"The Case of the Black-Eyed Blonde" is one of the darkest of the Perry Mason series. I also think it's one of the best, even though it's complicated. Ultimately, it doesn't matter much that there are so many red herrings. The reason for the murder is one of the most disturbing in any "Perry Mason," and I think a viewer will remember the ending, in which one of the least likely suspects proves to be guilty. The guest stars are among the best in any episode, especially Jan Merlin, R.G. Armstrong, and the bevy of blonde females, such as Irene Hervey, Phyllis Coates and Whitney Blake. I also like the freckled-face young boy who is important to the plot.
11 Reviews
Initially this seems like much ado about nothing...
AlsExGal27 December 2022
... in that Diana Reynolds' roommate wants her out of their apartment to the point that roommate Marian Shaw threatens her with a gun! At first it looks like it is just jealousy on the part of Marian concerning her boyfriend Tony's attention to Diana, who wants no part of the guy. But it also seems to involve the fact that Tony's wealthy stepfather has recently discovered the existence of a young grandson who is the product of his late son's marriage to a woman of whom he did not approve. When Diana is beaten up by Tony in order to get her out of the apartment, she goes to Perry Mason for help with the entire situation. The next day Marian Shaw is found murdered, and Diana claims that she was lured to the murder scene by an anonymous phone call saying that Marian had stolen her car. Diana is promptly arrested for the murder of Marian Shaw.
I am going back and watching this season one episode after getting well into season three. Unlike episodes in later seasons, there are fewer moving parts, but at the end it completely makes sense WHY the murderer did decide to kill. This was not always the case in the episodes in later seasons. This episode shows some good insight by Perry but also a few obvious clues that Tragg and Burger should have picked up on.
I am going back and watching this season one episode after getting well into season three. Unlike episodes in later seasons, there are fewer moving parts, but at the end it completely makes sense WHY the murderer did decide to kill. This was not always the case in the episodes in later seasons. This episode shows some good insight by Perry but also a few obvious clues that Tragg and Burger should have picked up on.
Dueling Women
Hitchcoc12 December 2021
This episode is well constructed and there are enough red herrings for a fish fry. Once again, Perry must wade through lies and duplicity, even from his own client. Often those for whom we have the most respect slowly degenerate as the trials proceed. There is another of those slimy males with the sneer that makes us dislike him immediately. He is a brutalizer as well.
"You Only Outweighed Her By 60 lbs.!"
pattersonros23 March 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I think this is one of the top ten episodes of the first season: the millionaire is a good guy, the killer does the right thing at the end, and the guy who gave the blonde the black eye even goes to jail (albeit, for perjury).
To me, Marian, the murder victim, seemed a little unhinged--pulls a gun on her roommate because her fiancée' says the roomie has been making passes? The murderer was cool, calculated, and not at all obvious; the actress gave a great performance.
It's a good feeling to know that Bobby ("he's a doll") would get a home and all the love he would ever need (from the roomie and the millionaire). Ahhhh....fate.
To me, Marian, the murder victim, seemed a little unhinged--pulls a gun on her roommate because her fiancée' says the roomie has been making passes? The murderer was cool, calculated, and not at all obvious; the actress gave a great performance.
It's a good feeling to know that Bobby ("he's a doll") would get a home and all the love he would ever need (from the roomie and the millionaire). Ahhhh....fate.
Top Rat
darbski30 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
**SPOILERS** I really liked this episode for a couple of reasons, maybe more. One, the defendant didn't whine about a black eye, but was baffled by her friend turning on her (and then getting killed).
Two, a really great actor (Jan Merlin) who played on of the best rats on the series, under the direction of his equally rotten mother. Merlin plays this part to scurvebomb perfection; I'd love to hear anyone find something good about him.
Three, R.G.Armstrong (himself a character and supporting actor of many very fine performances) actually says what I've referred to before: a person can be really good in business and really bad (meaning dumb), about life. This is usually true about Perry's clients, and I was kinda surprised that it didn't turn out to be him. He actually proves his own point by trying to BUY his own grandson.
Four, Tragg, the wreck, dying declaration, and the fact that they let Perry help trap the defendant. I think that the killer didn't look quite bad enough to be dying, and sounded too healthy; the stenographer should have had to be really close to her to hear what she was saying, and actually taking notes, not just watching her croak.
A question would be why run? Why kill? The mother had said in her diary that she turned over her son to the defendant. He actually WAS Norma's son, legally speaking. After that, she could have made almost any deal and walked away with the loot that Gramps had offered, couldn't she? What I mean is this: she (dirtbag that married Gramps' son) was actually selling her rights to the raising of Bobby, right? Gramps had already stated that he'd had investigators on the case; did she actually SAY that she was Bobby's birth mother? Why not just take the deal, and let the chips fall where they may? All the hoo-ha about a mother who has willingly walked out of her own child's life wouldn't have mattered if she was as smart as she was supposed to be. The timing was just too convenient.
