oscaralbert Review of The Case of the Lucky Legs

The Case of the Lucky Legs (1935)

The packaging for Turner's 2012 DVD release of the original Perry Mason flicks . . .

[7/10 · 31 January 2016]

. . . states "Not your papa's Perry Mason." No kidding. If you actually think about it, this aged six-pack is GREAT-GRANDDAD's Perry! From the first to this third series entry, Warner Bros. does one of the greatest makeovers in a single year in the history of any movie franchise. The opening shots of Perry's initial film (THE CASE OF THE HOWLING DOG) shows Mr. Mason occupying an entire high-rise floor, with scores of employees, including an in-house shrink and a private eye squad. He also needs nearly as many switchboard gals as Ma Bell. Presumably, the Depression hit Perry harder than most. By his third entry, THE CASE OF THE LUCKY LEGS, he's down to just two employees, one of whom works out of a modest office suite. (The other, "Spudsy," seems to be based at home sometimes, and on sidewalk benches the other nights.) As a recovering alcoholic, Perry's biggest concern in LEGS is, "Got milk?" His replacement secretary "Della Street" actress (Geneieve Tobin) is far Floozier than the original Della (Helen Trenholme). Plus the tone of LEGS has degenerated to a constant patter of cheap one-liners (the kind Bob Hope got two for a quarter at this time). Since three more Mason flicks followed LEGS, Great Grandpa must have been pretty easy to please.