The origin of the conflict here go back to around 1871. There was a shipping company involving two people named Farraday, the older Jonathan and the younger cousin Thomas. While in the vicinity of the Malay states, one Farraday saved the son of a Malay king and great wealth was bestowed. There was supposed to be a Farraday partnership, but Thomas died and Jonathan ended up with the benefits. Flashforward to the 1960s, and the descendants of Jonathan (Ben and Edward) are running things and those related to Thomas (Evelyn and Carter) are not. There have been past disputes about the partnership issue, one involving Phil Andrews (boyfriend of Evelyn). Phil wrote a magazine article favoring the Thomas clan claim, which turned out to based on fake documents. Phil was fired. Now there is a Malay medal from 1871 supposedly depicting the Farraday who saved the king's son. Most of the episode revolves around the stealing of the medal. Perry's involvement stemmed from his role in a Farraday trust, but he comes to represent Phil who is charged with murdering Ben. (The initial contact of Evelyn with Perry concerned possible smuggling.) In analyzing the plot, one must remember that many Masons turn on blackmail.
The viewer has many characters to keep track of and they are all scheming. (...) As to implausibilities, all the Farradays knew of the relevance of the medal since 1871, but it took till the 1960s to take action? How did a third party end up with the medal? Of the "medal as proof" idea, the Farraday depicted has a moustache, as did Thomas, but otherwise depicts an older man (Thomas died young) looking more like Jonathan. An amalgam of the two? (...) Of Perry's mention of Coopman's newsletter on Malay medals and the inscribed deathwatch beetle, one woders if this was real or merely a ploy to force the killer's hand? Expert Trevelian did not ackowledge having read such information but did state Coopman was an expert. (...) This was a hearing not a trial, and Berger got testy when Perry seemed to be prolonging matters. The judge noted the court is not interested in personalities.
6 Reviews
I Say What?
darbski19 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
It took me several viewings of this complicated nest to figure out what it was that I didn't like, and even then it wasn't truly clear until after, when I was watching an episode of "The WoodWright's Shop". Why? The host, Roy Underhill had taken a simple chair, and shown how complicated it was to fashion and build. Normally, it wouldn't matter, because I like Roy, and he does build interesting projects. This one just irritated me because it was gonna turn out to be a lot of effort for a very small return.
Just like this episode, and plus, try as I might, I just don't care for Jeremy Slate, or his character. Too much effort spent trying to care about the "Angry Young Man", and a shipping company run by creeps. I gave it an 8. P.S., yeah, the chair turned out fine, but it was still ugly.
Just like this episode, and plus, try as I might, I just don't care for Jeremy Slate, or his character. Too much effort spent trying to care about the "Angry Young Man", and a shipping company run by creeps. I gave it an 8. P.S., yeah, the chair turned out fine, but it was still ugly.
Family situation that turns deadly
kfo949413 August 2012
In a rather complex family situation this episode relies on the viewer to make sure that they remember the two separate parts of the Faraday Family. This became awkward at times when nearly half the cast had the same last name. But even with trying to remember which side of the family each character was sided- the show ended nicely and the viewer was treated with a nice mystery.
On the show the Faraday family consisted of two divided members. One side headed by Ben Faraday had money, while the other side that included Evelyn and Carter Faraday were poorer people hired by Ben on his shipping company.
What had happened was that in the late 1800's, a Faraday, one of Ben's descendants, saved the son of a Malayan king while anchored near the coast. However there was some dispute about who saved the boy since both sides of the family was represented. If Carter and Evelyn could prove that their descendant was the true savior of the boy then they would have equal shares in the shipping company.
It seemed that a medal from 1871, that was to be on display, had a picture of the true person that saved the boys life. And both sides of the family was doing everything they could to either present the medal or hid the medal from public viewing. And when Ben finally gets the medal in his possession, he ends up murdered and the medal stolen.
And to make the matter more complex the boyfriend of Evelyn Faraday, Phillip Andrews, that had been fired after publishing a story on the Faraday family, was accused of the murder and will be defend by Perry in court. The hot-headed Phillip was a good suspect and was always presented in a matter that seemed suspicious. As the moments before Ben's body is discovered- Phillip comes running out of the room, in front of many a witness, where the body is located- but had no idea anyone had been murdered.
Even with the complex set up, the mystery plays out well. Perry resorts to a little trickery in the courtroom that will have someone confessing before the credit roll. Fine show but wish they had renamed some of the characters.
On the show the Faraday family consisted of two divided members. One side headed by Ben Faraday had money, while the other side that included Evelyn and Carter Faraday were poorer people hired by Ben on his shipping company.
What had happened was that in the late 1800's, a Faraday, one of Ben's descendants, saved the son of a Malayan king while anchored near the coast. However there was some dispute about who saved the boy since both sides of the family was represented. If Carter and Evelyn could prove that their descendant was the true savior of the boy then they would have equal shares in the shipping company.
It seemed that a medal from 1871, that was to be on display, had a picture of the true person that saved the boys life. And both sides of the family was doing everything they could to either present the medal or hid the medal from public viewing. And when Ben finally gets the medal in his possession, he ends up murdered and the medal stolen.