It's not good enough to suppose that Tony and Creepy mother would be cultivating the birth mother, is it? How would they know what Gramps' detectives hadn't been able to find out? See what I mean? How could they have known about the real mother if professional detectives didn't find anything out?
Diana Reynolds (the defendant) had a pretty cool car, a late 1940's Olds; what we used to call a $50 fun car. I believe she'd have a hard time starting it. Of course, the dead girl didn't. One other thing: why was there a curtain on the back of the jeep? The ending was poetic justice for everyone, but in reality, Gramps' creepy wife and her slithering son would probably have found out about the mother, the kid, the killer and all; and then wrecked Gramps' dream anyway. I've said it before, most of the time murders don't produce happy endings.
Two, a really great actor (Jan Merlin) who played on of the best rats on the series, under the direction of his equally rotten mother. Merlin plays this part to scurvebomb perfection; I'd love to hear anyone find something good about him.
Three, R.G.Armstrong (himself a character and supporting actor of many very fine performances) actually says what I've referred to before: a person can be really good in business and really bad (meaning dumb), about life. This is usually true about Perry's clients, and I was kinda surprised that it didn't turn out to be him. He actually proves his own point by trying to BUY his own grandson.
Four, Tragg, the wreck, dying declaration, and the fact that they let Perry help trap the defendant. I think that the killer didn't look quite bad enough to be dying, and sounded too healthy; the stenographer should have had to be really close to her to hear what she was saying, and actually taking notes, not just watching her croak.
A question would be why run? Why kill? The mother had said in her diary that she turned over her son to the defendant. He actually WAS Norma's son, legally speaking. After that, she could have made almost any deal and walked away with the loot that Gramps had offered, couldn't she? What I mean is this: she (dirtbag that married Gramps' son) was actually selling her rights to the raising of Bobby, right? Gramps had already stated that he'd had investigators on the case; did she actually SAY that she was Bobby's birth mother? Why not just take the deal, and let the chips fall where they may? All the hoo-ha about a mother who has willingly walked out of her own child's life wouldn't have mattered if she was as smart as she was supposed to be. The timing was just too convenient.
It's not good enough to suppose that Tony and Creepy mother would be cultivating the birth mother, is it? How would they know what Gramps' detectives hadn't been able to find out? See what I mean? How could they have known about the real mother if professional detectives didn't find anything out?
Diana Reynolds (the defendant) had a pretty cool car, a late 1940's Olds; what we used to call a $50 fun car. I believe she'd have a hard time starting it. Of course, the dead girl didn't. One other thing: why was there a curtain on the back of the jeep? The ending was poetic justice for everyone, but in reality, Gramps' creepy wife and her slithering son would probably have found out about the mother, the kid, the killer and all; and then wrecked Gramps' dream anyway. I've said it before, most of the time murders don't produce happy endings.
The Case of the Black-Eyed Blonde
Prismark1029 April 2021
The episode concerns too many blondes which can cause confusion.
Diana Reynolds goes to see Perry Mason with a black eye after an altercation she had with her boss's stepson.
Later Diana is charged for murdering her roommate. She earlier had a ruckus with her that involved a gun.
The roommate knew her boss's estranged daughter in law and grandson.
The boss Matthew Bartlett wants to take care of his grandson. He had a big falling out some years ago with his son after he married someone Matthew did not approve of. The son later died.
Underneath it all is a very clever and devious plan. A long con that was in danger of being disrupted. Hence the murder.
Diana Reynolds goes to see Perry Mason with a black eye after an altercation she had with her boss's stepson.
Later Diana is charged for murdering her roommate. She earlier had a ruckus with her that involved a gun.
The roommate knew her boss's estranged daughter in law and grandson.
The boss Matthew Bartlett wants to take care of his grandson. He had a big falling out some years ago with his son after he married someone Matthew did not approve of. The son later died.
Underneath it all is a very clever and devious plan. A long con that was in danger of being disrupted. Hence the murder.
