Perry Mason (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Chapter 1 - full transcript

Now,
you two have done good so far.

So, keep calm,
keep breathing right.

It's almost over.

What are they saying now?

Shut up.

You shouldn't
talk to your wife that way.

She's been through a lot.

Listen here!

No, you listen.

You listen and do exactly
what the fuck I tell you to do

or this ends real bad.



Do you see that desk behind you?

Put your fancy fucking suitcase
on that desk.

Not until I see my son.

All right.

They're loading up a car
up above,

your kid's in that car.

Put the case on the desk
and open it up.

O... O... O... Okay.
Hold... Hold on.

I'm here.

We're gonna give you a look.

You see the kid,
you run down the street.

Get the kid off the car,
don't look back,

and never say a word about it.

He's on the car.
Charlie's on the car.



Do we understand each other?

- Yes, yes.
- Please. Please don't hurt him.

Here it comes.

Charlie.

Let's go, let's go!

- Excuse me.
- Move, move.

Excuse me.

Oh, Charlie boy.
Charlie boy.

Jesus.

Oh, you're such a brave boy.

You're not crying.

Matthew. Matthew.

Yes.

What's wrong?
What's wrong with him?

What's wrong with him?

Charlie!

Jesus Christ!

Help! Help!

Jesus!

Help!

Help!

Okay, Mason, here's one for you.

Are you being cheated
out of life's thrills?

Probably.

Love, romance, excitement?

Never heard of them.

Mayhaps
you should read Lipstick Girl

by Edna Robb Webster.

Never heard of her.

Hey, what do you know?
It begins today.

Forty cents
for two coffees and toast?

How many gallons
do you throw in the truck?

- Uh, six.
- Six gallons?

Three days of meals,
another two days of gas.

Oh, yeah.
Here we go.

Chapter one.

The Pappe & Son
Department Store,

the largest mercantile
establishment in Mitchelfield

- was arousing itself noise...
- S.S. Chubby's setting sail.

- Hey. Come on.
- Say goodbye to Edna.

Get out in front of him;
I'll follow from behind.

- Lot of behind to follow.
- Go.

You're kidding me.

We get to go to the movies.

Hey!

Cut it out now.

Fucking horse
kicking him in the ass,

how do you not
find that hilarious?

I grew up on a farm.

Steering's all loose.

- What'd you do it?
- I didn't do anything.

You know, maybe Chubby's
keeping it clean

'cause he's seen this milk truck
following him around town.

If you don't have a car,
don't complain.

Not my fault,
Ruthie broke the axle.

- Another complaint.
- Just 'cause the guy

has a high-pitched voice,
that's no reason

to rob a guy of his livelihood.

He brought a lot of joy
to a lot of people.

Well, he's not bringing me any.

Three days waiting for him
to stick his dick in something.

Studio signs him to a contract,
they should honor it.

Who cares what he does
with his pants off?

Walt LeBaron cares, that's who.

He's the one who's paying you.

Morals clause, shmorals clause.

Whole town needs a shot
in the dick.

Hey, heading right.

Hey.

Hi, Chubby.

Well, hello, Red.

Oh, wow.

Here we go.

Hey, how about I have a look?
You stay in the truck?

Sure.

You know, that's your problem.
You get no pleasure out of life.

Shut up.

Oh, God. Oh, God.

Pete, start the truck!

Pete, start the car!

Son of a bitch!

I'll get you, you prick!

You sons of bitches!

I'm going to kill you,
you cocksuckers.

Oh, yeah!

Chubby, you glorious bastard!

He threw a shoe at me.

I'm your biggest fan!

Evening, Rigoberto.
Can you open the gate?

I can if you say it.

Something about a clown.

Does it have to be in Spanish?

This whole place
used to be Spanish.

Shit.

What are you doing?
Trying to get yourself killed?

You want some breakfast?

Here, get up, get up.

Good girl. Good girl. Good girl.

Eat your hay.
Stay off the runway.

Come on.

Now, stay.

Not you.

They don't want me
around either.

"I'd have said it was over
when the talkies came."

