
Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister Spirit
Seen it?1987 | 95 min | Drama, Thriller, Mystery, Crime, TV Movie
Why it’s a Monday Morning Maybe
With a box office flop and almost no lasting buzz, this one could be a tough watch. Keep your phone handy.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Great for fans of a good courtroom showdown and readers who like to compare the book and the screen version. The best scenes are battles fought with words. A good follow-up to Insomnia or Evil Under the Sun. Adapted from a book, so readers can compare notes.
- The mood
- Tense, dark and gritty.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 35 min.
- What might put you off
- Not the one if you want explosions or easy laughs.
Jordan White, a publisher friend of Perry, is called to a hotel where a guest, famous horror writer David Hall, has cleared out the hotel for a weekend and has called his "friends" - an actress, a fortune-teller, David's private assistant and the two remaining staff at the hotel to discuss business. They have come to the hotel as all of them are going to sue David over his new book - "The Resort" which characters are obviously based on Jordan and the guests. A practical joker, David plays tricks on them until he is thrown from the high tower of the hotel where Susan Warrenfield, the manager and owner of the hotel sees the fall and then Jordan at the tower causing the police to arrest Jordan. While Perry and Della try to solve the main mystery, Paul tries to find out who is trying to scare Susan away from the hotel. Could it really be a ghost or a more earthy visitor?
How it earned its rating
- CriticsNot counted
Not enough reviews on record yet
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerWeak
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
Not enough engagement data yet
More like this
InsomniaSaturday SpecialAnother detective crime drama.
Evil Under the SunSaturday SpecialAnother detective crime thriller, and a Saturday Special.
The Mirror Crack'dSunday Safe BetAnother detective crime thriller, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
The Pelican BriefWeeknight WatchAnother thriller, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
To Kill a MockingbirdFriday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed legal drama.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Richard Lang
- Raymond BurrPerry Mason
- Barbara HaleDella Street
- William KattPaul Drake Jr.
- Robert StackJordan White
- Dwight SchultzAndrew Lloyd
- Kim DelaneySusan Warrenfield
- Dennis LipscombMichael Light
- Jack BannonDonald Sayer
- Leigh Taylor-YoungMaura McGuire
- Matthew FaisonDavid Hall