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Reviews
Perry Mason: The Case of the Double-Entry Mind (1962)
Stu Erwin Is Unforgettable
Veteran actor, and real life school principal, Stuart Erwin plays Clem Sandover, an out of character role that makes the most of his ability to portray seemingly harmless fuss-budgets while falling head-over-heel for someone way out of his league. He plays the role so well that his infatuation with knock-out Kathleen Hughes, playing as Lita Krail, is believable as well as pathetic. The story is unusual in that there seems to be more of Stu Erwin than Raymond Burr on screen.
Erwin is well-supported by a cast that includes talented Paul Tripp, the slightly devious boss who is trying to keep a secret. The remainder of the cast is also strong making for an enjoyable show - and one certainly out of the ordinary.
Actually the antics of Stu Erwin eclipse the actual mystery which almost seems secondary as there were not many suspects. This was a special treat for Stuart Erwin fans as it displays his acting ability in a number of situations.
Perry Mason: The Case of the Skin-Deep Scandal (1993)
Quality Acting Really Shows
Unlike some of the Perry TV movies, this episode stands out because it is well-populated by motion picture actors like David Warner, Tippi Hedren, and Polly Bergen who can make any script into something magic. The story is not particularly engaging but for the superb acting. The end result is very good and it is nice to see these faces from the silver screen.
Perry Mason: The Case of the Ruthless Reporter (1991)
Story OK - Let down by acting
A familiar story-line punctuated by more than usual action scenes, the performance was let down by the casting. Apart from the regulars and Jerry Ohrbach, the list of guest stars was very underwhelming - too many castaways from daytime television.
Perry Mason: The Case of the Desperate Deception (1990)
What a cast!
This story couldn't miss as it featured several big screen stars - and big ones at that: Teresa Wright (Mrs Miniver), Ian Bannen (Flight of the Phoenix), and the still-stunning and almost too-beautiful Yvette Mimieux (The Time Machine and countless others). And that they could act is an understatement. Part of the wonder of the original Perry Mason series was the creative use of senior movie stars. Here that was carried through with great effect - a wonderful relief from the mediocrity of soap opera actors who frequently populate low-budget made-for-TV movies.
The story itself was somewhat reminiscent of A Place Called Midnight in the original black and white series. But here there were many new twists but still with the sinister darkness of the Nazis at every turn.
This is well worth a watch for Mason fans.
Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin (1989)
Too many escapees from soap operas
A story that is so slow moving that only a soap opera actor could perform. That is exactly what the audience gets. With the exception of Shari Belafonte, the cast is not exactly replete of motion picture or stage actors. In that respect, the glacially paced plot is perfectly cast. Beyond that, not much to add except that the story is best characterised as obvious.
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson (1989)
Brian Keith adds some class to this episode
The original Perry Mason series in the 1950s-1960s routinely featured major motion picture stars from the 1930s and 1940s. Not only were these marvelous actors but they matched Raymond Burr who was also a very experienced and talented motion picture actor. This episode featured Brian Keith who was no stranger to the big screen. Unfortunately the cast is otherwise populated by the mediocrity that is known as daytime television.
Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel (1987)
Boring only because of the acting
Unlike the original series of the late 1950s and early 1960s, that featured many highly respected motion picture actors, these made for TV movies instead draw upon the very limited talents of soap opera performers. The result is precisely what might be expected. The soap opera actors perform according to a formula without subtlety or nuance. The result is what would be expected - stiff performances played according to formula. These TV films are okay but only for soap opera aficionados. Even Ray Burr seems to have lost his edge
Perry Mason: The Case of the Carefree Coronary (1965)
Perry in a different role
Instead of Mason for the defense, here Perry is hired by an insurance company to conduct an investigation or audit of claims. Hamilton Burger appears but only as an observer as Mason tries to unravel the situation and disentangle himself from misconduct allegations. Paul Drake, as usual, plays a major role. The story line is unusual but gripping with excellent performances that match the writing.
Perry Mason: The Case of the 12th Wildcat (1965)
Lots of Memories for Football Fans
The members of the football team in this episode were actually members of the LA Rams - footballers playing footballers. They didn't have much dialogue but they had screen credit for depicting themselves