But clearly,

the man still has a lot
to offer the world.

How did you get in here?

"The clown carries you."

He just... he just gave you
the password?

Well,
I'm a very persuasive lawyer.

- You forget that sometimes.
- Yup.

I try to forget a lot of things.

At some point, you got to admit
this isn't working out.

What do you mean?

Let me speak for the dead

and say your parents
didn't want this for you.

The farm's still here.

You got pans on their bed.

What do you want, E.B.?

Herman Baggerly
called me last night.

I called you, you don't answer.

Who's Herman Baggerly?

Major player, boyo.
Lumber, real estate,

one of the fattest
bank accounts in the city.

What's he doing with you then?

I've helped him in the past.

Certain business matters
which require discretion

- and finesse.
- Yeah, 20 bucks

- a billable hour.
- Well, man has to eat.

And I'd say
we both understand that.

And you need me why, E.B.?

Because some friend of his
is in trouble,

the police are involved
and you're good at your job.

3:00 p.m. at my office.

I don't know,
I got a lot going on today.

The Chubby thing,
and I'm due in court.

I'm getting paid to serve
as a material witness.

- That Frank Dillon case.
- Deep pockets on Baggerly.

- Opportunity for both of us.
- Yeah? Is he looking to buy

a two-cow dairy
in the middle of an airport?

You're really thinking to sell?

I haven't seen you
in three months, E.B.

Well, it's been quiet
out there, boyo.

I don't deny it.

But this is a live one.

3:00 p.m., wear your good suit.

This is my good suit.

And there's egg on your tie.

Oh, boy.

Yeah, that's him all right.

No question
of moral relativity here.

I mean, that's

that's food.

- Pumpkin pie, I'm pretty sure.
- I blame his agent.

I mean, I got nothing
against the guy myself,

you understand but, um

I'm not here to judge anyone,
Mr. LeBaron.

- I just wanna get paid.
- Ah,

I will have someone
cut you a check.

Business affairs, please, Mitch.

What did we say, um, 200?

We did say that.
Of course, that was for pictures

of Chubby Carmichael but, uh,

these happen to be pictures
of, um, Velma Fuller,

or should I "Call Her Red"?

Business affairs.

Hello? Hello...

Okay.

How much did you have in mind?

Five hundred seems fair.

- Don't be ridiculous.
- Fine, make it six,

- that's serious...
- You got some fucking nerve.

Nerve
and these nasty, nasty pictures

of your up-and-coming starlet.

Okay.

I'm gonna have to walk this up
to Mr. Hammersmith.

Be sure to send him my regards.

Mason

you've got an egg stain
on your tie.

Yeah, turns out it's mustard.

How was your Christmas?

Yeah, it came and went.

My wife's folks came by
on the day.

Her mom brought a fruitcake,

could have been used
by the pharaohs.

Kids cried
when I made them eat it.

You got a kid, right?

Yeah, lives with his mom.

Well, you spent Christmas
with them, right?

- No.
- Well, how come?

Are you, um,
lonely or something, Virgil?

He went out happy.

Well, if happy's drowning
in panties and a matching bra,

yeah, why not?

He was wearing man clothes
on the outside.

What's with that?

Oh, my next patient.

Kidnapping gone way wrong.

Worst thing you ever seen.

What do you know what I've seen?

How's this?

I like it better than the suit.

I got a domestic stabbing
with a three piece, if you want.

Mr. Mason,
in what capacity were you hired

- by the defense?
- I was hired

as a private investigator.

And is that,
these private investigations,

the current means
by which you earn a living?

You know it is, Fenton.

Um, pardon me.
Uh, yes, Mr. Bostwick.

Now,
am I correct in asserting

that you were recently cited
for assault?

- Mr. Mason.
- I'm sorry. What?

A complaint for assault.

- This is irrelevant, Your Honor.
- I'm sure

- that you resent this line...
- No, what I resent

is Alvin Rutherford
showing up repeatedly

and offering me pennies
on the dollar for a home

my father built
with his own hands.

Tragic, Mr. Mason, but assault?

