Why "Perry Mason" is a great noir, which gets in the way of the name of the protagonist

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Critic Alexei Khromov talks about the pros and cons of a new project that is completely unrelated to legendary books.

On June 22, the American HBO channel (in Russia - on Amediateka) will launch the Perry Mason series. The authors took as a basis the legendary series of books: Earl Stanley Gardner wrote 80 novels about the lawyer Perry Mason, which are still popular all over the world.

A very cool team worked on the adaptation. Initially, Robert Downey Jr. wanted to play the main role. But in the end, he produced the project, giving way to "Americans" star Matthew Reese, who was accompanied by such actors as John Lithgow and Tatiana Maslani.

Showrunners and screenwriters were longtime partners Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald (Friday Night Lights). And the first episodes were directed by Tim Van Patten, who has already shot the historical crime series Boardwalk Empire and The Sopranos.

Such a team initially makes you expect something outstanding from the project. And he's really good. But practically nothing remained of Gardner's books in the screen "Perry Mason".

Reimagining the hero

Plus: the origin of the character is revealed for the first time

Everyone who has read the books of Earl Stanley Gardner will surely remember the image of the protagonist. Perry Mason is a stylish and confident lawyer who takes on serious cases (most often murders) and personally conducts investigations.

A significant part of the time he stays in the courts, justifying his client, and invariably forces a real criminal who is a witness to confess.

Exactly in the same form, he will be remembered by all fans of the classic series "Perry Mason" of the 50-60s, where the main role was played by Raymond Burr.

It's better to forget about all the signature traits of the character before watching HBO's "Perry Mason".

The fact is that in the books, Gardner almost did not talk about the past of his hero. Perry Mason appeared immediately at the peak of his career, with a big name and assistants. They did the same in other film adaptations. The new series captures the character even before he becomes successful. And this gives the authors the right to come up with a slightly different image.

Jones and Fitzgerald are the first to tell the story of Perry Mason's dark past. Therefore, they do not contradict the canon too much (although some details still do not coincide), but rather complement it.

Minus: Perry Mason could be any other detective

The main character played by Reese is a poor private detective who lives from order to order and does not hesitate to make money by filming adultery. He sleeps on a ruined dairy farm, is always battered, drinks a lot, and buys ties for a cheap price at the morgue. In addition, Mason has severe PTSD after participating in the First World War.

At first, the hero of Reese seems more likely to be the namesake of a familiar character. Only the skill of the actor saves from serious criticism. It seems that Downey himself could not have done better. Too much Matthew Reese is good in the image of a sarcastic and harsh detective with constant angst. Movements, gestures, mood swings - everything was played perfectly.

And only by the end of the season one can observe the gradual transformation of screen Mason into book Mason.

Whole story instead of procedural

Plus: detailed storytelling, forcing a dark atmosphere

Each episode of the classic Burr series was based on a separate work by Gardner and told about a new investigation.

HBO decided to abandon this structure. The whole season is devoted to one high-profile case: a couple is kidnapped a child, demanding a ransom. The spouses get money, but the baby is thrown to them already dead. The lawyer Elias Burchard Jonathan (John Lithgow) takes over the case, and is assisted by Perry Mason.

It is partly good that more than one episode was allocated for such a plot, although the episodes last for an hour. After all, in parallel, they tell the story of Mason himself. There would simply not be enough time for a detailed and interesting analysis of the case.

A large-scale story instead of eight small ones allows the viewer to completely immerse themselves in the dark atmosphere of the crime of the thirties. Moreover, HBO traditionally does not skimp on cruelty and explicit scenes. There are many naked bodies (not always beautiful), dismembered dismembered heads, and even sewn-up eyes. Strongly impressionable is better to be careful when watching.

The plot is built in the spirit of a classic detective story: suspicion falls on literally everyone who may be involved in the case. Moreover, the police and prosecutors, without thinking twice, immediately grab each alleged offender and try to knock out a testimony.

Meanwhile, Perry Mason intends to unravel an incredibly complex crime and find the real killer. Of course, it won't work right away.

Minus: Tightened minor lines

But we have to admit that the main action, that is, the detective itself and the story of Perry Mason, does not take all the screen time. The plot could easily fit into five episodes. The remaining time is filled with secondary heroes. And here, alas, the project does not always maintain a decent pace.

Added Sister Alice's radio preacher line. This is perhaps the brightest and most ambitious part of the series, and the star of "Dark Child" Tatiana Maslani is great in her role. But her character has practically no effect on the main action, just dragging out time.

By the way, it's funny that a similar storyline recently appeared in another high-profile television project - "Scary Tales: City of Angels." The preachers are probably even copied from one historical person - Aimee Semple MacPherson.

Perry Mason's assistants, or even those who are just preparing to become one, also receive their own lines. Moreover, they manage to capture modern social themes.

Della Street (Juliet Rylance - McMafia's Rebecca) is responsible for the image of a strong feminist. She protects the arrested woman and often expresses sound thoughts, to which, of course, none of the men listens.

Police officer Paul Drake (Chris Chock - Lucius Fox from "Gotham") in the new version is black. And his investigations are often hampered by racial bias, even among his colleagues.

Both Della Street and Paul Drake turned out to be very bright, their stories logically fit into the plot. But the characters came out too correct, which is noticeably even stronger against the background of the broken Perry Mason. Therefore, sometimes their troubles seem far-fetched.

Realistic noir, not a book detective

Plus: ruining the romance of the thirties

Even the aforementioned "Scary Tales: City of Angels", like most projects about confronting gangsters, in the description of old times often lean towards too elegant theatrical picture.

The real Great Depression did not look romantic and beautiful at all. Perry Mason introduces viewers to a more realistic world. With stylish hats, old cars and jazz, these are still times of sickness, poverty and hatred. Corrupt servants of the law try to close the case faster rather than find the criminals. There is even a scene where a policeman strangles a man by pressing his throat with his foot - a grim reflection of today's reality.

All this is also interrupted by flashbacks about the bloody war that destroyed Mason's life. By the way, Van Patten's Underground Empire also has a hero with PTSD after participating in hostilities. And in general, in the gloomy thirties, the authors clearly feel organic. With the film crew, a part of the secondary cast also came to the series.

In church scenes, they show great scope with dozens of extras. Immediately everything is interspersed with a pale color scheme, aggression and doom of lost people who drink and smoke non-stop.

Even the humor on the show is rude and cocky. The heroes laugh - the viewer will laugh too. But these are dark jokes on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Minus: another loss of connection with Gardner

The court hearings will, of course, be part of the series. But Gardner's love (he himself worked as a lawyer for a long time) is very far from a long and detailed description of the processes to Jones and Fitzgerald.

And as if making fun of the naivety of the original, the series destroys the main principle of the books: in fact, no one pleads guilty in court. And the rest of the participants in the process are unlikely to immediately follow the lead of the lawyer, no matter how eloquent he may be.

But the screen project too diligently destroys the belief in the inevitable victory of good, which Gardner defended. Therefore, when bright moments do slip through this gloomy world, they seem a little superfluous. But the main character has a good future.

As a result, only those who expect it to correspond to the original will scold the series. They really better think of the hero as just the namesake of a book lawyer. For them, the whole season will seem just a buildup and preparation for the story of the real Perry Mason.

The rest will surely appreciate the viscous noir atmosphere: the authors lure with a cruel detective plot, and then plunge into the fates of heroes who are intertwined in the most incredible way. This is a good independent project, called a film adaptation only to attract attention.

Have you read Earl Stanley Gardner's books, or have you watched an old series? Looking to check out an HBO novelty? How do you feel about rethinking the characters?