The camaraderie and sardonic wit between Raymond Burr's Perry Mason and Barbara Hale's Della Street always rescues even the corniest of murder mysteries, such as when she wryly gives him info on their latest case, ending with a sarcastic "sir" to which he responds dryly, "You forgot to salute". The love they have for each other as long time colleagues on and off the screen is obvious, and it's too bad in these movies, she's often relegated to being the drop line dame, on and off far too quickly in her few scenes.
Her real life son William Katt is Mason's much younger partner, running the firm while Perry's in judges robes. But Mason constantly gets off the bench when a challenging case comes up, and in this case, he's defending airman Larry Wilcox who was previously found guilty of murder, something the ethical Perry is certain he's innocent of.
This has a huge supporting cast, mainly unknowns, but Patty Duke is the big guest star as the wife of factory owner Charles Siebert, both of whom have different alibis that don't match their spouse's claims. David Ogden Steirs as the prosecutor is a tough rival to Perry, making me wonder what their professional relationship would be with Perry as judge. It's a typical Mason entry, nothing exceptional, but frequently fun.
Her real life son William Katt is Mason's much younger partner, running the firm while Perry's in judges robes. But Mason constantly gets off the bench when a challenging case comes up, and in this case, he's defending airman Larry Wilcox who was previously found guilty of murder, something the ethical Perry is certain he's innocent of.
This has a huge supporting cast, mainly unknowns, but Patty Duke is the big guest star as the wife of factory owner Charles Siebert, both of whom have different alibis that don't match their spouse's claims. David Ogden Steirs as the prosecutor is a tough rival to Perry, making me wonder what their professional relationship would be with Perry as judge. It's a typical Mason entry, nothing exceptional, but frequently fun.