I threw a cowpie at him.

That's funny.

However, far less amusing

is the dishonorable end
to your military career.

That has nothing to do
with this trial.

A blue discharge
for conduct unbecoming.

Would you care to elaborate
on that, Mr. Mason?

- Was that a mistake?
- Feel free to jump in, Frank.

Objection.

- Question of relevance.
- You're goddamn right.

Sustained.

- Watch the God talk, sir.
- Sorry.

Nothing further, Your Honor.

E.B. send you
'cause he thought I forgot

the way to the office?

The meeting's changed.

We're going to Pasadena now.

We are?
Fine, we can take my truck.

We could if the plan was to make
the world's worst impression.

Oh, I don't have to
plan for that.

That happens naturally.

I'll say, you were just four
words from contempt of court.

Go fuck yourself.
I could have got that in.

Thus demonstrating
your masterful knowledge

- of legal decorum.
- Frank Dillon is sitting there

like a monument to the useless
and the judge is concerned

with my decorum?
Why didn't he hold him

in contempt?
Because I sure as hell did.

Letting him dig into me
like that.

A fucking peanut vendor
would have known to object.

So many windmills,
so little time.

How are you today, Miss Street?

Peachy.

How are you, Mr. Mason?

I wasn't
expecting a congregation.

I rely on Miss Street

to keep the facts straight,
Herman.

Do you intend
to take notes, Miss?

That's generally what I do.

Unless you object.

And you're a detective,
Mr. Mason?

It's a fancy word
for a busybody, but yes.

We've been working together
since, uh... when was it?

Just after the war.

Gave him his first job back
from France,

- isn't that right, Perry?
- You served overseas?

With lots of other farm boys.

Mr. Mason was in the army,

survived
the Battle of the Argonne.

How can we help you,
Mr. Baggerly?

It's not me
that needs help, Mr. Mason.

Matthew and Emily Dodson,

an unspeakable act

was visited upon them,
they're quite overwhelmed.

Consider us at their service.

- Friends of yours?
- Members of my church.

Working people
without many resources.

Well, God has put you
in their path.

Is this a...

Radiant Assembly of God.

- Right. On the radio.
- Sister Alice.

A woman of wonder-working power.

I won't hesitate to say
that she changed my life.

Do the Dodsons know
you contacted me, Herman?

They're anxiously
awaiting your guidance, Elias.

What about the police?

How's that?

Well, they'll be
on this hammer and tongs.

Why not leave it to them?

I'll be frank, Mr. Mason.

I don't trust the Los Angeles
Police Department

to do the job that's needed.

Neither would I.

So you found this upstairs?

I told you, my wife did.

- I was at work.
- And she called you?

Yeah. Hysterical.

Why neither one of you
call the police?

Read the note.

You can read, can't you?

So your wife finds the note,
calls you, what she do next?

How should I know? Ask her.

We'll get to her in a minute.

You own a grocery store,

- much money in that?
- What?

Nice house for a grocer.

It can't be cheap to maintain.

What's that supposed to mean?

How long does it take to get

- from the grocery store to here?
- What difference does it make?

- Easy, Matthew...
- How am... Are you suggesting

I had something to do with it?
What the hell?

Just covering
all angles, Mr. Dodson.

Where was I? Who saw me?

I didn't kidnap my son.

- I didn't murder my own son.
- No one is saying you did.

Well, he is!
And he's dancing around,

but that's what
he fucking thinks.

Maybe this is a good time
for a little break.

Sound okay to you,
Detective Holcomb?

Yeah. Why not.

- Get some fresh air.
- It's all right.

You treated me like...
You can't...

- You can't just walk...
- Easy now, Matthew.

Let's have a little drink
of cold water, shall we?

Water. Right, great idea.

That'll fix everything.

It's all part of the process.

Are you the man
that works with Mr. Jonathan?

Yes, ma'am. Perry.

I'm Emily Dodson.

Charlie's mother.

Offer you a cigarette,
Mrs. Dodson?

If you promise not to tell
my husband.

Wouldn't dream of it.

