Beautiful lady (Ina Balin) is pursued by a very evil looking man (Eric Braeden). She makes her way to Mannix's office after hours. She eventually tells him she is Lisa Ralph daughter of a recently. deceased German social democrat. Mannix eventually realizes the beautiful lady is not Lisa Ralph but a friend of hers last named Stephan. Amidst all this intrigue is an original copy of the Das Kapital written by the terrible Karl Marx himself (see my reviews on bad Mash). This is episode is brilliantly acted and written. A winner!
5 Reviews
JOE IS REALLY IN THE SHADOWS....
tcchelsey10 May 2023
After all these decades, I don't know if it was a running gag on the show, but Joe was saddled with one too MANY clients who did not tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but.
Subsequently, the more lies, the more trouble hangs over Joe. Count on it. His client, in this case, happens to be very beautiful Ina Balin (playing Julia). The big question is she a serial liar, or is there something really serious about to unfold? Bottom line, Julia claims someone is trying to kill her, not to forget the Russian agents? A bit of MISSION IMPOSSIBLE European flavor here.
The opening wild car chase, outside the Griffith Park Observatory is classic Mannix 101.
Ina Balin was quite popular on tv, later to appear many times on QUINCY. Her claim to fame, though, has to be co-starring opposite Elvis Presley in CHARRO (1969), the ONLY film Elvis did not sing, though his acting is commendable. The film received bad reviews for this, although it made money and Balin was quite good which probably got her lots of tv work.
Playing the international man of intrigue is none other than Eric Braeden (as Victor), future soap opera star, a smooth tv villain, and always dressed to impress. Karl Tinberg wrote this episode, behind BEN HUR, nominated for two Oscars. Tinberg made this more of a character study (and what characters!), all about a priceless manuscript and the strange people drawn to it. The only debit is why Joe would go through all this trouble with someone who will not fess up.
I will still give it 9 Stars, especially the ending.
Good direction by Paul Krasny, who mastered 28 episodes, also many for MISSION IMPOSSIBLE. Paul was also known for HART TO HART.
Sit back and enjoy two veteran actors. SEASON 5 EPISODE 5 remastered color CBS/Paramount dvd box set.
Subsequently, the more lies, the more trouble hangs over Joe. Count on it. His client, in this case, happens to be very beautiful Ina Balin (playing Julia). The big question is she a serial liar, or is there something really serious about to unfold? Bottom line, Julia claims someone is trying to kill her, not to forget the Russian agents? A bit of MISSION IMPOSSIBLE European flavor here.
The opening wild car chase, outside the Griffith Park Observatory is classic Mannix 101.
Ina Balin was quite popular on tv, later to appear many times on QUINCY. Her claim to fame, though, has to be co-starring opposite Elvis Presley in CHARRO (1969), the ONLY film Elvis did not sing, though his acting is commendable. The film received bad reviews for this, although it made money and Balin was quite good which probably got her lots of tv work.
Playing the international man of intrigue is none other than Eric Braeden (as Victor), future soap opera star, a smooth tv villain, and always dressed to impress. Karl Tinberg wrote this episode, behind BEN HUR, nominated for two Oscars. Tinberg made this more of a character study (and what characters!), all about a priceless manuscript and the strange people drawn to it. The only debit is why Joe would go through all this trouble with someone who will not fess up.
I will still give it 9 Stars, especially the ending.
Good direction by Paul Krasny, who mastered 28 episodes, also many for MISSION IMPOSSIBLE. Paul was also known for HART TO HART.
Sit back and enjoy two veteran actors. SEASON 5 EPISODE 5 remastered color CBS/Paramount dvd box set.
Needlessly complicated but worth seeing.
planktonrules1 December 2014
The episode begins with a woman (Ina Balin) being chased by a handsome guy (Eric Braeden). She escapes and soon arrives in Mannix' office. She explains that she's Lisa Ralph and gives him a story filled with lies. The only thing that isn't a lie is that she is afraid because she's being pursued by someone. Later, Mannix learns that she's a Lying McLiar-face. Then, she feeds him a whole bunch of other lies. When he discovers that she's lying she finally comes clean--and this is the HUGE problem with this episode. While it's an enjoyable show, there are so many lies before the real plot gets moving that it felt really contrived. Plus, what detective would continue working with a client who continually lied (unless they are working for a politician-- when such behavior is expected)? Enjoyable eventually but not a particularly well written episode.
Joe has a lying client - who woulda thought?
Guad4217 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The plot has been covered by others so a few observations. It is amazing how many lying clients Joe attracts. This particular one, Ina Balin, lies as easily as she breathes. She is not doing it for vindictive reasons as her motives are pure but if she had just come clean in the beginning, the case would have been so much easier. Her good friend, the real Julia Stefen, is dead and you would think that would make the client do all she could to help Joe get to the bottom of it. Her lying makes it hard to be on her side. Joe manages to get her a happy ending.
The acting is up to the usual Mannix standards. Ina Balin is good here. She died much too young. Of note is Eric Braeden. I always enjoy watching him. Regardless of the role, he projects a certain sophistication. You can't help but like him, at least a little, even as the bad guy German in Rat Patrol. See him in the old Hawaii Five-0 episode "The Second Shot". Excellent. In this outing, despite playing a Russian agent, he turns out to be alright. He was busy doing guest shots on many shows back then and it is too bad this is only Mannix appearance. There were several episodes that would have benefited from his presence.
Yet another episode with "Shadow" or a derivative in the title. I need to do a count sometime.
Joe probably didn't get paid again. Maybe the State Dept will cover his expenses. They should, Joe did them a solid on this one. An average episode but the guest stars make it worthwhile.
The acting is up to the usual Mannix standards. Ina Balin is good here. She died much too young. Of note is Eric Braeden. I always enjoy watching him. Regardless of the role, he projects a certain sophistication. You can't help but like him, at least a little, even as the bad guy German in Rat Patrol. See him in the old Hawaii Five-0 episode "The Second Shot". Excellent. In this outing, despite playing a Russian agent, he turns out to be alright. He was busy doing guest shots on many shows back then and it is too bad this is only Mannix appearance. There were several episodes that would have benefited from his presence.
Yet another episode with "Shadow" or a derivative in the title. I need to do a count sometime.
Joe probably didn't get paid again. Maybe the State Dept will cover his expenses. They should, Joe did them a solid on this one. An average episode but the guest stars make it worthwhile.
A dull episode except for the ending
pkfloydmh26 August 2021
This one is about a woman who thinks someone is trying to kill her.
There isn't much energy or excitement as the episode consists mostly of Joe trying to convince his client to tell him the truth and negotiating the sale of the manuscript with Gruniev. All of it is very tedious and uninteresting and the idea that Joe would continue to meet with his client after she lied to him several times and walked out on him is implausible. Her dumb accent is also very annoying and I was tired of it after a few lines.
There are no fight scenes, which only adds to the misery.
The action scene at the end is pretty good and worth seeing, but there's nothing else to recommend in this otherwise dull episode.
Season five has been very disappointing so far.
There isn't much energy or excitement as the episode consists mostly of Joe trying to convince his client to tell him the truth and negotiating the sale of the manuscript with Gruniev. All of it is very tedious and uninteresting and the idea that Joe would continue to meet with his client after she lied to him several times and walked out on him is implausible. Her dumb accent is also very annoying and I was tired of it after a few lines.
There are no fight scenes, which only adds to the misery.
The action scene at the end is pretty good and worth seeing, but there's nothing else to recommend in this otherwise dull episode.
Season five has been very disappointing so far.
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