The character of Perry Mason has changed for this second film in the series – Mason is a lot livelier, more of a cad and a gentleman (he puts on fake foreign accents); he is also a big boozer – evidently due to the influence of The Thin Man (there’s even a finale where all the suspects are gathered round). Allen Jenkins returns as Mason’s investigator but here he is given the name “Spudsy” – no doubt to give him more colour.
William tries but is still a bit stiff – he’s certainly no William Powell – but this has a new, better Della in Claire Dodd. It’s also got Errol Flynn in a support role – his first in an American film (as a corpse and in a flashback scene at the end – no dialogue, but he gets to participate in a fight scene); his next role was in another Warren William vehicle, Don’t Bet on Blondes.
The plot of the film involves Mason helping out an old friend (Margaret Lindsay). The story is quite strong with plenty of twists and turns and Michael Curtiz’s direction keeps it flying along. There is some unexpected violence (Errol falls back and impales himself on a knife) and a song and dance number.
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