Perry Mason (TV Series) The Case of the Positive Negative (1966) User Reviews

The series is ending but they can still make entertaining shows

[kfo9494 · 9/10 · 12 February 2013]

When you think that the writers have done every plot two or three times and there is nowhere left to go, you get a episode like this one and remember how great this series was to the TV world. This is a great mystery with fine twists and turns that make the viewer glad to watch.

A respected former General named Roger Brandon has been picked by the Governor to head a law enforcement committee against a man named George Emory that controls illegal operations in the town of San Carlos. With General Brandon leading the operation the other men on the committee will be Stanley Overton, Frank Cummings and Perry Mason. The committee will be made with people that want to put a stop to Emory's rule in the small town.

But when someone takes pictures of General Brandon's wife in a hotel room, they will try to blackmail Brandon into not taking the job. With General Brandon thinking Emory was behind the pictures, he goes to visit him. Emory denies taking the pictures or having the negatives. Right after General leaves his house, George Emory is killed. The murder weapon just so happens to be a gun belonging to the General.

With Perry defending the General in court, it will be the grainy pictures that will bring the case to a close. But the true murderer will be someone that you least expect. Someone that is not who they seem to be. Great story.

The rackets in San Carlos

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 10 June 2014]

Classic film villain Brian Donlevy guest stars in this Perry Mason episode and he's Raymond Burr's client. Donlevy plays a retired army general who is now getting involved in civic affairs for the small town of San Carlos. The town recently separated itself from Los Angeles and is now in the grip of racketeer Ted DeCorsia.

Donlevy has been offered an appointment by the Governor of California to head a Kefauver like committee to get rid of the rackets in San Carlos. Raymond Burr is on the committee himself along with Donlevy, Simon Scott, and Parley Baer. But DeCorsia who owns the town newspaper has gotten some compromising pictures with Donlevy's wife Bettye Ackerman and aide John Anthony Hayes. Later on DeCorsia winds up shot to death with a pistol belonging to Donlevy and Donlevy is charged with the crime.

As you can see there's no shortage of suspects. Once again Raymond Burr demolishes William Talman's carefully constructed case. I have to admit the outcome did throw me, I had the real murderer wrong.

As I suspect other viewers will also.

"I Love That Old Ramrod"

[bhoover247 · 8/10 · 27 August 2020]

This episode was pretty interesting. My guess as the killer was Mayor Stoner from the Andy Griffith Show. Of course he was too obvious with his snarling voice and gritting teeth. The case against the General was not very strong and Burger seemed less than enthusiastic about the outcome of the trial.

Solid

[darbski · 25 July 2017]

**SPOILERS** Don't read this until you've seen the show for yourself; OKAY? The start looks real sketchy until you see that it's a frame hung on the defendant's wife and "aide" by one of the bad guys. Another of the bad guys readily states his position and role in the main scheme, and although you KNOW he was involved somehow, he didn't do it. "IT" is knocking off the scurve behind the dirt in the town of San Carlos. He's bumped off in his living room, with the defendant's (General Brandon) own .45 automatic.

How the dead guy got it is part of the story. Here's what's NOT. IF the General killed Mr. Scurve, why didn't he take his own weapon with him? He had been career military, and in the military, your weapon is your best friend; it keeps you alive. Simple as that. If you know and understand that, you realize the defendant would NEVER EVER leave his gun behind him, would he? That one fact undermines Burger's whole case. The general commanded men in combat. He had to send men to their deaths, and he was not subject to letting his emotions control his behavior.

How did the gun get into the dead guy's hands? Why wasn't HE under suspicion? Two standout actors: Brian Donlevy, and Dabs Greer (the major second player in this episode) show how professional performers do their work. VERY GOOD EPISODE. Thanx to IMDb for references, S.A.G. for professional actors.

Continuity is Missing in Action

[jgarnant · 6/10 · 26 May 2021]

This episode starts well but someone missed obvious points with Mrs Brandon, who feels no compunction to explain the photos initially, nor with where or why she wandered the night of the murder...and to top it off, shows up late to the murder hearing of her husband, last to be seated ..after the commission partners, strangers...and enters under the escort of the man with whom she was photographed, starting off the tragic series of events. Part of the story line, a diversion? Nope, just poor continuity.

Average

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 6 March 2022]

I just couldn't get all excited about this one. Nothing wrong with it; just nothing new. It's the usual men's club, flexing their muscles. Yes, there was political corruption being addressed, but that's only part of the plot. When that picture of the General's wife is found, she appears terrified in the picture. There is nothing incriminating about it. She looks half asleep (which she is). The weekly series probably had run out of steam with too much pressure on the writers.