A complicated character set
ebertip18 November 2020
Perry and Della are about to close up shop for the night when Della announces the arrival of a potential client. Della tries to entice an uninterested Perry: she's a blonde (no dice); she's not fully clothed (no dice); she has a black-eye (bring her in). In what may pass for a 1958 product placement ad, Perry tells Della to get the camera (a Polaroid Land one minute developer) and the black eye is documented. Mason shows were trendy in the use of infrared cameras, and in 1958 this Polaroid model was being pushed by such personages as Steve Allen, Perry Como, and Don Ameche. As to the plot, this black-eyed blonde is charged with murdering her blonde roommate and Perry defends. Tied in is a rich man (played by B.G. Armstrong) and his daughter-in-law (played by Superman's Phyllis Coates) and her son.
The motive is to get Armstrong's money but not quite the way you think.
A Search for Motive
biorngm14 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This was an above-average episode even with an often-confusing script, i.e. too many blonds not necessarily germane to the plot. The viewer could use a scorecard because of minor characters appearing to dilute the storyline. Performances by the regulars plus Phyllis Coates, portraying the murderer brings the production up over the norm as does Whitney Blake, accused of killing character Marian Shaw.
At the onset there is a confrontation between apartment roommates Marian Shaw and Diana Reynolds with Marian demanding Diana leave the apartment now; Marian threatens Diana with a revolver which Diana seizes and accidently fires it into a wall. The building manager hears the shot, enters and is told it was an accident. The confrontation was from the belief Tony Davis tried to court both ladies. It will be brought out later Tony is a jerk, a liar, regarded by his step-father as not much of a stand-up citizen.
Diana cabs over to her employer, enters the mansion of her employer, Matthew Bartlett, where she is his secretary. Diana is summoned to attend to the gardener's questions while Tony Davis opens a locked desk drawer and reads a letter addressed to his stepfather. The note states his grandson is being cared for by his unfit mother; the mother is his daughter-in-law, and the child is named Bobby. Tony shows the letter to his mother, Helen Bartlett, assuring Tony she will handle matters. The Bartlett's confront Diana in her room at the house, Helen accuses her of stealing, firing her, and when she refuses to exit, Tony strikes her face resulting in a blackeye. This confrontation was likely prompted as a reaction to the prior conflict between Marian and Diana. Tony is allegedly engaged to Marian.
Norma Carter states Marian Shaw was an old friend of hers, responding to Lt. Tragg's questions after Marian's body was found near Diana's car on the Carter property with Diana's gun lying nearby. Mr. Bartlett later said he gave her the gun while she worked at his house, commuting between the apartment and his home. Carter was married to Bartlett's estranged son Robert, who died in a plane crash, raising son Bobby. Matthew Bartlett also had no communication with his daughter-in-law.
The secretarial job was first offered to Marian, who turned it down. Marian recommended Diana for the position. When Marian went for the job-interview, she first met Tony. Diana told Mr. Bartlett she had no secretarial experience; he hired her anyway. Diana said he was always asking questions about Bobby, which made no sense; Diana did not know Bobby first hand. Being Marian's roommate allowed Diana to be familiar with Bobby. Norma Carter would drop Bobby off to spend the day with Marian. Diana tells Mason that Norma did this at least a half-dozen times. She goes on to inform Mason that Marian said she wrote about Bobby on a regular basis in her diary.
Mason learns of the diary, after he informs Diana, she was hired in order for Matthew to pump her for information about his grandson. Diana said Marian hid the diary under the typewriter case at the apartment. Paul Drake looks for the diary while Della was getting an outfit for Diana to wear in court; the diary was missing from under the typewriter.
Court adjourns for the day. Matthew Bartlett pleads with Norma Carter to accept a check in payment for custody of his grandchild. The check is for $100,000; Norma takes the check from Bartlett, willing to turnover Bobby to him.
Paul Drake informs Mason about the diary now in Hamilton Burger's possession and Bobby will be turned over to his grandfather; Norma is giving him up.
The judge grants Perry permission to look at the entire diary, but not have it leave the courthouse, then adjourns for lunch. Perry and Della pay Norma Carter a visit. Diary entries quoted to Norma reveal Marian giving birth to a boy four years ago in Mexico City; Marian was unmarried, giving up her child to Norma and her husband Robert, father unknown. Norma and Robert accepted the child, raising Bobby as their own. Norma retorts to Perry, why would she agree to that? Mason responds it was her plan to exhort money from Bartlett all along, and she killed Marian Shaw when learning she was in Los Angeles; the custody plan would be contested by Marian.
Mason continues asserting to Norma she wrote the note about her own unfitness after previously calling him on the same subject. This was simply part of her plan for the extortion and handoff. Norma gets into her car while Tragg awaits nearby to nab her. Unfortunately, the car accidently hits a bus preventing Tragg his arrest. A deathbed confession however, explains the truth. Hamilton asks Norma if she has anything to tell them, whereby she says Mr. Mason was right, she killed Marian Shaw. Hamilton acknowledges the dying declaration, requesting Tragg pick up Tony Davis, intent on charging him with perjury.
