I understand that "Please Murder Me" was an audition of sorts for Raymond Burr to play Perry Mason.
Fred MacMurray was originally to play Mason. Burr showed up to audition for Hamilton Burger, and Erle Stanley Gardner asked who he was. The person he was with said, "That's Hamilton Burger," to which Gardner responded, "No, that's Perry Mason."
Burr stepped out of his usual thug roles in this film to play Craig, an attorney madly in love with his best friend Joe's (Dick Foran) wife Myra (Angela Lansbury). He breaks it to Joe, and Joe says he wants a couple of days to process it. Later we see him come blasting into his house, soaking wet from the rain and walk into the bedroom, where Myra is sitting. He closes the door. There's a shot.
In the next scene, Myra is claiming self defense to the police, and Craig is on hand as her attorney. She is ultimately arrested and put on trial. She is found not guilty.
Craig wants to get married right away and go on a Mediterranean honeymoon, but Myra asks for more time. A friend of Craig's shows up and gives him a letter he was supposed to mail for George but forgot about. The letter says that Myra is a scheming, money-grubbing witch who wasn't in love with him, and isn't in love with Craig.
Interesting story - I thought the above-mentioned part was easy to figure out. But Craig comes up with an idea that gives this film a good twist.
As I said, Burr is very Mason-like, slim and authoritative. Lansbury is young and classy and does her usual fine job.
Recommended - I actually came across this on youtube. I have no idea if it's out on DVD. I doubt it. What a treat.
Fred MacMurray was originally to play Mason. Burr showed up to audition for Hamilton Burger, and Erle Stanley Gardner asked who he was. The person he was with said, "That's Hamilton Burger," to which Gardner responded, "No, that's Perry Mason."
Burr stepped out of his usual thug roles in this film to play Craig, an attorney madly in love with his best friend Joe's (Dick Foran) wife Myra (Angela Lansbury). He breaks it to Joe, and Joe says he wants a couple of days to process it. Later we see him come blasting into his house, soaking wet from the rain and walk into the bedroom, where Myra is sitting. He closes the door. There's a shot.
In the next scene, Myra is claiming self defense to the police, and Craig is on hand as her attorney. She is ultimately arrested and put on trial. She is found not guilty.
Craig wants to get married right away and go on a Mediterranean honeymoon, but Myra asks for more time. A friend of Craig's shows up and gives him a letter he was supposed to mail for George but forgot about. The letter says that Myra is a scheming, money-grubbing witch who wasn't in love with him, and isn't in love with Craig.
Interesting story - I thought the above-mentioned part was easy to figure out. But Craig comes up with an idea that gives this film a good twist.
As I said, Burr is very Mason-like, slim and authoritative. Lansbury is young and classy and does her usual fine job.
Recommended - I actually came across this on youtube. I have no idea if it's out on DVD. I doubt it. What a treat.