Patrick O'Neal makes his second appearance in a Perry Mason mystery movie in The Case Of The Skin-Deep Scandal. In the first Perry Mason film, O'Neal was the victim for which Barbara Hale was arrested and Raymond Burr resigned from the bench to get back into private practice to defend his old girl Friday.
But in The Case Of The Skin-Deep Scandal O'Neal is in fact the defendant who is charged with the murder of his wife Morgan Fairchild. Fairchild is a beautiful and ruthless cosmetics Queen who built her empire on O'Neal's money. Now she's got all kinds of people who've been trampled on the way up and they're out for blood. O'Neal looks good for it because Fairchild's been keeping a boy toy played by Scott Thompson Baker on the side. But there are a host of other suspects as is always the case.
The Case Of The Skin Deep Scandal also marked the farewell performance of Patrick O'Neal who never failed to be good in a variety of roles he was cast in. My personal favorite with him has always been Alvarez Kelly where his performance of the unctuous Union Major stole the film from stars William Holden and Richard Widmark.
I think I can safely say that the murder involves two other members of the cast, one of whom kills the other in order to not risk exposure on the Fairchild murder. Billy Moses is also nearly killed by the same person and of course they both don't reckon with the research and deductive powers of ace defense attorney Perry Mason.
Some of the plot elements are borrowed from the Billy Wilder film, Fedora. This is one of the better Perry Mason mysteries, devoted fans will love it.
But in The Case Of The Skin-Deep Scandal O'Neal is in fact the defendant who is charged with the murder of his wife Morgan Fairchild. Fairchild is a beautiful and ruthless cosmetics Queen who built her empire on O'Neal's money. Now she's got all kinds of people who've been trampled on the way up and they're out for blood. O'Neal looks good for it because Fairchild's been keeping a boy toy played by Scott Thompson Baker on the side. But there are a host of other suspects as is always the case.
The Case Of The Skin Deep Scandal also marked the farewell performance of Patrick O'Neal who never failed to be good in a variety of roles he was cast in. My personal favorite with him has always been Alvarez Kelly where his performance of the unctuous Union Major stole the film from stars William Holden and Richard Widmark.
I think I can safely say that the murder involves two other members of the cast, one of whom kills the other in order to not risk exposure on the Fairchild murder. Billy Moses is also nearly killed by the same person and of course they both don't reckon with the research and deductive powers of ace defense attorney Perry Mason.
Some of the plot elements are borrowed from the Billy Wilder film, Fedora. This is one of the better Perry Mason mysteries, devoted fans will love it.