perry mason movie collection volume 3A good defense lawyer is always in demand. When you are as good as Perry Mason (played by Raymond Burr) you can write your own ticket. He is like the Harlem Globetrotters of defense attourneys in that I cannot remember the last time he lost a case. Besides his steel trap of a mind, Mason can also rely on the help of his secretary Della Street (played by Barbara Hale) and attourney Ken Malansky (played by William R. Moses). In these six television movies, Mason travels to wherever the crime takes place and makes sure the innocent but accused person gets the best defense possible.

 

The Case of the Poisoned Pen:

At a mystery writers conference an author is murdered and it becomes a whodunit like the books they write. Famous crime writer Bradley Thompson (played by David Warner) is found poisoned and his ex-wife, Martha Robertson (played by Barbara Babcock), is arrested and accused of his murder. Defense lawyer Perry Mason is brought into the case because Della and Ken were at the conference. Plus Della is a friend of Barbara’s. After taking the case Perry begins to realize that many had a reason to kill Bradley Thompson as he was plagiarizing everyone’s work.

 

The Case of the Desperate Deception:

In Paris Captain David Berman (played by Tim Ryan) has taken the assignment to work there in the hopes of finding a former SS officer who worked at the concentration camp his mother was held at that had a hand in killing his grandparents and injuring his mother. When he gets a tip about the location of the SS Officer, who now goes by the name of Felix Altmann (played by Jeremy Hawk), from a mysterious man (played by Paul Freeman), David cannot help himself and goes to see Altmann. While with the man the former SS officer is shot and killed. David is blamed for the death and as such is arrested.

 

Back in the United States Perry Mason receives a call from David’s mother (played by Teresa Wright) asking him to defend her son against the murder charge. Perry and Ken fly to Paris to begin the investigation. Secrets that have been kept for forty-five years start to be revealed and it becomes a real mystery.

 

The Case of the Silenced Singer:

On the cusp of starting a big concert tour, singer Terri Knight (played by Vanessa Williams) is feeling the stress and takes it out on her manager/husband Jack Barnett (played by Tim Reid).  During a big fight at their apartment she claws at her face and he slaps her. After she calms down she takes a nap sending Jack to retrieve her throat spray. When Jack returns Terri is in bed and he just lets her sleep.

 

Two police officers arrive at the apartment saying that they have been phoned about a fight happening in the apartment so are there to check things out. Jack admits they fought but it is over. The female officer insists on speaking to Terri and when she tries wake her up find her dead. After he is charged with the murder Jack calls on his former law professor, Perry Mason, to defend him. Once on the case Perry discovers that several people might have a reason to want Terri dead.

 

The Case of the Defiant Daughter:

David (played by John Posey) travels to Las Vegas, break in on a card game and points a gun at a man (played by Robert Culp) he believes drove his brother to suicide. When the man turns up dead having been shot by David’s gun, David is arrested for his murder. David’s young daughter Melanie (played by Jenny Lewis) finds Perry Mason, who is in town with Ken to watch a boxing match, and begs him to defend her father. Perry knows that the murdered man had less than scrupulous methods so he takes the case.

 

The Case of the Ruthless Reporter:

When a self-centered and cruel news anchorman (played by John James) is found murdered a female reporter (played by Kerrie Keane) is arrested. Perry takes the case and uncovers that several people were being blackmailed by the anchorman and could have wanted him dead. The astute defense lawyer has to figure out who hated him enough to kill him.

 

The Case of the Maligned Mobster:

A gangster who has done many illegal things in his life is the number one suspect when his wife turns up dead at the hands of a hitman. He seems even guiltier because they had a huge, very public fight recently. The case seems to be an open and closed one until Perry Mason steps in and believing that even a gangster deserves good defense takes the case. It is up to Perry and Ken to investigate the gangster’s past and interpret the clues uncovered.