me, I'd think hard and fast about just WHO Rennie was. Then he continues to lie to his only lifeline (Perry).

Burt, the guy who was gonna marry Rita, is too selfish and stupid to check her out? Of course Joe, again could have said something, but was too stupid to do it. Personally, I've never liked this actor, he just always looks like a slick bully.

The ex wife of Burt who holds back on the truth, Ann, the daughter who knows what a manipulative dirtbag Rita is, can not get Burt to listen. Rita must be real good at something, don't you think? Ann, who will not tell what she knows, and is ready to jump to her death, and let Joe get the gas than tell what she knows. Frankly, right after she told the truth; THEN she shoulda jumped.

The writers who then have a happy ending with Joe helping Ann into the saddle as if nothing had happened. Like daddy wasn't a moron for not listening to his daughter and investigating Rita. And Joe wasn't guilty of anything; oh yeah?

Rennie, the contemptible crud who laughs at Joe's problems even after Joe got him the job, and was covering for him. And finally, again - Joe who had enough of the truth to help, and wouldn't speak up. An interesting point here is that Perry is an officer of the court, and by law, he must inform the D.A.s office that Joe had knowledge of a crime (Rennie; manslaughter), and didn't tell them. That's a felony, and Joe should have been charged in California and Tennessee; he should have paid for criminal stupidity, not rewarded for it. Push to shove, they have a case for accomplice to manslaughter, also. Perry had done his job and got the murder charge cleared, now, he had to do his duty to the court. Joe had involved Perry in it by not informing him, now, by law the tables are turned; Perry must be a witness for the prosecution. NO WAY there shoulda been any happy ending for him.

I'll stick with a 10, just because I like Della. Perry and Paul did good work, and Perry nailed the murderer. If you watch it, you'll notice one court bailiff totally figured out about Rennie, and the other did not. They can't all be smart, now, can they?

For a man who drinks so much you have a remarkable memory

[sol1218 · 6/10 · 18 October 2012]

***SPOILERS*** Mind twisting and utterly confusing Perry Mason episode about this gold digging and super hot looking woman, especially while wearing tight clothes, Rita Conover played by Shirley Ballard who's about to marry rich ranch-man Burt Farwell,John Archer, who's just plain nuts about her. It's Burt's teenage daughter Jill, Linda Leighton, who's on the verge of a nervous breakdown in her fathers upcoming marriage to Rita that's making things difficult for both of them. There's a number of side stories connected to this "Marriage of the Century" that resurface and lead to Rita's murder that have absolutely nothing to do with the person who seem to be the biggest victim of this whole wild and confusing mess young Jill Farwell!

With Rita's stabbed to death body found in the trunk of ranch hand's Joe Dixon's, Frank Maxwell, car he of course becomes the #1 suspect in her murder. But as Dixon's lawyer the great Perry Mason, Raymond Burr,later finds out there's a lot more to Dixon and the murdered woman then meets the eye! She, Rita Conover, was once married to the guy, Joe Dixon,who supposedly murdered her! In fact it was Rita's ex-husband Joe Dixon who not only got Rita a job at the ranch but had earlier introduced her to Burt! The guy she was going to marry!

The missing link, or nuts & screws, in all this is the constantly drunk and always having his hands on Rita's blouse and behind Rennie Foster played by Corey Allen. You know the guy who challenged James Dean in a chicken run in the movie "Rebel without a cause" and ended up losing it together with his life. As all the evidence comes out in court it becomes apparent that it was non other then Jill who had something to do with her future step-mothers, Rita Conover, murder!

***SPOILERS*** Really wild ending that has the court room emptied out as Jill goes crazy and attempts to kill herself by jumping out of a window. That's when Perry gets her to admit that both she and her mom Mrs. Ann Farwell,Elen Willard, were at the scene of Rita's murderer. While all this is happening the real murder of Rita Conover who was in the courtroom tries to make his escape in all the confusion only to be nabbed before he makes it to the front door of the courthouse!

Episode with a healthy different ending

[ingemar-4 · 18 November 2013]

I liked the ending of this one. Instead of the standard courtroom confessions, we got a drama with a suicide attempt and no confession from the killer at all (in view).

The story is as convoluted as most Perry Mason episodes, although it has a pretty obvious killer - unless you let the script side-track you, which it does its best to do. The viewer is slightly under-informed about things like traveling times, but nothing out of the order as far as I could tell. One of the better episodes of the season IMHO.

There was one detail that I found strange and somewhat out of line: The introduction of Rennie shows that he has some kind of intimate relationship, or at least trying to get it, with Rita. That is never followed up. Maybe that was just showing how irresponsible Rennie was? I guess so.

Overly Dramatic

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 13 January 2022]

Another bad acting performance by a young actress. This whole episode is filled with teenage angst and irrational actions. The plot is decent when everything plays out, but getting there is pretty confusing. How many of these episodes involve a guy marrying a rather despicable woman and another family member resenting it?