The diary entries prompted Mason to have Tragg wait nearby when questioning Norma Carter at her home. The closing scene with Bartlett and Bobby shows Perry with Della withholding the truth about Bobby's birth mother, and learning Diana Reynolds will be asked to help raise Bobby.
Helen Bartlett explains her sole reason for marrying Matthew Bartlett was to secure the financial future for son Tony Davis. Matthew Bartlett mentions to Perry how personal decisions blessed him with people like Tony; the thought of having his grandchild with him would bring his life happiness. Helen and Tony were cruel to Diana, likely in support of Marian because of Tony and her. Matthew Bartlett tells Mason how he was not surprised at Tony after he saw the Polaroid of Diana. With all of the previous interacting events, there was no motive among these characters to kill Marian Shaw. The extortion plan coupled with the four-year old diary entries led Perry directly to Norma Carter.
At the onset there is a confrontation between apartment roommates Marian Shaw and Diana Reynolds with Marian demanding Diana leave the apartment now; Marian threatens Diana with a revolver which Diana seizes and accidently fires it into a wall. The building manager hears the shot, enters and is told it was an accident. The confrontation was from the belief Tony Davis tried to court both ladies. It will be brought out later Tony is a jerk, a liar, regarded by his step-father as not much of a stand-up citizen.
Diana cabs over to her employer, enters the mansion of her employer, Matthew Bartlett, where she is his secretary. Diana is summoned to attend to the gardener's questions while Tony Davis opens a locked desk drawer and reads a letter addressed to his stepfather. The note states his grandson is being cared for by his unfit mother; the mother is his daughter-in-law, and the child is named Bobby. Tony shows the letter to his mother, Helen Bartlett, assuring Tony she will handle matters. The Bartlett's confront Diana in her room at the house, Helen accuses her of stealing, firing her, and when she refuses to exit, Tony strikes her face resulting in a blackeye. This confrontation was likely prompted as a reaction to the prior conflict between Marian and Diana. Tony is allegedly engaged to Marian.
Norma Carter states Marian Shaw was an old friend of hers, responding to Lt. Tragg's questions after Marian's body was found near Diana's car on the Carter property with Diana's gun lying nearby. Mr. Bartlett later said he gave her the gun while she worked at his house, commuting between the apartment and his home. Carter was married to Bartlett's estranged son Robert, who died in a plane crash, raising son Bobby. Matthew Bartlett also had no communication with his daughter-in-law.
The secretarial job was first offered to Marian, who turned it down. Marian recommended Diana for the position. When Marian went for the job-interview, she first met Tony. Diana told Mr. Bartlett she had no secretarial experience; he hired her anyway. Diana said he was always asking questions about Bobby, which made no sense; Diana did not know Bobby first hand. Being Marian's roommate allowed Diana to be familiar with Bobby. Norma Carter would drop Bobby off to spend the day with Marian. Diana tells Mason that Norma did this at least a half-dozen times. She goes on to inform Mason that Marian said she wrote about Bobby on a regular basis in her diary.
Mason learns of the diary, after he informs Diana, she was hired in order for Matthew to pump her for information about his grandson. Diana said Marian hid the diary under the typewriter case at the apartment. Paul Drake looks for the diary while Della was getting an outfit for Diana to wear in court; the diary was missing from under the typewriter.
Court adjourns for the day. Matthew Bartlett pleads with Norma Carter to accept a check in payment for custody of his grandchild. The check is for $100,000; Norma takes the check from Bartlett, willing to turnover Bobby to him.
Paul Drake informs Mason about the diary now in Hamilton Burger's possession and Bobby will be turned over to his grandfather; Norma is giving him up.
The judge grants Perry permission to look at the entire diary, but not have it leave the courthouse, then adjourns for lunch. Perry and Della pay Norma Carter a visit. Diary entries quoted to Norma reveal Marian giving birth to a boy four years ago in Mexico City; Marian was unmarried, giving up her child to Norma and her husband Robert, father unknown. Norma and Robert accepted the child, raising Bobby as their own. Norma retorts to Perry, why would she agree to that? Mason responds it was her plan to exhort money from Bartlett all along, and she killed Marian Shaw when learning she was in Los Angeles; the custody plan would be contested by Marian.
Mason continues asserting to Norma she wrote the note about her own unfitness after previously calling him on the same subject. This was simply part of her plan for the extortion and handoff. Norma gets into her car while Tragg awaits nearby to nab her. Unfortunately, the car accidently hits a bus preventing Tragg his arrest. A deathbed confession however, explains the truth. Hamilton asks Norma if she has anything to tell them, whereby she says Mr. Mason was right, she killed Marian Shaw. Hamilton acknowledges the dying declaration, requesting Tragg pick up Tony Davis, intent on charging him with perjury.
