Perry Mason: The Case of the Lost Love

Of the series of TV-movies based on the Erle Stanley Gardner creation, as well as the popular television drama from the 50's and 60's, this is one of the best. Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale continue with their famous roles of Perry and his girl Friday, Della Street, assisted by William Katt (Hale's real-life son) as the detective son of Paul Drake, played in the original by the late William Hopper.

In this teleflick, Mason must defend Gene Barry who plays the husband of Jean Simmons, a Congressional hopeful and former love of the robust attorney. Because of the additional time alloted this presentation, there is a bit of action with Katt's character being the "leg man" that must get out in the field and drum up evidence that will prove Burr's client innocent.

With a cast of old pros like this one has, along with television stalwarts David Ogden Stiers ("M*A*S*H*"), Gordon Jump ("WKRP in Cincinnati"), Jonathan Banks ("Wiseguy"), and Robert Mandan ("Soap"), this is one of the better acted of the film series that ran for nine years, culminating with the death of Burr.

Though it plods along at times, the movie still holds the interest, all the way up to the surprising denouement.

Not usually a fan of this series, I was pleasantly surprised by the great acting (esp. Simmons/Burr) and mildly entertaining story line.

However I would still bracket this type of television with 'Murder She Wrote' and 'Father Dowling Mysteries' as being large unpalatable but pleasant in small doses - when its raining :)

When a long time Senator dies, the race is open for a replacement to finish his term. Favourite for the job is corporate lawyer Laura Robertson (an old flame of Perry Mason's). However a few weeks before the announcements, Laura's husband Glenn is called to a mysterious meeting by Luke Dickson, who is asking for $50k to conceal evidence of Laura's treatment for mental problems. When Luke Dickson is found dead, Glenn is arrested and Laura employs Mason to help defend him. Meanwhile Paul Drake's investigation into Dickson is hampered by the interference of a mysterious man.

Although this film sticks to the usual formula for the Mason movies, it is easily one of the better films mainly because it tries to go for a better plot and characterisation than the other ones. Here there is a certain amount of solid subplot as Mason and Laura clearly are still affectionate while Glenn is openly hostile about Perry's reintroduction into their lives (or rather her life). This is well played out without being more than a subplot and it adds a layer to the usual fare of Mason and Drake's investigation. Those who have a strong dislike of the usual Mason plotting will not be won over by this, but it is better than usual. Drake's side of things is not as clear as it could have been but still serves to lift the pace of the film somewhat (but attempts to give him a bit of relationship back story are strangely misjudged).

Burr is good and clearly rises to the opportunity to a bit more actual acting than he usually gets to do with Mason (most of the time he is simply do a character as opposed to emoting or anything). Barry is good and has a nice steady frostiness when with Burr; similarly the actress playing Laura has a nice chemistry with Burr - one thing I would like to have seen was more of Della (Hale) in order to see how she reacted to this new spark in his life, sadly the film doesn't go that far from the formula. A few familiar faces are in the support cast including a typical sleazy Banks and a quite amusing turn from Walden in the witness box. Stiers is on good form and is still one of the better DA's in the Mason series.

Overall I found this to be one of the best of the Mason films I have seen, even though it still uses the same formula. The relationship history between Mason and Laura creates a better story than usual and it raises the film a notch. Combine this with better than usual acting and an ending that actually is quite good (as opposed to `oh, it's so-and-so' coming out of nowhere) and you have a Mason film that may not be a great movie but certainly is one of the best of the Mason series.

Although this movie manages to hold the interest up to the -unexpected, it is the truth-finale, I would not recommend it. The reason is that it is a 'conservative' and very typical film, made for the taste of the ordinary American TV spectator, which presents an unimportant mixture between police adventures and court dramas.

Raymond Burr congratulates Jean Simmons. She is about to be appointed a senator to fill a vacancy. However, a private detective tells her husband, Gene Barry, that unless he gets $30,000, he'll release proof that Miss Simmons had spent time in a mental institution a few years earlier. When the detective is found dead, and Mr. Barry's cigarette case and fingerprints are found in his room, Barry is on trial for murder. Good thing Perry Mason is a family friend. His clients are rendered innocent by his presence on a case, and random strangers confess in the courtroom.

It's the fourth TV movie that Raymond Burr starred in, reviving his handling of Erle Stanley Gardner's lawyer-sleuth from the classic TV show. He's still aided by Barbara Hale as Della Street, and there's some catty remarks between the two ladies. Donald Ogden Stiers plays the self-assured ADA who will get his surprise drubbing in court. The mystery is a good one and it's a pleasure to see these old pros going through their numbers.