The Case of the Bountiful Beauty - Recap

Opens in Perry’s office where he holds up a book THE WIDOW “sensational novel
by 20 year old Deborah Dearborn." A woman calling herself a Mrs. “Seward” inquires
about suing her, but Perry says proving libel is difficult: did the author know what she
what she was writing was libelous and did she know her? No. Perry says libel suits
are not his specialty and Mrs. “Seward" leaves, saying bye to Della at the door. Perry
asks Della why she was making faces during the conversation. Della says they WERE
contacted by someone, that a girl named Dearborn called for an appointment, but
never called back. Perry recognizes that this is the author’s name. Della says the
woman who just left is Stephanie Carew, she's sure of it, remember the Frederick Carew
scandal? Perry does, and remembers he was murdered by his young bride, but was
acquitted, the judge telling the jury "You have signally failed in your duty." Della warns
if she based a book on that woman… Perry finishes, looking at the book “Then she’s the one who’s going to need our help, and lots of it.”
………………………………………………………………………………………..

Deborah runs happily through the surf at her beach house. She runs up the steps,
dances into her house, turns up her music and erupts in joy. She is startled by a
man calling her name. “John Carew” she says and asks why he’s here. He
reminisces about their past and then gets to the point: Stephanie Carew is out
here. Deborah recognizes this is the same Stephanie that he told her of and that
she wrote about in her book. He explains that Stephanie is his stepmother and
that all he told about her is true. Deborah is hurt. John advises her to talk to
an attorney. Deborah has tears in her eyes as John says they cannot see each other
again.

At Rubin Cason’s office, Deborah explains to her agent that she can’t sign the
contract giving away the movie rights to her book. Rubin is panicked, but
Deborah stands firm, saying she can’t let this problem get bigger and bigger.

Gideon Long talks to his publicity man on the phone ambitiously about the
film he will make on Deborah’s book. Rubin Cason comes in, says there will
be a delay in Deborah signing the contract. Although he patronizes Rubin’s
word, after he leaves he tells Herb (voice only) over the intercom to get
ready to sue Rubin for breach of contract and possibly theft. Herb explains
the delay in Deborah’s signing could financially ruin the studio, but Gideon
assures him that she will sign.

At Chet Worth’s pool, Stephanie rubs tanning lotion on her voluptuous legs
when Chet comes out and kisses his latest love. He has bad news: his wife
is coming home. Chet’s maid comes out with a phone, says Rubin Cason
is calling. Stephanie hangs up the phone. She asks to use Chet’s Rolls Royce.
The phone rings. She calls Rubin “darling” to Rubin’s bewilderment. She
tells him to come pick her up. Gideon Long appears,invites Chet and Stephanie
to a party. She gets up and leaves. Miriam Worth,
Chet’s wife, appears on the terrace.

At LAX, John Carew is about to board a plane when Stephanie stops him.
She says she’s going to Deborah’s and tell her he’s left her to face the
music all alone. John moves toward the plane as Stephanie leaves.
Paul Drake, hiding behind a newspaper, looks puzzled after hearing the conversation.

At Deborah’s, Stephanie blackmails Deborah, threatening to sue her if she
doesn’t sign the contract giving her the movie rights to her book and that
she (Stephanie) will get all the money from the movie. Stephanie leaves
a contract with Deborah and says she will go up the beach to a party and
be back to pick it up, signed, at 11p.m. Angry and humiliated, Deborah
crumples the contract and throws it down. She goes over to the phone book
looks up a number, calls Perry Mason, but the switchboard operator says he
has been gone all day but that he should be back anytime, perhaps an hour.
Deborah smashes Stephanie’s martini glass and runs outside. She takes off
her terrycloth robe and goes for a swim in the ocean.

Perry is back in his office and Paul gives his code knock in a rare appearance
through the front door. He mentions Stephanie saying she was a client of Perry’s
to which Perry says “Who told you she was a client of mine?” Paul says she did
and that she wanted him to follow her stepson John, but apparently she was doing
some following of her own. The phone rings. It’s Deborah, and she needs a lawyer.
Perry reassures her that there’s nothing Stephanie can do tonight and that it might
be even better in the morning. As soon as Perry hangs up, he is suggestive that
Paul and him are going to the Worths and straighten out the matter of Stephanie’s
lie about being his client. Paul complains about the hour, but Perry is firm “That woman
isn’t getting away with calling herself my client---at midnight, or any other time. Let’s go.

Crickets sing at the Worths as Paul asks about the ethics in all this. Perry starts to
explain, when first Perry then Paul see a body floating face up in the Worths pool.
It’s Stephanie! Paul is the one who says it “Well, I guess ethics aren’t a problem anymore.”
………………………………………………………………………………….

As Stephanie’s body is wheeled away, Perry tells Lt. Anderson the details of
finding Stephanie dead. The medical examiner interrupts, tells Stephanie’s
condition in medical jargon and says they need to tap for alcohol. Miriam Worth
goes up the steps to the house.

