If they made a new Perry Mason feature film - Perry Mason (1957) Discussion

[–] lima-2 9 years ago

Great post! I love these kinds of hypotheticals. Keep in mind, these are only my opinions.

As Perry Mason I would have suggested Phillip Seymour Hoffmann before his untimely death. Now perhaps Paul Giamatti.

Stana Katic as Della Street.

As Paul Drake: Anthony Michael Hall or Chris O'Donnell.

Gary Sinise or Mark Harmon as Lt. Tragg.

As Hamilton Burger: Dennis Quaid or Lev Schreiber.

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[–] dreamcurse 9 years ago

It really depends what kind of movie they are making

A movie based directly on the series.

A movie based directly on a book.

What time period. 1930's, 1950's-60's Modern.

There are a lot of variables.-

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[–] kbla-61543 9 years ago

I think I read that Robert Downey, Jr was going to make a Perry Mason movie set in 1930's or 1940's Los Angeles. That is the time period I would like the movie to be in , too. But as much as I love him in everything else he does, I just don't see Robert Downey, Jr. as Perry Mason.

My dreamcasting would be:

JARED LETO - as Perry Mason (because I think he looks a little like a young Raymond Burr-and I think he's a really good actor)

SCARLETT JOHANSSEN as Della Street

CHRIS HEMSWORTH as Paul Drake (as long as we're dreamcasting)

LADY GAGA as Gertie! She'd be perfect!

I like the idea of Gary Sinese for Hamilton Burger

And Dennis Quaid would make a good Tragg

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[–] kbla-61543 9 years ago

Or Dennis Quaid as Hamilton Burger and Gary Sinese as Tragg. Either way would work.

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[–] klondike6 9 years ago

Gaga as Gertie? I literally did lol when I read that, but upon reflection she WOULD be perfect!

Quaid or Sinise are virtually interchangeable as Tragg and Burger, I agree.

How about Jack Black or Seth Rogen as the usually mute Sergeant Bryce?

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[–] kbla-61543 9 years ago

Lol! That would be good!

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[–] crimedramafan15 9 years ago

I think Liam Niesson would be a great Hamilton Burger.
Not sure who could pull off Perry Mason. Raymond Burr defined the role so it will be hard to replace him.
Della Street could be played by any one of the black actresses in prominence today. I was thinking Viola Davis or Taja from Empire.
Not sure about anyone else. I grew up watching the black and white series so the original actors are etched in my brain.

I like the idea of a full length movie.

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[–] grizzledgeezer 9 years ago

Raymond Burr defined the role so it will be hard to replace him.

This is complicated by the fact that Burr had the Erle Stanley Gardner "seal of approval". Burr projected a sense of innate "sobriety" it would be hard to duplicate.

We also have the problem of "story". It has to be something of great importance to the characters, if you're going to lure people into the theater.

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] kbla-61543 9 years ago

I wish they would let you post pictures on this message board. I've found perfect pictures of all of these actors.

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[–] jameset-90135 9 years ago

Neal McDonough would make a perfect Hamilton Burger.

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[–] kbla-61543 9 years ago

Oh, yeah. He would be good! He even looks a little like William Talman.

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[–] fjalexiii 9 years ago

I have no clue about today's actors and actresses. Call me an old curmudgeon, but few of them have the depth and breadth of expression and talent to do a Perry Mason movie.

Had this been twenty years or so ago, calling for a (somewhat) naturally-aging Mason, Street and Drake, I'd have cast Ernest Borgnine as Mason; Kathleen Turner as Street; and Chuck Norris (before his facelift) as Paul Drake. (A bit of makeup and a diet could have made Miss Turner into a really attractive 60-year-old Della.) Borgnine's flexibility to handle any role given him was staggering. I consider him one of the most under-rated Hollywood stars of all time. Anyone who could portray Marty Piletti (yes, he had a surname!) and Quinton McHale with equal facility had TALENT. Turner's smoky voice and sultry demeanor would have brought Miss Street's portrayal into a new dimension, and Norris needs no explanation.

John Lithgow as Burger and Peter Falk as Tragg round out my fantasy cast. While both are known more for their comedic roles, they have depth and I can see Lithgow getting exasperated in court the way Bill Talman did...and Falk's serious side, and tenacity would bring a dark edge to Tragg that Ray Collins only hinted at.