Thank you.

You were in the war,
weren't you?

The way you hold your cigarette.

Hiding the ember in your palm.

I guess I'm still trained
not to give them

something to shoot at.

Was your husband over there?

Brother.

I haven't seen him
since we left Missouri.

I really wish they'd let me
clean in here.

All this fingerprint dust...

Can't help feeling that it
reflects poorly on me somehow.

Oh, I don't...
I don't think poorly of you.

God does.

That's why I'm being punished.

Do you have children, Mr. Perry?

It's... It's Mason.
Perry is my first name.

I have a son.

What's his name?

Theodore.

Teddy.

How old?

Nine in February.

Charlie likes turtles.

Liked.

What's your boy fond of?

Firetrucks.

I bet

nine is a good age for a boy.

So.

I'm sorry.

Yeah, fine,
he's a hothead,

but he's a little too touchy
if you ask me.

And her?

She was just sitting
downstairs the whole time?

She told the detectives
she gave the boy a bath,

put him to bed,
fell asleep by the fire

listening to the radio.

Actually,
she puts Charlie to bed,

goes downstairs
to clean up the kitchen,

goes back upstairs
to check on him

then goes downstairs
and falls asleep

listening to the radio.

She doesn't twitch an eyelid

while someone creeps
into her house

and nabs her kid?

- You think she's a drinker?
- No. She's a mother.

Feeding, changing,
burping, screaming,

you wouldn't last a minute.

Is this something
you know about?

Call it an educated guess.

All right.
You're the kidnapper,

you have to case that house
long enough to know.

Matthew's hours
at the grocery store,

the time Emily
gives Charlie the bath,

then puts him down,
then falls asleep herself,

unless you have someone
on the inside.

Oh, so you agree
with the police.

You think the Dodsons
had something to do with it.

- I'm not agreeing with anyone.
- I sure hope not.

I've stood with those two.

That's grief, not guilt.

I'm just pointing out
that someone knew

they were good
for a hundred grand.

How do you figure that
from a guy

who sells pickled cucumbers
and aftershave?

It's queer from both sides.

And the baby.

Someone stood over Charlie
and stitched those eyes.

Yeah, it's a dark tone,

long, long, deep, dark tone.

Wipe it off, gentles.

We do what we're asked to do.

Well, that's easy for you
to say.

Detectives aren't gonna like me
over their shoulder on this.

And I got a license
that could get pulled.

So you don't want the job?

Did I say that?

Bring me a signature
and a check.

Cheer up.

Someone might throw
a shoe at you.

And you, get your hands
off my liquor and yourself

down to the Angel's Flight
in the morning.

Be my eyes, son.

Time and a half.

- It's New Year's Eve.
- Earn it.

Very good, papi.

I think she's jealous of me.

Did you bring
some more of that tequila?

It's called mescal.

And if you want some,
you better get it yourself.

I ain't your fucking help.

Either take them off
or put them back on, papi.

Make up your mind.

What are you in a rush for?

- I need sleep.
- Sleep here.

I sleep in my own bed.

I'll give you 6,000
for this dump.

Six thousand
and she won't even sleep here.

It's a fair price.

It's a price.

It's a great fucking price.

You don't even have citrus.

You know I'm working this one.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

It's a big case.

You don't usually do the bigs.

I'm doing this one.

Six thousand five hundred.

Enjoy your bed.

I will.

And right there,
in that very window,

sat the boy's parents.

Watching, hoping,
tragically unaware

that their tiny innocent
was already ascending to heaven

in the clutches of this demon.

This instrument of death.

Thank you, ma'am.
Happy New Year, sir.

Looking for something?

Close the blinds, Steve.

Maybe I couldn't see him so good
and shot him by accident.

Look, fellas,
if I... interrupted

some sort of tender moment,
I sincerely apologize.

Guy's a laugh riot.

Take it easy with that thing.

What the hell
are you doing here, Mason?

You gotta know something stinks
around Dodson

or else you wouldn't be here.

Get paid to look into things.
That's what I'm doing.

Hell with this.
We got him on a B&E.

