Perry Mason: Arringa finale

If you like Perry Mason stories (and I once owned 86 PM books), you will be happy to see these resurrection stories. They do have one missing element: the tag at the end, when all the characters discuss the mystery and how it was solved.

One thing I do not like AT ALL in these new stories: Ken Malansky is the most incompetent, stupid, bumbling, and ridiculous investigator imaginable. In every show he goes into dark interiors alone, in every show he gets beat up at least once, in every show he gets information and then decides to NOT call police or share with anyone, but just go off half-cocked on some chase.

This is the first movie with William R. Moses ("Falcon Crest") starring as Ken Malansky (nobody can remember this name !) supporting lawyer Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) and Della Street (Barbara Hale) during murder cases.

He enters the series by being accused of murder. But we know, Perry will defend him and proof his innocence ! This is interesting and nice enough for an evening in front of your TV at home.

Of course we will miss William Katt as Perry's assistant, but you will like William R. Moses, too.

Raymond Burr returns as Perry Mason, this time defending young law student Ken Malansky of the murder of a fellow student.

This episode introduces William R. Moses as Malansky, who in future stories would take over the job of Mason's law associate and investigative legman.

Alexandra Paul also debuts, for a much shorter stay as Ken's "fiance", Amy Hastings.

The story follows the same tried and true formula as all Mason stories tend to do with the guilty party exposed in court at the end. In this case the histrionics were exceedingly effective when the guilty party was revealed.

I have always had the feeling the producers had planned to make Amy and Ken a sort of younger version of Mason and Della Street, but upping the romance angle. Sadly, Alexandra Paul made the decision to leave before the plan could come to fruition.

All in all an above average entry in the series and well worth your time.

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.

First, I confess that I'm not as fond of the Mason revival TV movies as the original series. I especially enjoy the early episodes from the late Fifties, which for me had more edge than the TV movies from the 80s and 90s. Perhaps it's the chronologic proximity and the black & white look that recalls the film noir ethos that I find compelling. Whatever the case, I'm making my way through the Mason TV movies and this one may be the best yet. I've seen about a dozen of them, somewhat out of order, so the introduction and evolution of the Malansky character is a little obscure for me. But this entry had a swiftly-moving, if improbable, story, all done with considerable brio. And the romantic subplot was presented with a nicely comic touch and well integrated into the main story. Best of all was Alexandra Paul as Malansky's girlfriend, who more or less steals the movie. Burr is solid as always but isn't given that much to do. It's really Moses and Paul's movie. In sum, I give this one a fairly solid seven stars.