"Perry Mason" The Case of the Sad Sicilian (1965)

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Director:

Jesse Hibbs

Writer:

Milton Krims (writer)

TV Series:

"Perry Mason" (1957)

Original Air Date:

11 March 1965 (Season 8, Episode 22)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Twist | Beautiful Woman | Suspect | Coroner | Secretary

Cast

Raymond Burr	...	Perry Mason
Barbara Hale	...	Della Street
William Hopper	...	Paul Drake
William Talman	...	Hamilton Burger
Ray Collins	...	Lt. Tragg (credit only)
Wesley Lau	...	Lt. Andy Anderson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Anthony Caruso	...	Enrico Bacio
Dort Clark	...	Desk Sergeant
Paul Comi	...	Father Reggiani
Tommy Cook	...	Joe - Bellboy
Dabbs Greer	...	Dodson
Charles Irving	...	Judge
Patricia Joyce	...	Woman Customer
Jack La Rue	...	Cafe Proprietor (as Jack LaRue)
Charles La Torre	...	Uncle Fiastri
Alexander Lockwood	...	Coroner
Margo	...	Serafina
Linda Marsh	...	Elizabeth Bacio
Nico Minardos	...	Giangiacomo
Fabrizio Mioni	...	Paulo Porro
Rudy Solari	...	Massimo Bacio

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Paisano Productions

Mama Mia!

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Paulo Porro (Fabrizio Mioni) is a charming young Sicilian who goes from town to town across the US dropping in on other Sicilian families claiming to have been sent by their Uncle Giovanni back in the old country. He gets treated like a King, gets fed and a free place to stay, then moves on to the next city and the next family.

When he stops with the Bacios, trouble follows. Porro doesn't know there is a long time feud between a couple of Sicilian families he's pretending to be a part of and when the head of the family (Anthony Carusco) winds up dead, he's the main suspect and Perry has to come to the rescue.

Heavy in ethnic Sicilian family, this episode got tiresome for me pretty quickly. Even the courtroom scenes ring false as various family members get up to shout their feelings in the middle of open court without nary a warning from the judge (apparently understanding these are "hot blooded" people and play by a different set of rules). Even the bailiff stands by when he should be breaking things up in the gallery.

Fabrizio is probably more handsome than charming and everyone in the Bacio family seems to be loud and aggressive, except for Linda Marsh who does well as the quiet daughter Elizabeth. Paul Comi contributes a forgettable clichéd performance as a understanding Silician priest.

Definitely NOT one for the "Best of" collection.