Let's run him in,
torch his license.

- Get the fuck off me!
- Settle down!

Ease up, goddammit.

You got something
says Dodson's clean,

you'll be doing him a favor
by letting us know.

Tiny innocent
was already ascending to heaven.

Right after the Dodsons
found little Charlie dead,

a green Phaeton goes
tearing up Hill Street,

clipped the trolley.

You think that's our kidnapper?

Where did you get
this Phaeton shit?

Traffic cop working
the bottom of the flight.

He didn't think anything of it
at the time

because most cops are stupid.

Go check it out.

Your ape almost broke my camera.

My ape would've broke your jaw.

- Here.
- What's that?

For the car thing.

Save it
for a better sketch artist.

Man in hat?
That sure narrows it down.

What about the guy on the phone
or the one in the car?

Halfway to Rio is my guess.

Is that why
you like Dodson for it?

Got to arrest somebody.

So you tie him up in a bow and
put yourself up for promotion.

- That's tidy.
- Listen to you,

pissing on my five bucks
because some sap thinks

you can play cop?

I already got the entire city
standing on my neck.

So you enjoy the view
while you're up here

with the real police
because I'm gonna nail Dodson.

And when I do,
you're back on the bottom,

feeding off runaways
and cheaters.

Lock up when you leave.

Tragically unaware

their tiny innocent
was already ascending to heaven.

Mason here, any messages?

Mr. Strickland called, read me

three paragraphs of something
called Lipstick Girl,

I did not write them down.

Anything else?

Just Walt LeBaron.

Hammersmith Pictures requests
the honor of your presence

at his New Year's party.

Two tickets for you at the
door, business to discuss.

All right. Thanks, Irma.

Diane, goddammit.

Yeah. Yeah, I know.

We got five minutes
and you owe me four bucks.

You said two.

Two for him, two for me.

That's four.

Happy New Year.

What the fuck am I doing here?

You're getting paid.

Looks like Groucho Marx.

Lovely ladies, kind gentlemen,
welcome.

1931 was gangbusters
for Hammersmith Pictures.

1932 is gonna be even better

because the brightest stars
in the sky live right here,

- Mr. Dusty Rogers...
- Oh, shit.

Hero of the prairies.

Shorter than I thought.

They must use really
small horses in the movies.

Ladies, how do you
like the continental...

Hey... What are you gonna do
with your 300?

I'm gonna get
a new pair of shoes.

Maybe somewhat...
Are you listening to me?

Mm-hmm.

I say something,
then you say something,

that's how conversation works,
Perry.

He's scaring the Jesus
out of me right now.

Mr. Petre Lupu.

I don't think you're getting
into the spirit of the thing.

I saw the kid, Pete.

The thread.

- You all right?
- Yeah.

If you should be
happening to be living

- next to Miss America.
- Yeah.

I call her the
sweetest piece of strudel I've ever seen.

I'll be back.

But you're gonna
call her Red, Miss Velma Fuller.

Oh, just a little, right there.

Oh, I'm sorry, Clara,
I can't help myself.

Anyway, listen.
Happy New Year...

No champagne tonight?

Just the cash, Walt.

Can we do it this year?

Go see a Hammersmith Picture.
Thank you all.

Okay, Mason.

Okay. Let's get you paid.

You know what we have here?

Plenty of nothing?

Ten thousand square foot of it.

Why? Because I'm waiting
on a ten-million-dollar line

of credit from the Irving Trust.

I liked it better
when we were bandits

on the land from the picture
patents company.

Let's see what you got.

With people starving
on breadlines.

The negatives?

They're somewhere safe.

Oh, okay.

Nice lighter.
Here's the thing

we said 200.

Six hundred is fair,

because I can get that
from the teller, easy.

Let me tell you how I see it.

People are desperate out there,
Mason.

They're starving,
scared, hopeless.

And for one little nickel,
what do we give them?

The two hours in the dark,

singing, dancing,

laughter, tears, romance

hope.

And here you come
on New Year's Eve

and what you wanna do

is take these poor suffering
people's hope away

- for 400 measly bucks?
- I can be flexible on the price.

