Bulldog Drummond's Revenge

It looks like Capt. Hugh Chesterton 'Bulldog' Drummond (John Howard) is getting married to Phyllis (Louise Campbell) and giving up the detecting racket. He almost loses the wedding rings, but with a little ingenuity and a stick of American gum, they are retrieved. A lot of good that does him as it turns out a scientist is missing along with an extraordinary explosive formula. The only Bulldog finds out the hard way with a severed arm containing a familiar ring. Col. J. A. Nielson (John Barrymore) of Scotland Yard wants to know how Bulldog fits in the situation.

Yes, this is a formula spy story with a Bulldog Drummond overlay. Based on the novel "The Return of Bulldog Drummond."

Bulldog Drummond's plans to get married are interrupted when a top-secret explosive is stolen. Seems like a very familiar plot that was used in dozens of similar B detective movies, doesn't it? Well it is but there are a few new touches, such as the arm business, that keep it interesting. Most of the comedy in this one is not that funny. Reginald Denny's Algy is especially irritating this time around. E.E. Clive can still be depended upon, however. This movie also finally lets us meet Algy's wife Gwen, played by Nydia Westman. She's an insufferable character whose one joke ("Algy-walgeeeee!") wears out its welcome immediately. For his part, John Howard does fine. He improves considerably whenever he has scenes with lovely Louise Campbell. John Barrymore steals every scene he's in, which isn't as many as I'd have liked. The Great Profile's career was in poor shape at this point, as evidenced by his doing these quickies. Still, he does his job admirably and is enjoyable to watch. Frank Puglia plays the villain in drag and that's a pretty hideous sight. It's very unconvincing that other characters aren't able to immediately recognize he's a man in a dress. Not my favorite of the series but watchable. It's just shy of an hour long and moves along briskly. Can't think of a reason not to watch it if you're a fan of these sorts of programmers.

The best part of this movie is unintended: 1937 England preserved with its autos, planes, streets and attitudes. The plot is hardly new. There's an invention (crystals in this case) that would prove disastrous if it should fall into the hands of the wrong people. Just who the wrong people are is not mentioned, but in retrospect they would seem to be the Nazis. Anyone who has watched many movies or serials from the period will recognize the plot quickly--and anticipate the ending.

The Bulldog Drummond hero bears little resemblance to the character created by "Sapper" McNeile. His marvelous series of books are about a much rougher individual who, having enjoyed the adventure and danger of the World War, advertises in the newspaper for interesting quests and assignments. Drummond of the novels is more of a daredevil than a detective.

For reasons I'd be hard pressed to explain, the makers of this movies inserted some really insipid humor--rather, attempts at humor. Drummond's sidekick, Algy, and Algy's stupid girlfriend aren't funny. They are merely annoying.

Still, this is an enjoyable view of a world now gone. Not only that, it has John Barrymore in a role that is a considerable comedown for his talents.

John Howard settled into the role of adventurer Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond with this better-than-average entry. The dialog is quick and witty, and the plot is faster and more complicated than usual, with plane crashes, explosions, and scenes aboard trains and ships. Drummond gets mixed up with foreign agents smuggling some secret explosives in a suitcase and who just happen to be going Drummond's way. Barrymore has less to do as Colonel "Don't call me inspector" Nielson, but Phyllis is more helpful, and pal Algy and valet Tenny are never far behind. For those keeping score, in this one, Drummond and Phyllis are planning a European voyage to be married, and Algy is worried that his wife thinks he's left her (well, he has, but not on purpose).

This is a pretty good, if unspectacular, Bulldog Drummond feature with the usual good cast and a story with plenty of action plus a little humor at the right times. The story is a little less imaginative than the ideas in some of the other features in the series, but it makes up for it with plenty of action that keeps things going.

Most of the story-line revolves around a secret new explosive that a scientist has invented, which the villains would obviously love to get their hands on. Some of the better moments come when the main action interferes with Drummond's plans to marry Phyllis (Louise Campbell), while flustering the befuddled but ever-helpful Algy (Reginald Denny).

John Barrymore is always good fun as Colonel Neilson, and he makes good use of his opportunities here, while E.E. Clive does likewise as the quick-witted Tenny. It's a good feature that should satisfy any fan of the series, though its fairly familiar plot ideas and rather nondescript villains keep it from being one of the very best entries in the series.