The diary entries prompted Mason to have Tragg wait nearby when questioning Norma Carter at her home. The closing scene with Bartlett and Bobby shows Perry with Della withholding the truth about Bobby's birth mother, and learning Diana Reynolds will be asked to help raise Bobby.
Helen Bartlett explains her sole reason for marrying Matthew Bartlett was to secure the financial future for son Tony Davis. Matthew Bartlett mentions to Perry how personal decisions blessed him with people like Tony; the thought of having his grandchild with him would bring his life happiness. Helen and Tony were cruel to Diana, likely in support of Marian because of Tony and her. Matthew Bartlett tells Mason how he was not surprised at Tony after he saw the Polaroid of Diana. With all of the previous interacting events, there was no motive among these characters to kill Marian Shaw. The extortion plan coupled with the four-year old diary entries led Perry directly to Norma Carter.
I found this episode rather complex
kfo949411 October 2011
I guess it may be me- but when a kid is involved in a mystery it kind of gets me down. And in this episode we have a seven year old being used like a tissue in a men's restroom.
We have three women- Mariam Shaw (Rachel Ames), Diana Reynolds( Whitney Blake) and Norma Carter (Phyllis Coats) all caught up in this tale of lies and mystery.
When one of the three ends up dead all the finger point to one that is the obvious person that had the motive and means to commit murder. The only problem is that two of the three end up dead at the end of the show.
Along the way we have some good acting by Lt Tragg and Hamilton Burger. Plus we see a nice exchange between Della and Paul that could have people talking for weeks. So this episode has many interesting scenes that must be seen by and Mason fan.
This episode has so many blonds that it is difficult to keep up with who-is-who. I lost track a few times cause all the women looked similar and delivered lines in the same manner. If felt like I need a guide to keep up with who was talking during a certain scene of the show.
With that said the story ends in a loving way not often seen on "Perry Mason". This makes it a good watch for the viewer. The only difficult part was trying to keep up with who actually said the next line. Thus, making it more complex than should have been.
We have three women- Mariam Shaw (Rachel Ames), Diana Reynolds( Whitney Blake) and Norma Carter (Phyllis Coats) all caught up in this tale of lies and mystery.
When one of the three ends up dead all the finger point to one that is the obvious person that had the motive and means to commit murder. The only problem is that two of the three end up dead at the end of the show.
Along the way we have some good acting by Lt Tragg and Hamilton Burger. Plus we see a nice exchange between Della and Paul that could have people talking for weeks. So this episode has many interesting scenes that must be seen by and Mason fan.
This episode has so many blonds that it is difficult to keep up with who-is-who. I lost track a few times cause all the women looked similar and delivered lines in the same manner. If felt like I need a guide to keep up with who was talking during a certain scene of the show.
With that said the story ends in a loving way not often seen on "Perry Mason". This makes it a good watch for the viewer. The only difficult part was trying to keep up with who actually said the next line. Thus, making it more complex than should have been.
Deathbed confession
bkoganbing4 August 2014
An inordinately complex plot masks a fade out from the real perpetrator that I have never seen before in a Perry Mason story.
Whitney Blake is the Perry Mason client in this episode. As per the title a pretty blond woman comes to his office late at night sporting a black eye. She had a big fight with her roommate and her boyfriend who gave her said black eye.
I'm not quite sure how everybody seemed to everyone here without there necessarily a reason for same. It all involves Blake's employer R.G. Armstrong and the death of his son who married and fathered a five year old boy.
But the perpetrator tries to get away with it with no avail and end up making a deathbed confession. And of course it wasn't Whitney Blake who did the foul deed either time.
Whitney Blake is the Perry Mason client in this episode. As per the title a pretty blond woman comes to his office late at night sporting a black eye. She had a big fight with her roommate and her boyfriend who gave her said black eye.
I'm not quite sure how everybody seemed to everyone here without there necessarily a reason for same. It all involves Blake's employer R.G. Armstrong and the death of his son who married and fathered a five year old boy.
But the perpetrator tries to get away with it with no avail and end up making a deathbed confession. And of course it wasn't Whitney Blake who did the foul deed either time.
Oh my......
pmike-1131220 July 2021
The last 10 minutes of this one are a true peak for PM hilarity. Awful dialogue, horrible acting, and the worst excuse for direction in the show's catalog (and that's saying something!). My gut is still aching from all the laughter!
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