The Case of the Black Cat

IMDb RATING

6.3/10

809

YOUR RATING

Ricardo Cortez and June Travis in The Case of the Black Cat (1936)

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Legal Drama Mystery

A bedridden eccentric millionaire, anticipating his own murder, hires Mason to help him rewrite his will, and the lawyer ends up defending the caretaker's cat.A bedridden eccentric millionaire, anticipating his own murder, hires Mason to help him rewrite his will, and the lawyer ends up defending the caretaker's cat.A bedridden eccentric millionaire, anticipating his own murder, hires Mason to help him rewrite his will, and the lawyer ends up defending the caretaker's cat.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.3/10

809

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
Reportedly, Erle Stanley Gardner, the author of the books, did not approve of the casting of Ricardo Cortez as Perry Mason. He, therefore, was replaced by Donald Woods after doing only one movie. Ironically, many feel that Cortez's performance and this movie, in general, are the best of the series.

Goofs
The so-called "black" cat of the title is, in fact, a gray, brown, and white calico; hence, the original title of the novel "The Case of the Caretaker's Cat" would have been more appropriate and more logical.

Quotes
Della Street: [seated at a booth in the waffle house] Are you tickling my ankle?
Perry Mason: You think I would?
Della Street: I know you are.
[looks down and sees Clinker]
Della Street: Oh!
[picks him up, looks at Perry]
Della Street: I'm sorry, I really thought that was you.
Perry Mason: Well, it's not a bad idea.

Connections
Followed by The Case of the Stuttering Bishop (1937)

User reviews32

Featured review

8/10

Ricardo Cortez made an extremely charming Perry Mason

I admit that I am a hopeless Perry Mason fan. When I was a girl, our family gathered around the TV set every Friday to watch Raymond Burr outwit Hamilton Burger. So when I had a chance to buy the DVD for this movie from e-bay I did it thinking it would be a B movie and that was that. I was very agreeably surprised. Ricardo Cortez made a very, very charming Perry Mason. My first introduction to Mr. Cortez was in an old Bette Davis movie wherein he played a snaky villain. We forget that in those days they had such a thing as good acting so I just thought he was the quiet, sneaky type. But in this Perry Mason movie he is utterly adorable. And it has a pretty fair plot too with quite a neat surprise at the end. I agree with the other comment I too do not understand why they did not make other movies with Mr. Cortez in this role.