The Case of the Lucky Legs is the third Perry Mason film from Warner Brothers, starring Warren William. Mason does not even appear in court in this film, but rather acts as a detective to solve a murder for which his client was arrested. The murdered man was running a sleazy contest for the nicest legs in towns and then absconding with the sponsors' money without paying the winners the promised $1000. The film is interesting for, among other things, exploiting women and then empowering them. The "lucky legs" contestants are shown only from the thighs down and the prize money is to be awarded the next day; two winning contestants from different small towns track down the scam artist to the big city and one of them is arrested for killing him.
Mason first appears with a serious hangover, lying under his desk in the morning. The film unfortunately plays Mason's dipsomania for laughs, even having the doctor who examines him named Dr. Croaker (perhaps they thought not enough of the audience was knowledgeable about vaudeville to understand "Dr. Krankheit".). It is a common failing of B movies, especially series, to eventually descend to facetiousness, especially any Warner Brothers movie in which dopey Allen Jenkins appears. Journeyman director Mayo moves the 77-minute movie briskly along and veteran cinematographer Tony Gaudio keeps the images sharp and crisp. The men in the film are all compromised in one way or another but the film is redeemed by the contest winners -- Peggy Shannon and Patricia Ellis -- determined to get their money, as well as the deadpan wisecracks of Della Street, played in this film by Genevieve Tobin.
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