When I sat down to watch this film, I wondered briefly how I would react to it. Raymond Burr’s portrayal of Perry Mason has become so iconic, it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role(think Monte Markham). Warren William, in fact, was the first to take on the defense attorney made famous by Erle Stanley Gardner just the year before this film was made. Based on the fourth novel in the series, I haven’t yet read the novel(in fact will read it this week for a Reading Forgotten Books post Friday).
The Mason in this film is different from what I was used to in the books or television. He seems to have a large firm with a number of lawyers working for him who handle most of the pedestrian cases and an army of detectives to carry out his investigations(no Paul Drake in this first one, though he joins the films in the next one, reduced to the comic sidekick, Spudsy Drake). Not seen any other of the films in the series and from what I read, they descended into a string of one liners from Mason, more comedy than mystery(the Spudsy Drake character mentioned). William departed after four and two other actors took the role for the last pair of films.
A man named Cartwright wants Perry to handle his will, asking him a number of questions about making out a will, and please do something about that howling dog next door as well. He wants to leave his wealth to the woman living next door as Clinton Foley’s wife, though she wasn’t. He wanted to make sure it didn’t go to the real Mrs. Foley. He leaves a ten thousand dollar retainer, in cash, to Mason and departs.
The next day, Mason gets the will special delivery and changes have been made. The REAL Mrs. Foley has now been made beneficiary. Intrigued, Mason looks into it. Foley claims Cartwright has ran off with his wife and the dog, named Prince, has never howled in it’s life.
In the next few days, Foley is murdered, as well as his dog, the real Mrs. Foley(played by Mary Astor) ends up charged with the crime. But not before Mason has found her, thrown his usual monkey wrenches into things, and the case goes to trial. The murder weapon was bought by Mrs. Foley two days before the shooting of her husband, a fact she neglected to mention. A cab driver drove her to the house just before the murder. Foley’s housekeeper is suspicious, awfully young and attractive.
And the ending is a bit ambiguous. Did Bessy Foley murder her husband or not? She’s been found not guilty, but Mason has an awfully smug look on his face as he turns a police dog found in a nearby kennel that seems chummy with the widow as he tells her not to call him Prince.
One miscue that I caught early in the film was, on Cartwright’s initial visit to Mason, he complains about a dog constantly howling, Mason, on the excuse of getting an associate to hear his story, runs next door bring a psychiatrist in to check his sanity. Mason refers to the police dog story and for the rest of the picture, the dog is referred to in that manner.
Enjoyed this one. Surprisingly.
This movie is completely forgotten to me, Randy. Thanks for the review.
Definitely one I’ve never seen. I actually have watched only a few of the other Perry mason shows. I used to watch Ironsides, though.
Have read the book (last year) but have not seen the film. Your description of the plot is pretty much as I remember it, some details different. Is the Della Street character in the film? I liked the book pretty well though it’s got some preposterous moments…
Yes, Richard, Della Street is in the film. In fact, she is the one that retrieves the handkerchief from the cab driver that Mason uses to discredit his testimony. Reading the book now and the film is pretty close, just minor changes so far.
I am a big fan of Warren Williams even if I haven’t seen most of his films. I knew he’d played Perry Mason at some point but I don’t think I’ve managed to see any of those movies either. I’m going to look for this one because I like your review and I LOVE the vintage book cover. I’m very big on vintage, too. I’ve currently got several Perry Mason books (mostly in anthologies) on hold at the library – whatever they had in stock, which isn’t much, actually. I’d love it if this was one of them. I’ll have to doublecheck.
Thanks for a great review.
I doubt I could see anyone other than Burr is the role but it would be fun to watch it.
As you might remember, Randy, Gardner took a strong hand with the MASON tv series in part because he resented the deviations and trivialization of this film version…sounds like you could sympathize.
This one wasn’t bad, Todd. From what I can find on the others, I doubt I would enjoy them. Sound rather silly to me, the producers’ idea I would assume. Maybe they were trying to cash in on the Thin Man series.
They were definitely trying to copy the THIN MAN style by the time they got to the second film in the series, but to be honest I think it really works on its own terms. Gardner seems to have had a bit if a hangup about spouses turning out not being married after all as its the basis for CURIOUS BRIDE as well.