TV and Movies

[Desert Lily]

@OznellDid you watch the 1936 movie The Case of the Velvet Claws today (6/24) on TCM? Perry Mason married secretary Della Street. And, he took on a client named Eva who was "all velvet and claws."

[Oznell]

Wow, that is so interesting that they had Perry marry Della in the movie, @Desert Lily !

No, I didn't catch it today--  have seen only the occasional snippet of the P.M. films, as opposed to the TV show, so I'm very interested in your impressions...

I have a vague memory of the TV episode they did of "The Case of the Velvet Claws".   Poor Perry, he had a master manipulator for a client.  In the TV version, that femme fatale was played by Patricia Barry I think.  Couldn't stand her character!   Neither could 'Della'-- she saw right through her and it was clear she didn't like her (Barry) slinking around Perry....

Was it the same way in the film?

Don't you think it's interesting that they kept the potential for romance to a minimum in the TV version of PM?   Della, as played by Barbara Hale, would have been ideal for him--  she was quietly elegant, subtle, but fun, with a sense of humor.

Think I read somewhere that the producers wanted no more than a whiff of interest between Perry and Della, partly because so many female viewers were besotted with the Perry Mason character, and wouldn't want to have seen him "taken"!!!

[Group 5 minus 1]

That story line (Spicey Bits) was also used in a Raymond Burr Perry Mason. OOPs-Sorry didn't read far enough!

[Oznell]

Ha, ha, @Group 5 minus 1 and @Desert Lily , and "Spicy Bits" is such a funny name for a tell-all tabloid!   Made me chuckle every time Perry said it.

[drizzellla]

As soon as I saw Warren William I was watching. 

Unfortunately, I missed the ending. We went grocery shopping.