Perry Mason (TV Series) The Case of the Watery Witness (1959) User Reviews

An aging actress is killed for money but by whom?

[kfo9494 · 8/10 · 24 May 2013]

This episode must have been reduced from a book since the title of the episode had nothing to do with the actual situation in the show. Perhaps, due to time restraints, portions were cut that would have revealed a more close relation to a 'watery witness' but had to be cut for TV sake as there was reference to a boat ride.

However, in this show we are treated to the gorgeous Fay Way playing Lorna Thomas, a movie star that has seen better days. She is set to begin a new movie produced by an old friend named Tony Raeburn. But just when things look like they are looking up, Ms Thomas gets a visit by a woman named Betty Clark advising that she is her daughter that was abandon years ago. Ms Thomas throws her out of the house right in front of her personal maid Harriet Snow.

Later Harriet goes to check on Ms Thomas only to find her dead. And with help from fingerprints it reveals that Betty Clark's husband, George, was in the house and also has jewelry in his car that belongs to Ms Thomas. Perry will be called in to swim against the current as he tries to find the true murderer.

This episode was a classic who-done-it as we get a show full of characters that had some motive for the killing. It will be near the end that Perry finds out that one witnesses made a slip-up in testimony. When he asks the reporter to read back part of the mornings testimony- the true person is exposed. And we get those three words, "I killed her", to end the show with satisfaction. Good watch

Some Entitlements

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 10 September 2013]

Perry Mason's client in this episode is John Bryant who as usual has come to Raymond Burr on an entirely different manner. Does his wife Dusty Enders have some entitlements to the estate of Fay Wray who is an old film star who lives quite regally from the savings earned from her salad days back in the Thirties.

Enders may or may not be a daughter that Wray gave up for adoption back in the day when such things were done to keep the Breen office off one's back. But the issue comes to a head when someone murders Wray and Bryant becomes the chief suspect.

We get a delightful list of suspects which include a slimy private detective who someone like William Hopper wouldn't hire, Douglas Dick. There's also Kathryn Card, Wray's cynical housekeeper, her thieving business manager Malcolm Atterbury, and her old producer Lester Vail.

Highlighting this episode is a fence played by Ned Glass who knows jewelry like Clausewitz knew war. People he's not so good with, but his expertise proves invaluable as Hopper dredges him as a consultant of sorts.

There's That '59 Edsel Again

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 4 January 2022]

An over-the-hill actress, played by Fay Wray, an over-the-hill actress, is supposedly quite rich. Like Norm Desmond, she seems to have quite a following. When a young woman claims to be the daughter she gave up years before, things get dicey. It doesn't take Tragg long to arrest the wrong person. Decent episode.

Just Desserts

[darbski · 10/10 · 14 July 2017]

**SPOILERS** Finally, the coolest Ford of that era shows up in this episode. I'm talking about the sweet 1957 T-Bird that the lying, sneaking, stinking, rotten, scurve had conned Lorna Thomas into letting him use. Mr. Scurve, of course, is another of of group of private investigators who are ruined by their own greed. At this point, he hasn't quite reached the tipping point; he's just about at the precipice.

Totally UN-cool is movie star has-been Lorna Thomas. Mean, manipulative, insulting, sadistic, imperious, pompous, and so blind to reality that almost everyone hates her. Except her one friend, Dennis Briggs, who has spent the last years protecting her from herself; he's the masochist she needs in her life.

Enter George and Betty Clark, innocent, unwitting, and unknowing of Ms. Thomas' rotten nature; they're caught in her whirlpool of self destruction. I mean, when your own housekeeper hates your guts, it might be time for some self-evaluation. Not to be; she's quite properly put on a morgue slab, and so Perry takes the side of George Clark.

Perry and Paul get quickly to the core of the case, expose everyone for who and what they are, the scheming private eye, Bushmiller, is trapped into admitting he framed George, and right there, Perry's client is off the hook. See, with that many potential enemies, and the one piece of solid evidence useless, an alternate motive and theory of the crime follows in progression. Perry doesn't let up. The killer has set the stage for the end, by themself, and it is a sad thing to witness.

Now, I've said this in previous reviews, that Perry is a genius in and out of the courtroom, and he traps the killer with cold logic. Della is beautiful, of course, Paul does an outstanding job of locating a crucial witness, Malcolm Atterbury does a fantastic job of portraying a victim of co-dependence. He's another of the terrific talent that shows like Perry Mason depended on so often. R.I.P., Mr. Atterbury, and thanks to S.A.G. for such depth of talent and professionalism. Fay Wray's beauty in this episode is overshadowed by Barbara Hale, but she is still very good looking, and she plays her part perfectly. The romantic end shot of the happily married couple in a rowboat is just gooey drivel.

