Review - The Ugly Frame Great storyline, filled with familiar and not so familiar cast members all doing a remarkable job in their roles. The intrigue is less as we see the bad guys in action, film noir effects are the burial scene, the waterfront scenes, the outside shots of Mother's, the sleazy killer and punk desk clerk, the new short hairdo on Edie, the different sets used along with the usual. Mother's hasn't been filmed multiple times for several episodes. Check the two women at Quoit's table in Mother's, the taller woman with the speaking part is special. Definitely worth a look for the interplay with Billy Barty, Sandy Kenyon, Jacoby and the new hairdo on Edie. I liked the night settings altogether with the fog at the gravesite, the fog at the waterfront, creepy hotel apartment, plenty of outside shots of Mother's as well as inside. There is no such thing as a pretty frame, it all goes bad sooner or later, with the good guys prevailing.
4 Reviews
Mob Set Up
gordonl564 September 2013
Warning: Spoilers
PETER GUNN – The Ugly Frame – 1959
Police Lt Herschel Bernardi is involved in a feud with the new mobster in town. The mobster, Lewis Charles, is not happy with being tossed out of town and wants some payback. He has one of his men, Jimmy Murphy, shoot and rob the owner of a diner, where Bernardi has been going for years.
The victim holds on long enough to give the police a description. An all points is sent out for the killer. P.I. Peter Gunn (Craig Stevens) offers to help. He puts out the word to all his snitches. His main man, pool shark Billy Barty gets hold of Stevens. He has a lead on where Murphy is holed up.
Stevens thanks Barty and gives Bernardi the location. Bernardi hot foots it to a flea bag hotel to check on the tip. When he enters Murphy's room, Bernardi does indeed find his man. Slight problem though, Murphy has a large bullet hole in his forehead. The hotel clerk, Shepard Sanders now shows and asks why Bernardi shot the man.
The dead body and the hotel clerk was of course part of mobster Lewis' plan to get rid of Bernardi. The Police suspend Bernardi and take away his gun and badge.
Having given his friend, Bernardi, the tip that got him in trouble, Stevens revisits snitch Barty. Barty fills Stevens in on his source, a low level hood who is in Lewis' employ, Sandy Kenyon. Stevens pays the man a less than friendly visit which soon has him singing like a canary.
Stevens has Barty call Lewis and tell him that Kenyon in getting ready to talk to the Police. Lewis sends a gunman, John Hudkins to deal with the matter. Stevens also puts the grip on Hudkins when he shows to kill Kenyon. He is likewise soon singing like a songbird to the Police. Bernardi gets back his gun and badge and is all smiles as he slaps the cuffs on mobster Lewis. (b/w)
Police Lt Herschel Bernardi is involved in a feud with the new mobster in town. The mobster, Lewis Charles, is not happy with being tossed out of town and wants some payback. He has one of his men, Jimmy Murphy, shoot and rob the owner of a diner, where Bernardi has been going for years.
The victim holds on long enough to give the police a description. An all points is sent out for the killer. P.I. Peter Gunn (Craig Stevens) offers to help. He puts out the word to all his snitches. His main man, pool shark Billy Barty gets hold of Stevens. He has a lead on where Murphy is holed up.
Stevens thanks Barty and gives Bernardi the location. Bernardi hot foots it to a flea bag hotel to check on the tip. When he enters Murphy's room, Bernardi does indeed find his man. Slight problem though, Murphy has a large bullet hole in his forehead. The hotel clerk, Shepard Sanders now shows and asks why Bernardi shot the man.
The dead body and the hotel clerk was of course part of mobster Lewis' plan to get rid of Bernardi. The Police suspend Bernardi and take away his gun and badge.
Having given his friend, Bernardi, the tip that got him in trouble, Stevens revisits snitch Barty. Barty fills Stevens in on his source, a low level hood who is in Lewis' employ, Sandy Kenyon. Stevens pays the man a less than friendly visit which soon has him singing like a canary.
Stevens has Barty call Lewis and tell him that Kenyon in getting ready to talk to the Police. Lewis sends a gunman, John Hudkins to deal with the matter. Stevens also puts the grip on Hudkins when he shows to kill Kenyon. He is likewise soon singing like a songbird to the Police. Bernardi gets back his gun and badge and is all smiles as he slaps the cuffs on mobster Lewis. (b/w)
Billy's Done
darbski27 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
**SPOILERS** I'm only giving this one an 8 because of the sex appeal. Lola, and the two blondes. Of course, mothers asks if they know how to wash dishes to cover the check that the cheap hood stuck them with. All they had to say was "if your friend wants ANY testimony from us, he'll pick up the tab". As a mater of fact, Pete should have done that. And then, got them both a little tipsy; a baby step away from these sweet babes spilling all sorts of good stuff on Quoit (sounds like a sound effect in MAD Magazine).
No tears for Blaine, the cheap punk that hit the owner of the small Diner - Greasy Spoon who was killed to hang a frame on Pete's cop buddy; dirty is as dirty does. One other small thing Babby (Billy Barty), the shorty who hustles pool and narcs off dirt on punks? Je's done, and he better find a new place to hang his hat. He as much as took out a billboard telling everyone that he's a snitch. Wonder if the writers and producers thought of that?
No tears for Blaine, the cheap punk that hit the owner of the small Diner - Greasy Spoon who was killed to hang a frame on Pete's cop buddy; dirty is as dirty does. One other small thing Babby (Billy Barty), the shorty who hustles pool and narcs off dirt on punks? Je's done, and he better find a new place to hang his hat. He as much as took out a billboard telling everyone that he's a snitch. Wonder if the writers and producers thought of that?
Okay Episode
dougdoepke24 October 2017
Okay episode, nothing special. Seems gangster Quoit wants to move into Lt. Jacoby's jurisdiction but needs to get rid of the knowledgeable cop first. So he arranges a frame up for a murder that draws Pete into the case.
More time than usual is spent at Mother's, where Edie gets to do a number along with the trademark cool jazz. Then too Billy Barty gets to provide his diminutive brand of color, (so how good a pool shark is he). Plus, there's the usual shadowy exteriors that lend compelling atmosphere. Also, I like the way the shooting of the shopkeeper gets a twist. But why oh why, does Pete keep preferring to gumshoe over staying with the cuddlesome Edie-- I guess some cosmic mysteries can't be solved. Speaking of well-turned ankles, catch the blonde bimbos sharing drinks with Quoit. One could pass as Jane Mansfield's stand-in. Frankly, the usual fisticuffs come across to me as a weak spot in the series as a whole. Too often they're obviously thrown in for action's sake as happens here. All in all, it's just an okay episode in an outstanding series.
More time than usual is spent at Mother's, where Edie gets to do a number along with the trademark cool jazz. Then too Billy Barty gets to provide his diminutive brand of color, (so how good a pool shark is he). Plus, there's the usual shadowy exteriors that lend compelling atmosphere. Also, I like the way the shooting of the shopkeeper gets a twist. But why oh why, does Pete keep preferring to gumshoe over staying with the cuddlesome Edie-- I guess some cosmic mysteries can't be solved. Speaking of well-turned ankles, catch the blonde bimbos sharing drinks with Quoit. One could pass as Jane Mansfield's stand-in. Frankly, the usual fisticuffs come across to me as a weak spot in the series as a whole. Too often they're obviously thrown in for action's sake as happens here. All in all, it's just an okay episode in an outstanding series.
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