Amazon.com The second volume of season 1 of Perry Mason fleshes out the splendid entire first year of the show, a masterpiece of '50s film noir and crisp, savvy TV writing. Raymond Burr's unflappable defense attorney Perry Mason is equal parts P.I., father confessor, and yes, judge, jury, and executioner. The crimes include murder most foul, and lots of that sordid specter that haunted people pre-internet: blackmail. Everyone has a motive, and everyone in the harsh light of Los Angeles seems to have something to hide. The boxed set contains the remaining 21 episodes of the first season, with highlights like "The Case of the Lonely Heiress," in which detective and Mason sidekick Paul Drake tracks down a rich woman, who is then suddenly accused of the murder of the man who tried to find her. Some episodes haven't aged well (one involves Mason interviewing a "schizophrenic" woman on the witness stand, interviewing "both" her personalities). But overall, the writing and the assured ambience of the series, and Burr's commanding presence, make Perry Mason among TV's topnotch armchair crime series. --A.T. Hurley
Product Description 20 one-hour episodes from the first season Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 06/12/2007 Rating: Nr
Not to HappyOctober 8, 2008 I live in Australia and have bought DVDs from Amazon before and they have played on my DVD player and this one didn't. I was very disappointed I have to say. I can play it on my computer so I can see it, but that isn't the same as in the lounge chair with my feet up.
IDUNITMay 12, 2008 I love the Whodunit courtroom endings. The writing is sharp and for the most part the acting is splendid. I remember my parents never missing a Friday night with Parry, and my father loving that Mr. Burger's first name was Hamilton. Maybe that's why poor "Ham Burger" never won a case verses Parry. I'm very happy that Season One part two is now out and am hoping that future volumes arem't so far apart.
Perry Mason-Season 1-Vol.2April 27, 2008 My Husband and I eagerly watch these episodes and may watch two back to back! We love them!
Great Stuff!!!April 26, 2008 It is great to have Seasons One and Two on DVD. The quality of the picture is excellent and the sound quality is good too. Anyone who has not seen 'Perry Mason' is in for a treat. I recommend them to anyone, sight unseen. One will NOT be disappointed. Great stuff!!!
The Original Courtroom DramaApril 22, 2008 These TV films from the late 1950s are mostly the simplified and condensed versions of the original novels by Erle Stanley Gardner. The books are more complete and informative but the films still tell stories about life that is not experienced by most people. The books can tell you why certain things are done, the films only show you what happened. The books tell you about "ropers", rough or smooth shadows, and how to evade surveillance and avoid leaving a back trail. Some may question the legality and ethics of Perry Mason's tactics but most stories were written before the modern legal rules of the 1960s. The backgrounds tell about life in Los Angeles. It is difficult to film a scene at night but easy to describe it in a book.
Some of the stories and names were changed for TV [and added politics!]. The theme music is typical for the late 1950s. Note the style of clothing and culture; ladies wore white gloves. People seldom lock their doors. The prices date these films (35 cents for hamburger with fries). One advantage is seeing the many automobiles from the 1950s (no Studebakers or Hudsons). How many can you identify? Note the slimness of people then, and the casual handling of pistols. Smoking was very common [a tobacco sponsor]. Watch how the actors express their emotions by their facial expressions. Don't blink or sneeze! The camera sharpness and quality is excellent on these films.. There is nothing like these entertaining and dramatic stories on today's broadcast TV. When was the last time you saw a trial lawyer as a hero? These stories often use the misinterpretation of circumstantial evidence to provide dramatic effects. The courtroom scenes are usually the Preliminary Hearings that are used in states west of the Mississippi [this saved the cost of extra actors]. Some of the stories were greatly modified from the novels.
This lists the titles of the 20 episodes with the date of publication of the novel. Note how many years worth of novels were used in the first TV season. All titles begin with "The Case of the ".
