A law student, Ken Malansky(William Moses), in a class taught by the respected and admired attorney Perry Mason(Raymond Burr)is framed for the stabbing murder of a fellow student, the brash, cocky and good-looking Frank Wellman, Jr(John Allen Nelson)who had assaulted and almost raped his girlfriend, Kimberly(Karen Kopins). Kimberly and her brother Scott(John DeMita)are also in Mason's class studying court law. After convincing Mason of his innocence, Perry finds the case troubling due to who the murdered student's pops was..his friend from the past, successful, financially influential, and incredibly wealthy businessman Frank Wellman, Sr(Brian Keith). Despite Wellman Senior's urgings to remain off the case, Mason agrees to represent Ken, whose life takes a roller coaster ride when a flame from the past pays bail, filthy rich, feisty, sublime, and beautiful fiancé Amy(..the yummy Alexandra Paul). Soon Amy is playing amateur sleuth attempting, like Ken, to find out answers as to who was in that locked room the night Wellman Jr was killed.
That night is important. Only those in the classroom knew of Frank's late-night studying for a mock trial to occur the next day. Kimberly's fellow student and roommate informs Ken of what Frank did to her. Enraged Ken storms out to confront Frank. His knife was stolen two weeks prior to this specific night. As Ken's leaving Kimberly's friend is smiling, that's because she was actually the one behind Frank Junior's success, writing and preparing everything for him..when he dumped her, revenge(..Ken beating him up)caused that smile as Ken was leaving angrily. Once Ken makes it to the classroom(..not seen is a stop by a cop who writes him a ticket, important in the case later on), he lifts the key ring from the security guard, bursting in and finding Frank lying dead on the floor, his own knife in the murdered student's back. The real killer, silhouetted in the darkness, brushes Ken aside framing him. A major important piece to the puzzle is a video geek, Eugene(Brian Backer, of "The Burning" fame)who might have evidence or knowledge of something important to Mason's case..Amy's pursuit of the truth for her man will possibly reap results as she sets her sights on catching Eugene. But, ultimately, Mason's skills as an attorney will yield the best results as he moves towards Frank Junior's past which may cost a life-long friendship, even calling pops to the stand regarding how he *helped* his son get ahead in law school. One more twist comes from Ken's roommate Travis(Charley Lang)who mentions that he witnessed him rummaging through his dresser drawer finding his knife, possibly endangering Mason's case.
I grew up watching these Perry Mason movies as a child and loved them. Of course, Mason isn't the imposing towering presence he was as a character actor in his classic Hollywood days, so a great deal of the field work which yields results in his case come from snoopers Moses and Paul, who you just know will end up together by the tele-film's end. What I always appreciated most was Burr's resolve and charisma, even as a much older Mason, who moves much more gingerly, you believed in his wisdom and nose for figuring out the details not yet revealed. Paul is delightful and lights up the screen and Moses, trying to deal with a case that could send him to jail and juggling two female relationships at the same time. Moses would later join Mason as that budding lawyer, working on the field for his boss pursuing leads, putting himself in danger. Barbara Hale also returns as Mason's confident Della Street. They have the same eternally wonderful chemistry from the old television show. The movie, as the others would continue to provide, unravels clues and other suspects emerge. And, as expected, Mason rips to shreds those who threaten his case finding the real culprit in the process.
That night is important. Only those in the classroom knew of Frank's late-night studying for a mock trial to occur the next day. Kimberly's fellow student and roommate informs Ken of what Frank did to her. Enraged Ken storms out to confront Frank. His knife was stolen two weeks prior to this specific night. As Ken's leaving Kimberly's friend is smiling, that's because she was actually the one behind Frank Junior's success, writing and preparing everything for him..when he dumped her, revenge(..Ken beating him up)caused that smile as Ken was leaving angrily. Once Ken makes it to the classroom(..not seen is a stop by a cop who writes him a ticket, important in the case later on), he lifts the key ring from the security guard, bursting in and finding Frank lying dead on the floor, his own knife in the murdered student's back. The real killer, silhouetted in the darkness, brushes Ken aside framing him. A major important piece to the puzzle is a video geek, Eugene(Brian Backer, of "The Burning" fame)who might have evidence or knowledge of something important to Mason's case..Amy's pursuit of the truth for her man will possibly reap results as she sets her sights on catching Eugene. But, ultimately, Mason's skills as an attorney will yield the best results as he moves towards Frank Junior's past which may cost a life-long friendship, even calling pops to the stand regarding how he *helped* his son get ahead in law school. One more twist comes from Ken's roommate Travis(Charley Lang)who mentions that he witnessed him rummaging through his dresser drawer finding his knife, possibly endangering Mason's case.
I grew up watching these Perry Mason movies as a child and loved them. Of course, Mason isn't the imposing towering presence he was as a character actor in his classic Hollywood days, so a great deal of the field work which yields results in his case come from snoopers Moses and Paul, who you just know will end up together by the tele-film's end. What I always appreciated most was Burr's resolve and charisma, even as a much older Mason, who moves much more gingerly, you believed in his wisdom and nose for figuring out the details not yet revealed. Paul is delightful and lights up the screen and Moses, trying to deal with a case that could send him to jail and juggling two female relationships at the same time. Moses would later join Mason as that budding lawyer, working on the field for his boss pursuing leads, putting himself in danger. Barbara Hale also returns as Mason's confident Della Street. They have the same eternally wonderful chemistry from the old television show. The movie, as the others would continue to provide, unravels clues and other suspects emerge. And, as expected, Mason rips to shreds those who threaten his case finding the real culprit in the process.