It's not about the price.

It's the principle.

So

200 like we agreed

minus

199 for all the bullshit.

You need to think
about your actions.

You need to decide
what kind of person

you wanna be.

And the negatives

when you have a chance.

Fuck!

You get it?
Did you get the 600?

- There.
- The fuck is this, a dollar?

- I think I overplayed it.
- Oh, no, Christ.

- No, no, no.
- I'm sorry, Pete.

I got a family to feed.

And fuck you!

Relax, he'll be here.

He got a hot date maybe?

Uh-oh.
Touched a nerve.

I'm starting to think
he doesn't like us.

Why are you
still wearing that hat?

Your picture's
on every front page in town.

It's a fedora.

One and half million
in Los Angeles.

It looks good on me.

None of this
was part of the plan.

So jump off a pier
and swim to Tahiti.

I'll take your share.

My share of what? A noose?

No one's getting strung out.

I should've run.

The second I saw Charlie
done like that.

His eyes, Jesus.

I should've run.

We all should have.

But we didn't, did we, killer?

Evening, gentlemen.
Sorry I'm late.

Bunch of drunk Sambos blocking
up the road singing and dancing.

Spooks were so fucking happy,

I didn't have the heart
to crack any skulls.

Let's get this over with.

No Auld Lang Syne?

Okay.

What the fuck?

They made the car.

Fuck! Fuck!

Mailman said it's a stamp short,

wants me to pay for it.
I said I'd love to pay for it

except my bum of an ex
hasn't sent me money a month.

Yeah, it's been tight, you know?

I haven't... I don't know

why the fuck I am arguing
with you about this,

just put him on the phone.

He's already in bed.

Well, then, wake him up!

I'm his... I'm his father.

I get to talk to my son
on New Year's Eve.

That was already last year.

It's New Year's Day.

Put him on the fucking
phone, Linda.

How long have you
been standing there?

Long enough to see
you make a jackass of yourself.

She hung up on me.

You never call the ex
on New Year's Eve, papi.

Hello, operator?

Could I get, um,
a long distance call?

City of Salinas,
Axminster 7-7181.

What the hell happened to you?

All right. Well,
I was just on that line,

it is... it is the number
of a heartless woman,

but there is nothing wrong
with her ears,

so keep it ringing.

You know, my second husband
tracked me down to Caracas,

I had to pull
my little .22 on him.

They only shot the pendejo in...

Just a little longer, please?

Do you... Do you have kids,
operator?

You have a heart?

No heart.

Listen.

I'm flying straight to Oaxaca.

Knocking back some mescal,

chewing on chapulines by sunset
next to someone dumb

and good-looking next to me, so.

I thought of you.

Love, romance, excitement?

Hmm.

All of... All of life's
big thrills.

Maybe you can get
cleaned up first.

Everybody's up to something.

Everybody's got an angle,
hiding something.

And everybody is guilty.

They don't make these things
so good.

Poor papi.

There is a black angel
out there.

A big, big, black angel

with long fingers.

Oh, fuck.

So you like turtles?

The deck
was stacked from the start.

Three guys, three stiffs.
According to the cops,

- that's it.
- That seem likely to you?

Charlie Dodson, may this temple
crumble if we fail you.

No one wants this case.

This one's really got its hooks
in me.

Someone under our roof,
capable of such acts of evil,

- it has shaken our church.
- It's shaken all of us.

The district attorney

is eyeballing the mayor's seat.

We're gonna run him over
like a streetcar.

The perpetrators
will be quickly put down.

Justice for Charlie Dodson!

Mr. Mason's evidence
is coming up short.

You're pulling this out
of your ass, boy-o.

Oh, that I agree with.

The cops barely investigated
the case.

- I'm the lawyer here!
- Then act like one, goddammit!

This case is getting to you.

You're a detective,
did I hear wrong, Mr. Mason?

You guys are breaking
so many laws right now.

- This is over!
- I'm not done yet!

The hell are you doing here?

Just looking for justice.