The Return of Bulldog Drummond

This British action movie is a stark departure from the earlier Ronald Colman film, this one from British International Pictures and director Walter Summers. Ralph Richardson steps into the title role as the former military man turned private detective. He's now settled down and married to Phyllis (Ann Todd), but when an international cabal of arms dealers led by Drummond's nemesis Carl Peterson (Francis L. Sullivan) uses murder to try and thwart peace talks, thus causing another world war from which they can profit, Drummond organizes his fellow military comrades into a secret group known as the "Black Clan" to stop Peterson's gang.

Colman's turn as the title character was a suave adventure done on a lark, with as much comedy as suspense. This outing is more akin to a Saturday morning serial, with multiple cliffhanger moments, nefarious villains straight from a comic strip, and the odd sight of Drummond and his Black Clan allies dressed in matching black outfits and leather aviator caps. Richardson seems like an odd casting choice, but he's good with the verbal putdowns and he's surprisingly energetic during his many fisticuffs scenes. The following year he would appear in the next Drummond film, Alias Bulldog Drummond aka Bulldog Jack, but not in the title role. Also, even later entries in the Bulldog Drummond series would feature Drummond as unmarried with some mystery getting in the way of Drumond's nuptuals to Phyllis.

The most interesting thing about this movie is the eccentric turn of Ralph Richardson as Bulldog Drummond and Francis L. Sullivan as His nemesis Carl Peterson. Plus an early look at the young Ann Todd as Phyllis Drummond. The film reflects some of the crudity of British Film production outside of the films of Alexander Korda. Exhibiting the same level of competence as the 'Poverty Row' studios in Hollywood, like Mascot, Monogram or P.R.C, etc.

Drummond leads a group of armed x-officers (The Black Clan) on a crusade against what is a perceived a threat to World peace led by Mr. Peterson. It was a popular theory that the GREAT WAR (WWI) was caused or manipulated into by Arms Cartels. Peterson's character being based on Basil Zaharoff. A international arms dealer affiliated with VICKERS with a more then suspect past of corruption, shady dealings, possible murder and sabotage too obtain His ends. Make a lot of money at other People's expense.

Well our Hero's accomplish there goals and Peterson meets his deserved end. Is peace brought to the World, well no. Imperial Japan would initiated the fun with the start of the 2nd Sino-Japanese war in 1937. Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia would use the Spanish-Civil War as a testing ground and Italy would trash Ethiopia, wanting too create a new Roman Empire. Then in 1939 things really got going with a BANG, enter WWII! A reality far beyond what was imagined by THE RETURN OF BULLDOG DRUMMOND.

I am working my way through the Bulldog Drummond films, and Ralph Richardson does a great job as Drummond. Now is he Ronald Colman? No but Colman was one of the All-Time greats ( especially his speaking voice). One thing I never considered Drummond was a tough guy in the Alan Ladd mode, but that is how Richardson played him. They also played down the romance angle ( he was already married to Phyllis) and he did not have much of a sense of humor, again like Ladd and unlike Colman and the later Drummonds like Russell Johnson. I am someone who likes the tough guys giving it to the baddies and I have a high opinion of this movie. See it in HBO Max. 9/10 stsrs.

(I can't believe I have watched more than one of these films this year...) Back in 1929 Ronald Colman played Bulldog Drummond, a character from British pulp fiction novels, in an early talking picture. Unfortunately for the movie studios, Ronald Colman actually WAS Bulldog Drummond (a WWI veteran injured on the Western Front, turned playboy and would-be tough guy). Bulldog Drummond had a limp because Ronald Colman had a limp - from WWI shrapnel in his leg. Ronald Colman had a unique style of delivery that contained almost constant wit and sarcasm, regardless of the situation. The movie happened to be pretty great. Kudos to Colman and company (see me review of 'Bulldog Drummond', 1929).

After a five year break, they couldn't get Colman to do a second movie, so they get this dead fish to play Bulldog Drummond. He sucks. And, so goes the rest of the film. They took chances and had some cool effects and camera work (underwater shots and maybe the first appearance on film of an electrified fence). But, no amount of 1934 special effects were gonna save this film.

RealReview Posting Scoring Criteria: Acting - 0.5/1 Casting - 0.5/1 Directing - 1/1 Story - 0.5/1 Writing/Screenplay - 1/1

Total Base Score = 3.5

Modifiers (+ or -): Technical Effects/Make Up: 1 Believability/Consistency: -1

Total RealReview Rating: 3.5 (rounded up to 4 for IMDB)

Finally got a hold of this title as it's very hard to come by. I enjoy Bulldog Drummond and his pal Algy and I was not disappointed here. As stated by a previous reader this one is markedly different from all other Bulldog dramatizations in that it's played straight and is not at all tongue-in-cheek. I found Ralph Richardson a stalwart, cocky Drummond very able to take care of himself despite some ineffectual-looking fight scenes. I also found Claude Allister an enormously different Algy from the one portrayed by Reginald Denny - Allister's, for some odd reason, is a silly-ass Englishman type complete with monocle and Terry-Thomas delivery.

Oh, alright, I suppose the overriding theme was pacifist in nature but as a 'yank' I didn't have Neville Chamberlain in the back of my mind - I just wanted to see a good old-fashioned Bulldog movie, and I got one. It moved quickly with very little down time and it held my interest throughout. I thought Writer-Director Walter Summers did a thorough job and did himself and viewers a big favor by inserting a slimy villain in the person of Francis L. Sullivan, a veteran of slimy villain parts.

Good 'Bulldog' and worth my vote of a 7.