I could have picked anytime I wanted too.

[iain-stleon · 10/10 · 25 August 2014]

This is an intriguing story line which includes an ex-movie star who is self-absorbed and cruel too many people. Initially you will assume that she is a damsel in distress but once you see her up close you will see that this is just to throw you off the scent of the true plot.

The story opens from the initial scenes to a plot of blackmail from a private investigator who has found the child given away 24 years earlier, throw in a mix of heated exchanges between a producer, the lost child and the house keeper and the story begin to take shape. However it is the husband of the lost child who is accused of murder and who Perry will defend.

This is an excellent performance with many twists and turns to keep you guessing to the end who was the actual murderer with so many options. The storyline is easy to follow and gives you just enough that you have to keep watching to find out who done it… There are several scenes that are important but none compare with the watery witness, this is the key to the whole story as it breaks down the inconsistencies with one witness, and allows for Perry to realise who the actual killer is.

I was also impressed that the director and writers included some humour when the house keeper is on the stands and you see Hamilton Burger have a slight chuckle to himself, this serve of levity humanised him and made him likable which is a rarity.

Overall this is one of my favourite episodes and as such it scores very highly with a strong 9.5/10, but that rating is not available above I have marked it 10/10, it just didn't seem fair to mark it down.

Do you know how to tell when someone is dead?

[sol1218 · 6/10 · 29 May 2013]

****SPOILERS**** Water under the bridge Perry Mason, Raymond Burr, episode that has to do with past major leading Hollywood actress, who once played King Kong's girlfriend, Lorna Thomas, Fay Wray. It's Lorna who unexpectedly finds out that the daughter Betty Clark, Dusty Enders,she had out of wedlock, with at that time Hollywood's leading Lartin/Irish lover Rafael O'Connoll, that she gave up for adoption some 25 years ago, on February the 17th 1935 to be exact, has now come home to meet her long lost momma. This coupled with Lorna's finances, which have since gone straight down the toilet, brings the worst out of her. It all started when out of town private dick Fred Bushmiller played by Douglas Dick showed up at her mansion attempting to get a job, through blackmail, from her as her butler and personal chauffeur.

It's after Lorna unceremoniously kicked Betty out of her home when she came to see her that Betty's outraged husband George, John Bryant, went to see attorney Perry Mason. George tries to find out what he and his wife Betty can legally do to include her in Lorna's will in order to get a piece of the action, or money, which in fact turned out to be, in regard to her past financial misadventures, absolutely zilch! At the same time Lorna's former financial adviser and good friend Tony Raeburn, Lester Vail, looking to jump start both her and his career got her a part in a new film that he went deeply into debt for. With Lorna's nasty attitude to everyone associated with her it's no surprise that she's later found strangled in her mansion with all her jewelry missing. And the lucky or unlucky person arrested in her murder turned out to be Betty's husband George. George was not only at the scene of the crime when it approximately, at 10:15PM, happened but a piece of Lorna's jewelry was later found hidden under the seat of his car.

****SPOILERS**** At George Clark's trial it's revealed that Lorna was flat broke at the time of her murder. It was the mistake on her killers part that he thought that she was still swimming in money that, in finding out that she isn't, had him both lose it and murder her. Also during Geroge's trail it's revealed by private dick Fred Bushmiller that he had in fact planted the incriminating piece of jewelry in Geogre's car! But for some strange reason Perry or the judge didn't declare a mistrial and have the by then obviously innocent Geroge Clark released from custody?

Down to the Nitty-Gritty of the case Perry soon uncovers who in fact did murder Lorna by having the trial transcript read back when he slipped up in his testimony. It was a case of revenge in how Lorna mistreated her killer and left him hanging when he needed her most! Freely admitting that he killed Lorna and knowing that he now faces life behind bars or a trip to the San Quentin gas chamber in was far better the what he was facing, poverty & starvation, if he had gotten away with his crime!

Yes i killed her ... said the owl to the frog

[mloessel · 7/10 · 10 December 2021]

This latest episode is a fine example of how Perry Mason (aka Raymond Burr) causes a witness or someone in the gallery to tell the truth and spare the jury the bothersome task of deliberation. Seasoned viewers know that in a Perry Mason court room there is no need for a pesky jury. In the last scene of this or any episode (Perry Mason ran for 9 seasons) the bad person is revealed and all is well with the world.