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[–] grizzledgeezer 9 years ago

This must be a joke. You're casting on the basis of performers you like, rather than those appropriate for a role.

Ernest Porcine is one of the worst actors ever to step in front of a camera. His performances have the depth of a rain puddle and the subtlety of dropping a concrete block on a kitten.

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[–] SuCue 9 years ago

Ernest Borgnine was too "prole" to play Perry. But I feel like we'd need another "heavy" guy for the remake, to have that true Mason presence in the role. Trouble is, these days actors aren't allowed to get chunky so I'm having a hard time envisioning anyone contemporary in the role.

I loved Raymond in Ironside too. In the late Sixties/early 70s you could see dark-haired Raymond every weekday in the afternoon as Perry, and then salt-and-pepper-haired Raymond once a week at night in Ironside. He also did guest appearances on shows like "Sonny and Cher."

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[–] fjalexiii 9 years ago

You obviously never saw Marty (1955). Borgnine was an acomplished actor on TV, in movies and roles on Broadway as well. He has the depth to play the Mason role. Hell, critics said Burr didn't have the depth, as he only had played heavies in B-movies, but he proved them wrong too.

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[–] grizzledgeezer 9 years ago

It's been decades since I saw Marty, and I don't remember Borgnine's performance (positively or negatively).

Borgnine was a hammy, in-your-face actor who never lived up to his promise (whatever that might have been). He's hardly alone. Other actors have self-destructed.

Vincent Price is perhaps the best example. He gives a superbly accomplished performance in Dragonwyck. * I haven't seen all his films, so I don't know when the decline began. But once he started hamming it up in mediocre horror films, that was the end. It needn't have been. Contrast his performances with those of Boris Karloff, a master of understatement.

* He was a respected stage actor, too.

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[–] fjalexiii 9 years ago

Your entire knowledge of Borgnine seems to be from dimly-remembered episodes of McHale's Navy. He played scores of other roles, from good guys to heavies; straight, to over-the-top. It's clear you just don't like him from what little you have seen of him. Marty is a classic, and it's showed frequently after all these years.

I also notice you've shot down other peoples' ideas for Mason, without contributing one blessed thing of your own. You're no grizzled geezer; you're just an ignorant, opinionated old fart with nothing better to do than troll the boards sounding like a movie critic. Why don't you go kick a few cats and suck some more lemons, while those of us who came here to enjoy ourselves do so?

Have a great night.

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[–] grizzledgeezer 9 years ago

Your entire knowledge of Borgnine seems to be from dimly-remembered episodes of McHale's Navy.

And you know this... how? I would never pass judgment on an actor passed on their performance in a sitcom. (The original, Bilko-ish McHale was a more-interesting character than the sappy, reactionary officer he became, trying to undo his underlings' bad behavior.)

I've seen Borgnine in other films, and he never impressed me. That's why I don't like him. He's ugly and graceless. Monte Markham was a poor choice -- but you can't say those things about him.

You're the sort of person who objects to a serious discussion of anything. Try writing a solid screenplay, and see how quickly your views change.

I'm sincerely sorry I can't recommend anyone else to play Perry Mason. Kevin Spacey has the acting chops. Whether he could find the right "tone"... I don't know.

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[–] gary-64659 9 years ago

First, I see Jack Black as the only lead actor in Hollywood these days beefy enough to tackle Paul Drake -- all the other male leads are elfin; really old, authoritative no-nonsense E. G. Marshall as Lieutenant Tragg; Harry Dean Stanton, great as a perpetual loser, as Hamilton Burger; Dolly Parton -- stacked and with balls -- as Della Street; gay English talkshow host/comic Graham Norton as Perry -- at a loss how to react to Dolly when she makes advances to him.

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[–] carrie45 8 years ago

Della better not be the traditional secretary. Make her a partner. Perry can have a male legal assistant. I don't think Perry can be remade successfully, at least to satisfy us old geezers.

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[–] RIP_IMDb 8 years ago

HAD they made this back in the 90s I would've chosen imdb.com/name/nm0001520/mediaviewer/rm4045248000 for the role of Perry Mason. To me he sorta looks like a young Perry before his weight gain.

imdb.com/name/nm0001520/mediaviewer/rm1410373632

I'll let you know when I come-up with a new signature, .

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[–] adamshouseaz 8 years ago

Matt Damon?

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