To get the return value of the program, you need to check $? & 127:
system "true";
echo $? & 127;

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If you need the "result" of the system command, get the return value:
print system "does-not-exist";
print system "true";
print system "false";

[download]
The results are -1, 0 and 256. Not really good, but here you get -1 in case of any kind of execution error.
I agree that this behaviour isn't good at all and the documentation doesn't seem to match the reality. Sorry for this.

In reply to Re: system and $? by Sewi
in thread system and $? by rovf

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