The Case of the Howling Dog

"The Case of the Howling Dog," made in 1934, was the first Perry Mason film, and it's from an actual Erle Stanley Gardner Perry Mason novel. One way you can tell is that it's not an easy plot to follow. Mason becomes embroiled in defending a woman (Mary Astor) for the murder of her husband. Meanwhile, her husband and the dead man's wife are missing. And then there's that howling dog.

A really excellent story, but Erle Stanley Gardner loathed what the movies did to his passionate young Depression lawyer. Perry here has a huge office and is too big to take certain cases; Della is there, but not Paul Drake or even Gertie the switchboard operator. Warren William is a clever, serious Perry, and gives the impression of a lawyer to be reckoned with. He also has occasion touches of humor, though if memory serves, there's a lot more humor in the later films.

As one who read the original Perry Mason books, the character matures and becomes less given to speeches about the law - William would perhaps have been better as the later Perry, though Gardner himself never would have chosen him. He wanted Fred MacMurray until Raymond Burr walked in to read for the role of the D.A. He then said, "That's Perry Mason." Despite some of the stilted dialogue, this is still a very good story and well worth seeing. Mary Astor is lovely as the defendant.

As one of the comments pointed out, the very talented Lightning the Dog is uncredited, but to say more would give away the plot. Let's just say Lightning is a fine actor and leave it at that.

This is the movie that got me interested in the character Perry Mason and I began watching the old television series because of this film. It's a shame that Warren William didn't make more of these films because he was great in this. I like the little comic bits in the movie. I think it's a classic. I have it in my collection. Warren William was a very good character actor and it's a shame we don't see more of his films shown on tv.

I liked this one because it was mysterious - and mysteries should be mysterious, don't you think? Lots of pictures billed as mysteries really aren't, especially when they give away the murderer too soon. That doesn't happen with "The Howling Dog", which goes right down to the wire before all is revealed.

Warren William makes his debut in this, the very first Perry Mason movie, He is very good, especially with his authoritative, stentorian voice. Most everyone else is just a supporting cast member, including Mary Astor, who is better than the rest.

Warning: if you watch this movie, pay attention! You will be lost if you get up and go to the fridge, as the plot is intricate and can be a chore to follow. There are two couples involved but they become so intertwined you will need a road map to keep things straight. There a couple of curves and knuckleballs toward the end - information we didn't have while the story was unfolding. Ordinarily, you could yell foul, but the picture is so entertaining and the mystery so confounding that, if you are like me, you'll just go with it.

This was the first Perry Mason film ever made, with Warren William as Mason, who is superb in the part, much better than Raymond Burr, who always annoyed me so much I could not watch the later Perry Mason films. Mason's assistant Della Street is here played by Helen Trenholme, a beautiful and talented choice, but she inexplicably left the film business after making this and one other film in 1934, and that was it. The best performance in the film is by Gordon Westcott, as a distraught client in a state of high anxiety and 'aggravated melancholia'. Unfortunately, he died not long after in a polo accident, which deprived the screen of a real talent. The direction is excellent, with lots of retreating dolly shot 'pullbacks' to add dynamism to the action. Mary Astor does well, but then when did she not? Hats off to Lightning the Dog, who is seen howling splendidly like a wolf in the initial shots of the film. I'd like to have one like that around the house, wouldn't you? Lots of character, not anybody's poodle, not a wimp. The plot of this film is wonderfully complex, a true brain-teaser. This is a Perry Mason film with serious intent, and not a pastiche. It is well worth watching.

Wow, can't top the "Lightning" review, but here's more about the movie itself. I believe this was the first in a series of Perry Mason films starring Warren William.

What's odd is that this film has no other cast members in common with the subsequent films and in fact the whole tenor of the movie is quite different. In this film Perry has a huge office and staff of detectives. He makes no quips. Has no comic-relief sidekick. And the mystery itself is actually quite good.

Later films gave him a goofy detective sidekick ("Spudsey"), made more of the romance between Della Street and Perry, and had much less mystery in the plots. The appeal of these movies is Perry's string of one-liners he gives to the police, witnesses, etc.

But give this first film a look. There's no comic relief, but the plot is very involved and interesting.