All The Qualities Of A Little Man

[George Schiro]

I've been watching black-and-white Perry Mason episodes lately. I couldn't
help but notice how "The Case of the Vagabond Vixen" opens with a less than
attractive married movie producer (Edgar) seducing a pretty young woman with
phony promises of acting opportunities.

Surely such scenarios have been playing out since women first appeared on
stage - more than 3 centuries ago. No doubt, had women been allowed to act
among the ancient Greeks, Weinsteinian play moguls would have been common
then too. It struck me also how this behavior was so casually accepted as to
be expected 60+ years ago (as depicted in an old TV show).

I was reminded of something else in the same episode.

Just now creeping into casual acceptance among political leadership (and a
disturbing fraction of its plebeians):

PM) Did Mr. Addison tell you what he'd found?

LF) No. He was very vague. So I assumed he'd surprised
Edgar with some woman and, well, was trying to keep
a man-to-man silence about it (spoken with mirth).

PM) What's so amusing?

LF) You'd have to know Edgar to appreciate it. He was
overflowing in all the qualities of a little man:

petty, mean, a sneak, revengeful.

To think of him as a lothario (laughs), well ...