Perry Mason - Season One, Vols. 1 & 2
by Andrew V. McLaglen, Anton Leader, Arthur Hiller, Arthur Marks, Buzz Kulik
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Barbara Hale, Ray Collins, Raymond Burr, William Hopper, William TalmanDirector: Andrew V. McLaglen, Anton Leader, Arthur Hiller, Arthur Marks, Buzz Kulik
Brand: PARAMOUNT PICTURES
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Black & White, Box set, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
DVD Release Date: 2006-11-21
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: CBS Television
Movie Reviews of Perry Mason - Season One, Vols. 1 & 2
Movie Review: The Original Courtroom Drama
Summary: 5 Stars
Perry Mason Season One Volumes 1 & 2
The "Perry Mason" TV show lasted nine seasons, a record in that era. Erle Stanley Gardner was "the World's Greatest Author" in his time, his books outsold the combined totals of his competitors. His plots were as stylized as baseball games. The original novels would educate readers with examples from law and science, or new technology. The TV films were the simplified and condensed versions of the novels, or new material. Some later episodes had a formula with a surprise confession in the last minutes. "Perry Mason" never lost a case. Gardner generally avoided political corruption in his stories. No story dealt with a false confession (as in the 1947 movie "Boomerang"). Gardner founded "The Court of Last Resort" to exonerate the convicted innocent.
These thirty-nine TV films from 1957-1958 are mainly based on the novels, which were simplified. The books are more complete and informative. The stories are about life that is not experienced by most people. The books can tell you why certain things are done, the films only show you what happened. The books tell you about "ropers", rough or smooth shadows, and how to evade surveillance and avoid leaving a back trail. Some may question the legality and ethics of Perry Mason's tactics but most stories were written before the modern legal rules of the 1960s. The backgrounds tell about life in Los Angeles. It is difficult to film a scene at night but easy to describe it in a book. The seeming reality of these stories is due in part to characters who don't look like Hollywood actors.
The theme music is typical for the late 1950s. Note the style of clothing and culture; ladies wore white gloves. People seldom lock their doors. The prices date these films (35 cents for hamburger with fries). One advantage is seeing the many automobiles from the 1950s. How many can you identify? Note the slimness of people then, and the casual handling of pistols. Smoking was very common [a tobacco sponsor]. Watch how the actors express their emotions by their facial expressions. The camera sharpness and quality is excellent on these films.. There is nothing like these dramatic stories on today's broadcast TV. When was the last time you saw a trial lawyer as a hero? These stories often use the misinterpretation of circumstantial evidence to provide dramatic effects. The courtroom scenes are usually the Preliminary Hearings, not a trial. A story from a novel has its year; the others were created for TV. The titles begin with "The Case of the ".
These list the 19 episodes in Volume 1, and the 20 episodes in Volume 2. All titles begin with "The Case of the ". The "Crimson Kiss" was from an earlier magazine story.
Restless Redhead (1954); Sleepwalker's Niece (1936);
Nervous Accomplice (1955); Drowning Duck (1942).
Sulky Girl (1933); Silent Partner (1940);
Angry Mourner (1957); Crimson Kiss (1971).
Vagabond Virgin (1948); Runaway Corpse (1954);
Crooked Candle (1944); Negligent Nymph (1950).
Moth-Eaten Mink (1952); Baited Hook (1940);
Fan Dancer's Horse (1947); Demure Defendant (1956).
Sun Bather's Diary (1955); Cautious Coquette (1949);
Haunted Husband (1941).
Lonely Heiress (1948); Green-Eyed Sister (1953);
Fugitive Nurse (1954); One-Eyed Witness (1951).
Deadly Double ; Empty Tin (1941);
Half-Wakened Wife (1945); Desperate Daughter .
Daring Decoy (1957); Hesitant Hostess (1953);
Screaming Woman (1957); Fiery Fingers (1951).
Substitute Face (1938); Long-Legged Models (1958);
Gilded Lily (1956); Lazy Lover (1947).
Prodigal Parent ; Black-Eyed Blonde (1944);
Terrified Typist (1956); Rolling Bones (1939).
Summary of Perry Mason - Season One, Vols. 1 & 2
Perry Mason is an attorney who specializes in defending seemingly indefensible cases. With the aid of his secretary Della Street and investigator Paul Drake he often finds that by digging deeply into the facts startling facts can be revealed. Often relying on his outstanding courtroom skills he often tricks or traps people into unwittingly admitting their guilt.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 097361196848 Manufacturer No: 119684Similar DVD Movies
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