Perry arrives at Deborah’s beach house and knocks on both the front and back door
with no response. He goes down the steps to the beach and notices a black wrapport
stole on the sand. Paul calls out. Perry goes up to him. Lt. Anderson wants to see them,
says Stephanie was pretty drunk. Perry says that Stephanie’s death takes too much pressure off too many people. Rubin Cason is financially involved, Gideon Long
---she could have wrecked him and his studio, and then there’s Chet and Miriam Worth,
and then there’s John Carew. John Carew has the most to gain, but Paul says he went
to Chicago last night. He says that he went to Deborah’s and a Rolls Royce was parked
there. When he came back from a phone call, the car was gone. Deborah arrives,
says she was at the store, but Perry gets her to admit she wasn’t around last night,
afraid that Stephanie might come back. She explains about the contract and lets them
in the house to find the contract gone. Paul finds out why: a kitchen window is
broken out and blood is on one of the shards. She wanted a clause put in to make
sure Stephanie wouldn’t hurt John. “She won’t” Perry replies, to which Deborah
responds “You don’t KNOW Stephanie: she’s mean and vicious and---”
“---Deborah: she’s dead.” Deborah reacts with shock, bows her head.

Rubin tries to burn Stephanie’s contract but Perry’s knock interrupts him.
He hides it in a trash container and lets Perry in. He greets Perry cordially,
but in truth is nervous. Perry asks about the payola he’s getting, but Rubin
categorically denies every penny. When he mentions that Stephanie might have
gotten some of that money and that Gideon Long might sue him for breach
of contract, Rubin finally admits he knew Stephanie and in saying that an agent
doesn’t kill people, he inadvertently exposes his bandaged wrist, indicating it
was he who broke into Deborah’s house. “The way to break glass, Rubin, is to
wrap your hand first: then you don’t have to bandage it later.”

At Gideon Long’s office, he tells Herb to buzz him if he uses his code word
camellias and tape everything. Gideon deliberately has no chairs so visits will be
short. Undaunted, Perry gets a chair from an adjoining room. He places it in front of
Gideon’s desk. Gideon easily deflects Perry’s questions about Stephanie, saying
he doesn’t know her and uses his code word camellias. Perry smiles, saying he
uses the same device in his office, but not the same key word.

John Carew argues with the medical examiner and Lt. Anderson that he will not
consent to an autopsy on Stephanie. The medical examiner explains the conditions
in which one can be done without consent. Perry says to John that he should consent,
that wouldn’t it look strange if he didn’t?

At Deborah’s, Paul tells Perry that Stephanie didn’t drown in the pool and that the
bruises indicate murder. Deborah is told that she is the suspect.
…………………………………………………………………………………..

At District Court, the medical examiner explains how Stephanie died.
Lt. Anderson testifies, and Deborah’s beach robe is introduced into evidence.
It was found stuffed in a culvert two blocks from the Worths house. A sales
slip is also introduced indicating it was purchased by Deborah in Lansing, Michigan.
A black wrapport stole is introduced into evidence, found in the trunk of Deborah’s
car. Deborah looks at Perry and bows her head in shame. Mrs. Mitchell testifies
that she saw Deborah fighting with someone. On cross-examination, Perry gets
her to admit it was dark, but she saw Deborah earlier and so is sure it was her.
A neighbor testifies that he saw someone wrapped in Deborah’s robe in Deborah’s
car as it sped past him. Mrs. Davis testifies that she saw Deborah’s car parked
at the Worth’s, then saw it drive by later as she was walking her dog. On cross,
Perry shows her pictures of what appear to be the same car, but actually they are
different cars, only the same make and model. They belong to a car rental place
that Deborah rented her car from. Rubin Cason testifies that he took Stephanie
to the airport, then to Deborah’s. On cross-examination, Rubin admits by not
denying it that he owns a small car. He admits to breaking into Deborah’s house.
The judge questions the inquiry of Perry, but as Deborah starts to wilt, District Attorney
Hamilton Burger says it only enhances his case of motive. Rubin concludes
in panic that he didn’t kill anyone.
…………………………………………………………………………………

Deborah fidgets unhappily in the witness room when Della asks Deborah about
the stole. She tells her and Perry she found the stole on the beach the next day,
but Perry had gone back to his office or something. Perry tells Deborah they
have enough evidence to bind her over for trial, thanks largely to Rubin Cason.
Paul comes in with information that might help Perry. Perry tells Paul to do
some “closet raiding” and proclaims that he is going to put on a defense,
starting with John Carew.

A hostile witness, John is questioned vigorously by Perry who gets John to admit
he took a later plane to Chicago. He went to Deborah’s and found Stephanie dead.
He then took Deborah’s beach robe and wrapped Stephanie in it and went to the
Worths and put her in the pool. He then stuffed the robe in the culvert. The judge
says John is an accessory after the fact. Burger says it only strengthens his case.
Perry then asks Mrs. Mitchell if she heard any cars. She isn’t sure. Perry then
examines Gideon Long. He says that Chet Worth drives a Rolls Royce, but isn’t sure whether he or Miriam left the party or not. Paul comes in with a coat he rented.
Mrs. Mitchell is recalled. Perry asks her, putting the coat on Gideon, if this is
what she saw the night of the murder. She is surprised with remembrance.
She nods her head yes. Gideon is back on the stand. He tells of the depths of
Stephanie’s greed and what else could he do but kill her?
……………………………………………………………………………….

At Deborah’s, Deborah is squeamish at the idea she was swimming in the
ocean with a dead woman. Perry explains Gideon just blew up, hit Stephanie
and shoved her into the water. “And ran when he saw you running out of the house”
Della adds. Deborah asks Perry what he can do for John Carew. He says he’ll
do all he can, but he was an accessory. Deborah says he was only trying to
help her, that’s all that matters. Perry disagrees, but is cut off by Della who
says its important to HER. Deborah then says “What else is important to a
woman?” and smiles proudly, and Perry and Paul drink their drinks.





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