And to make the matter more complex the boyfriend of Evelyn Faraday, Phillip Andrews, that had been fired after publishing a story on the Faraday family, was accused of the murder and will be defend by Perry in court. The hot-headed Phillip was a good suspect and was always presented in a matter that seemed suspicious. As the moments before Ben's body is discovered- Phillip comes running out of the room, in front of many a witness, where the body is located- but had no idea anyone had been murdered.
Even with the complex set up, the mystery plays out well. Perry resorts to a little trickery in the courtroom that will have someone confessing before the credit roll. Fine show but wish they had renamed some of the characters.
The Malay Commemorative
bkoganbing29 November 2012
One of the more convoluted plots in a Perry Mason episode was in this one where a Malay commemorative coin from about three generations back will determine the ownership of a ship line. It seems that back in the day a Malay crown prince was saved by one of the Faraday brothers. But which one. The likeness on said coin will determine which half of the Faraday family should own the shipping business.
Herbert Rudley is the arrogant hard driving owner of the line and he's found dead in his cabin and the likely suspect is Jeremy Slate who wrote some articles denouncing him on behalf of his girlfriend Joan Patrick who is from the poorer side of the Faraday clan.
During the trial for Slate, Raymond Burr drops a little hint where the stolen coin could be. William Hopper's operatives do the rest and the killer is nabbed. It happens to be the one who provided the best evidence for Slate's guilt.
Nicely done story, if a bit too complex.
Herbert Rudley is the arrogant hard driving owner of the line and he's found dead in his cabin and the likely suspect is Jeremy Slate who wrote some articles denouncing him on behalf of his girlfriend Joan Patrick who is from the poorer side of the Faraday clan.
During the trial for Slate, Raymond Burr drops a little hint where the stolen coin could be. William Hopper's operatives do the rest and the killer is nabbed. It happens to be the one who provided the best evidence for Slate's guilt.
Nicely done story, if a bit too complex.
Too Much Going On/Too Much Power from That Medal
Hitchcoc23 January 2022
I never quite got into this one. First of all, like so many of the defendants, the guy was such a hothead. Why not be a little secretive instead of blabbing your feelings? I guess the fifties and sixties depended on so much emotion. The guy who finally confesses to the crime can't control himself. Why not sit through your own trial and try for a reduced sentence or something. But then, there is very little realism in this series, enjoyable as it may be.
The other side of the coin
sol12181 September 2013
Warning: Spoilers
****SPOILERS*** Incredibly complected and utterly ridicules Perry Mason, Raymond Burr, episode about this coin that can prove which of the Faraday brother Tom or John rescued a Malayan Prince in 1871 from drowning when he fell off his royal yacht during a combination typhoon and volcanic explosion. During all these years after this historic event it was John's descendants who reaped the rewards from the Malayan Royal Family in being credited in saving the Prince's life. That's until writer Philip Andrews, Jeremy Slate,found evidence that it was in fact Tom not John who saved the prince's life but didn't get credit for it because he Tom died of his trip back to the states in 1871!
You have to be an Einstein to figure out what's going on here with the link to proving who in fact saved the prince's life being a commemorative coin with the engraving of the person who did save him on it. Which happens to be Tom not John who got the credit as well as fame and money for doing it. For this to be a Perry Mason episode the person designated to be murdered was old Uncle Ben Farady,Herbert Rudley, who was the president of the highly successful Farady Shipping Company and grandson of John Farady. And it was Philip Andrews who was seen leaving Uncle Ben's house just moments before he was discovered murdered who was charged with the crime! With Perry defending Andrews the main piece of evidence to clear him is the what's now missing coin with Tom Farady's image engraved on it. Even though if you think about it what the heck would that have to do in proving Andrews innocence anyway?
****SPOILERS**** In the end we get some comfort in knowing that the commemorative coin have nothing at all to do with Uncle Ben Farady's murder. It was just a red herring planted in the story to keep our minds off to who really murdered Unce Ban and the reasons why he or she did it. You see while all this coin business was going on Uncle Ben was being robbed blind behind the scenes of his shipping company stock and the person doing it was using all this confusion in who save the Malayan's prince's life, Tom or John, as cover for his actions. That's until Uncle Ben found out about it and ended up getting murdered by him!
You have to be an Einstein to figure out what's going on here with the link to proving who in fact saved the prince's life being a commemorative coin with the engraving of the person who did save him on it. Which happens to be Tom not John who got the credit as well as fame and money for doing it. For this to be a Perry Mason episode the person designated to be murdered was old Uncle Ben Farady,Herbert Rudley, who was the president of the highly successful Farady Shipping Company and grandson of John Farady. And it was Philip Andrews who was seen leaving Uncle Ben's house just moments before he was discovered murdered who was charged with the crime! With Perry defending Andrews the main piece of evidence to clear him is the what's now missing coin with Tom Farady's image engraved on it. Even though if you think about it what the heck would that have to do in proving Andrews innocence anyway?
****SPOILERS**** In the end we get some comfort in knowing that the commemorative coin have nothing at all to do with Uncle Ben Farady's murder. It was just a red herring planted in the story to keep our minds off to who really murdered Unce Ban and the reasons why he or she did it. You see while all this coin business was going on Uncle Ben was being robbed blind behind the scenes of his shipping company stock and the person doing it was using all this confusion in who save the Malayan's prince's life, Tom or John, as cover for his actions. That's until Uncle Ben found out about it and ended up getting murdered by him!
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