"Perry Mason" The Case of the Romantic Rogue (TV Episode 1959) Poster

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8/10
Never a dull moment in this fast paced mystery
kfo949429 April 2013
Here is classic 'Perry Mason' episode with many suspects, many twist and Perry seems to be the only one that can move his way around the testimony and come up with the true murderer.

The show begins when a con-man named Stacey Chandler is dating this young woman named Helen Harvey. Helen has been raised by her Aunt and Uncle after her parents died. But for the last few years her uncle has been missing and believed to have run off with his secretary.

Helen's aunt, Florence Harvey, is dead set against Helen marrying Stacy Chandler. So she hires a woman private detective to make the con-artist think that the uncle was around town which would cause Helen not to collect from the uncle's will. This would force Stacy Chandler to leave since he would not be getting any money. When Stacy tells Helen that a private investigator, Irene Wallace, has information on the Uncle, Helen goes over to see her. A scuffle breaks out before Helen is forced to leave. The next day Irene Wallace is found dead and all the evidence points to Helen. And Perry will defend her in court.

Even though this story seems complex it played out well on the screen. There is never a dull moment as we leap from one situation to another and from one scene to another as quick as light. The story does have a crowded cast but each actor was so different that it was easy to keep involved in the mystery. A good who-done-it that will makes one unlikely person spending some time behind bars for more than one crime. Good watch
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8/10
Lots of Distractions...but Good
Hitchcoc29 December 2021
Since others have commented on this I'll throw in a couple of things that bother me. First of all the accused is so stupid and emotional. She is also a liar. Secondly, after the real murderer is found, what happens to all the people who obstructed justice, principally the old lady and that blonde ex-con. Not to mention the guy who said he saw the suspect leaving the motel room. On and on. It was well plotted and worked.
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8/10
Good episode that has Mason pulling a few dubious moves to win the day
jameselliot-114 November 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I may have seen an edited version cut to squeeze in some commercials. There's a few things missing. There's nothing that informs Mason who the killer is and how he knows that the victims are buried. There's no explanation of how the killer knows that Mason is on his land and at what time to show up. How could the nosey motel owner not know the killer was visiting Jean Willes? In all of the fast moving events, it's overlooked that the con man is going to have a rich wife that he had targeted before the story began and that Sara Haden set the wheels in motion that resulted in Willes' unnecessary murder. Finally: wouldn't a rich aunt have her adopted daughter's fiance investigated, then reveal his criminal background to her instead of playing stupid tricks by planting evidence and making fake phone calls? She could have hired say...Paul Drake.
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10/10
Marion Shines
darbski3 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
**SPOILERS** I've always felt that Marion Ross was one of those actresses who was very good looking; just a kind of Midwestern grace that makes her sweetly attractive. Sara Haden may not have been so beautiful, but she is one of those cameo and support actresses without whom there would be no Hollywood. I love her. The other actresses played strong roles in this top notch Perry Mason story. Barbara, of course is, as normal, beautiful. The only problem I personally have is with the director. In my mind, he should've had the makeup department give Marion eye drops to help her cry when it was necessary. I know it's a small complaint, but when you've got such strong acting, small things can count. It doesn't change my opinion, though: a 10 for this episode. **SPOILER** #2 I can't resist this. In the end, Paul remarks that Perry was lucky to have figured out the murderer and the connection to the property, Della's answer was totally priceless. Again. I reviewed through the magic of my Amazon Perry Mason collection, and found that I was right. Anyway, I think so..
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10/10
3 murders 1 killer and Harry west's dream house
jn-6282010 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Perry mason defends a woman played by marion Ross who's accused of murdering a woman in a motel room.
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6/10
The Case of the Romantic Rogue
Prismark109 September 2023
Hamilton Burger is given the hop around by Perry Mason in this one

The romantic rogue is Stacey Chandler. He has romanced young heiress Helen Harvey (Marion Ross) for her money. Her rich uncle is missing, believed to have ran away with his secretary. Her aunt, Florence Harvey is against Helen marrying Stacy as she knows he is out to con her. He is even in league with another woman who is in on the swindle.

With just days to go before her uncle is legally declared dead. A woman called Irene Wallace shows up telling Stacey that the uncle is alive but lost his memory. She also wants a piece of the action from Stacey. He now claims to Helen that he genuinely fell in love with her.

No one knows that Aunt Florence had put Irene up with the story of her husband still being alive.

When Irene is found dead, Helen Harvey is arrested for the crime.

A complex story, with everyone having something to hide. Perry Mason gets through it all by pondering what happened to the secretary that ran away with Uncle Harvey.
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5/10
A con game of his own
bkoganbing29 August 2014
Marion Ross in her ingénue days is the Perry Mason client for this story and she's an heiress living with her aunt Sara Haden. Curious indeed the future Mrs. Cunningham from Happy Days with the former maiden aunt from the Andy Hardy movie series.

Seven years ago Haden's husband and Ross's uncle ran off with another woman and have not been seen or heard from since. As the husband is about to be declared legally dead Ross stands to inherit a lot of money and she's also about to marry John Bryant who is a conman. Haden's about to do anything to prevent that. A woman working for Haden, Jean Willes shows off a locket to a few people and winds up dead.

It's the husband's locket and it's Ross that's arrested. The unmasking of the culprit does not take place in court but in a con game of his own that Raymond Burr has worked out. I do have to say you will feel sorry for the defendant when exposed.

Hopefully Perry Mason will offer his services to a guilty party for once.
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4/10
Confusing. Who was the murder victim again?
Jelevision22 May 2022
This is a subpar episode, mainly because the plot is so hard to follow. The characters are hard to keep straight. Who are these missing people and why do we care? And wait, who was murdered? I can't even remember. This episode was hard to follow even on streaming video with the ability to rewind and cross-check characters with IMDB.

God knows how anyone followed this on broadcast TV in 1959.

Anyway, the cars were beautiful, and it was fun when I realized the defendant was Mrs. Cunningham from Happy Days.
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