Perry Mason The Case of the Frantic Flyer (1957–1966) watch online HD

In this packed episode, two people have a brilliant scheme to steal $130,000 from the place they work and then live happily with each other till the money runs out. They also have a patsy that will cause everyone to think they are clear of any theft and all the suspicion will end up on someone else. But things, as we know from watching Perry, do not always go as planned.

Howard Walters and Janice Atkins are set to rob the business. Howard knows the combination to the company safe and he gives it to Janice. Howard will fake his death in an airplane crash and all suspicion will be gone from him. But when he parachutes from the plane, he ends up breaking his legs and is found high in the mountains by a lonely prospector. He will miss the appointment he has with Janice to collect the money. But missing the appointment may not be the worse thing. For Janice already has another accomplice that will lead to deeper problems for Walter.

There is much going on in this story that will cause the events to twist near every turn. It is an interesting case of people doing nearly anything, including lie and murder, in order to collect a small amount of tokens of reward. An entertaining plot that has more turns and twist than a Rocky Mountain highway. Good watch.

This show in the middle of Season 3 is again written by a team of writers who seem to be writing some good shows to supplement the 85 episodes or so that are based directly on Gardnener material during the series.

I mention Simon Oakland here as he is a well known character actor from quite a few TV series. By the time Simon started his acting career, he was already over 40 and by the time of his death in the 1980's he had logged a lot of television work including his boss role for Darren McGavin's "Night Stalker".

In this episode, he is involved with a woman trying to steal over $300,000 dollars. He murders someone with a plane and breaks his leg parachuting to safety. Interestingly, this part of the plot is used later in an episode of Columbo with guest star Johnny Cash.

From here though, it varies as this episode gets a lot done in 52 minutes. Mason has to work pretty hard to find out who has done it in this episode.

There are two murders in this Perry Mason mystery. The first is no mystery as Simon Oakland shoots the son of his employer and then private pilot Oakland fakes a plane crash with the son's body in it. All to cover the theft of 300 hundred grand from his employer.

But two things go radically wrong. First the body doesn't burn up and there's enough forensic evidence to show the burned body of the kid isn't Oakland and that he was killed in a shooting. Secondly Oakland breaks his leg on impact from his parachute landing and is forced to winter it with prospector/hermit James Bell. His absence forces his mistress accomplice Patricia Barry to make arrangements with another of the firm's employees Ed Kemmer. Just a whole lot of double crossing going on.

When Oakland turns up dead it's the widow of the man he killed Rebecca Welles who winds up the one charged. Raymond Burr defends her and comes up with a perpetrator who decided to get a piece of the action, maybe all the action.

Nicely turned and twisted plot.

**SPOILERS** This time, I mean it !! Go no further if you haven't seen this episode. The other three reviews have covered this so well, that I can add nothing, or take away from their contributions. I WILL say these things, though. By my count, there are four murderers in this story. First, Howard; or was it Roger, who kills Andy. Second Zack (kills Howard) Third, Janice, and/or Roger who actively participates in the robbery and subsequent murder of both men. See, in California, P.C. 187 Murder, First Degree: anyone who takes part in a crime resulting in the death of a person shares guilt equally with the actual killer.

In my so-called mind, the dirtiest of all is Janice. She was in it from the very first plan, right through to the last attempted frame up on Carol. Barry's acting just shows her craftily considering every move as things developed. Three complete creeps may be headed for San Quentin, and the gas chamber. The only problem I have with the ending is Carol wearing a giant bow as a hair accessory; it looks ridiculous. Della, on the other hand looks beautiful, as usual. I'm not quite sure about the ending line; did Perry leave Paul's check blank, or not? 

Great story, great acting, courtroom drama is excellent (it IS a show about a lawyer, right?). Kudos and thanks to the casting department, and S.A.G. for such a depth of bench.