The Return of Bulldog Drummond

Despite Ralph Richardson taking the lead role, I didn't find this entry in the Bulldog Drummond saga particularly good. The print wasn't good -- a low-contrast 16 mm. print with poor sound -- and the story about how Bulldog and his old regimental pals break up a gang of foreign adventurers-for profit, who unwisely kidnap Mrs. Bulldog (Ann Todd), thinking this will stop him, was Best British Pulp.

The villain in this case is Francis L. Sullivan, who looks to have some fun by occasionally donning a bushy beard and speaking with a Russian accent The actors do their best, but the direction by the uninspired Walter Summers and camerawork by Jack Parker is simple-minded and obvious at all times.

Wonder why all of the other Drummond films are easily available and this one is scarce. No I don't. This one actually displays the political left in a SOMEWHAT unfavorable light (now think of it: would anyone complain if Nazis were displayed unfavorably - of course not - but the extreme left has murdered millions more and should be subject to the same level of scorn). Anyway the film is a take on Sapper's The Black Gang and actually is otherwise a typical Drummond entry. Think of it as the James Bond of its day. Richardson not the best Drummond but none were (are). Technically the bad guy is not a leftist and the movie lets the true hard leftists get away with just being dupes.

Enjoyable for its non-conformist politics. Entertaining B movie.

This film is surprisingly satisfying. The cool and bravado of Ralph Richardson, in word and deed, appear in his every scene. The action is vigorous, and the dominance of opposing forces carries to and fro at a fast pace. The evil Carl Peterson (compare Blowfeld in Bond, Moriarty or Colonel Moran in Sherlock Holmes) is well oiled as a diabolical villain. Cruel as he and his devoted wife or mistress are, each is given a bit of humanity and empathy (blink and you'll miss it) for contrast. As outlandish as The (good) Black Clan is, its members come off as everyday citizens deeply loyal to decency and their country. Richardson as Captain Hugh Drummond is no Commander James Bond, but he matches him for sureness and quickness to act. Though showing its age, this film holds up well in the entertaining age-old battle of good and bad wits and fists.

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.

In the 1920s and 30s, there were quite a few Bulldog Drummond films but the series suffered because they never seemed to keep a leading man for long and the style of the various films varied so much. The strangest of these is "The Return of Bulldog Drummond", as Drummond and his friends are less super-heroes and more super-vigilantes...and violent ones at that.

The context for this film is VERY important and might get lost on some viewers. So, I'll try to explain. In the 1930s, Europeans and Americans (apart from those in Nazi Germany) were sick of war. WWI had left many millions dead and the people thought that perhaps this god-awful war would be their last because it was so terrible and destructive. As a result, many anti-war films came out during this era, such as "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "J'Accuse" were popular and reflected these sentiments. And, in many ways, this Drummond film fits in with this pattern.

When the story begins, some sickos have been murdering various folks campaigning for disarmament and peace. You can only assume that these unknown people are working for the armaments industries...the same profiteers who benefited from the carnage of WWI.

Bulldog Drummond (Ralph Richardson) and his gang of vigilantes (referred to as either 'the Black Gang' or 'the Black Clan' in the film) want to stop these murderers and profiteers....and you assume much of it is because they are all WWI veterans. They are willing to do just about anything to stop these schmucks...even kill them if necessary!

The story is more taut and violent that other Drummond films. This also makes it one of the better Bulldog Drummond flicks...which is a shame, since this more British version is the only one Ralph Richardson made. Well made and well worth seeing.