In this very first big screen portrayal of Perry Mason he does some very unMason like things for those of us used to watching Raymond Burr operate. The Case Of The Howling Dog involves Gordon Westcott retaining Mason to write a will leaving his assets to a neighbor who is the wife of a womanizing abuser, Russell Hicks. When Hicks is later killed along with his dog and Westcott goes missing, Mason conceives his duty to defend the beneficiary Mary Astor from a murder charge.
Don't think for one minute you will see the business like Raymond Burr type of Perry Mason. Perry's quite the lady's man here and the romance between him and Helen Trenholme as Della Street is far from understated. And she's in a long line of conquests.
In fact The Case Of The Howling Dog breaks one of THE cardinal rules for those of us who see Raymond Burr in action. Can't tell you because it wouldn't be right, but think of all the Perry parameters from television and I think you can guess.
The Mason movies were good, not as popular for William as Philo Vance or The Lone Wolf, but good. Mason as a character never got real traction with the public on the big or small screen until Raymond Burr did the role.
Don't think for one minute you will see the business like Raymond Burr type of Perry Mason. Perry's quite the lady's man here and the romance between him and Helen Trenholme as Della Street is far from understated. And she's in a long line of conquests.
In fact The Case Of The Howling Dog breaks one of THE cardinal rules for those of us who see Raymond Burr in action. Can't tell you because it wouldn't be right, but think of all the Perry parameters from television and I think you can guess.
The Mason movies were good, not as popular for William as Philo Vance or The Lone Wolf, but good. Mason as a character never got real traction with the public on the big or small screen until Raymond Burr did the role.