Spotlight

Spotlight Date: 26-December-10
Spoiler Rating: Low

Bulldog Drummond (1930s)

Like James Bond and Sherlock Holmes, crime fighter Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond made a successful transition from the printed page to the big screen. The character was introduced in a 1920 book by Herman McNeile (using the pseudonym "Sapper") and first appeared on film three years later. In numerous movies stretching into the sixties he was played by the likes of Ronald Colman, Ralph Richardson, Ray Milland, and Walter Pidgeon. But the definitive Bulldog Drummond films feature John Howard in the central role.

A former captain in Britain's air force, Drummond is drawn to danger like a fly to fruit. Dapper and affable, he shares his adventures with his resourceful valet Tenny and dippy, uxorious friend Algy. Drummond's tendency to rush into the fray annoys his beloved fiancée Phyllis, who wants him to settle down. In the movies they are always on the eve of their wedding when something crops up. Drummond also annoys one Colonel Nielson of Scotland Yard, who doesn't like amateurs meddling in police work. The legendary John Barrymore usually plays the colonel opposite Howard's Drummond, with Louise Campbell and Heather Angel sharing duties as Phyllis. Reginald Denny fills Algy's shoes, while E. E. Clive, my personal favorite, makes a wonderfully deadpan Tenny. A sampling of their films, each about an hour long, allows viewers to appreciate the fun of the series.

Bulldog Drummond's Revenge (1937)

If you're in the mood for vintage 1937, skip the dull Bulldog Drummond Comes Back — in which Phyllis is kidnapped by villains resembling Rocky and Bullwinkle's Boris and Natasha — and go for the inexplicably named Bulldog Drummond's Revenge. En route to their wedding in Switzerland, Drummond and Phyllis, along with the rest of the gang, are swept up in international intrigue involving explosive crystals that could be turned into weapons of mass destruction. From train to ocean liner they follow a suitcase and a slippery thief disguised as a woman (Frank Puglia).

This movie is notable for casting a Chinese actor in the small role of a Chinese official (rare for the time), and for ending with Phyllis' decision that she likes Drummond's adventuresome life. (In later installments she reverts to wanting him to settle down.)

Bulldog Drummond's Peril (1938)

Drummond's peril arrives in a confusing package containing synthetic diamonds, a greedy nobleman, and professional rivalry between scientists. It begins when the perpetually betrothed couple receives a diamond as a wedding gift only to have it stolen a few hours later. Bulldog earns his nickname in this episode since he latches onto the perpetrator from the start and doesn't let go despite violence against his person and Colonel Nielson's extreme disapproval. (Incidentally, no one addresses the star as "Bulldog" in these movies, which is rather curious.)

This installment is notable for its action scenes: Tenny's feat of derring-do atop a truck and a well staged fight between a beefcaky Drummond with a sword and the villain (Porter Hall) with a bullwhip.

Bulldog Drummond in Africa (1938)

Our hero's African trip is an all-out charmer. Determined to get hitched, Drummond locks himself in his house without any pants so nothing can draw him out before the ceremony. The opening scene finds him and Tenny discussing wedding plans in their boxers. Then they dance around in makeshift kilts, setting the tone of delightful interaction that continues throughout the picture.

Wouldn't you know it: Colonel Nielson is taken to Morocco by force, and only Drummond can save him. This time the colonel is played by H. B. Warner instead of Barrymore, and his less gruff, more refined air suits the plot. Both colonel and kidnapper (J. Carrol Naish) behave like perfect gentlemen during their face-off, exchanging pleasantries like, "I say, is that the lion to which you're going to feed me? Right you are! Let's have a cocktail." In addition to its good humor, Bulldog Drummond in Africa is notable for featuring a young Anthony Quinn as one of the bad guys.

Bulldog Drummond's Bride (1939)

Drummond and Phyllis get married! Surprising everyone including themselves, the hero finally takes his sweetheart for a wife. The occasion is just as frenzied as one would expect (and quite hilarious), with the groom pursuing a bank robber in between recitations of the rite. The roof falls down on the wedding party twice, and explosives set the mood instead of orchids and organs. It takes place in a French hamlet where Drummond has followed both his betrothed and a stolen radio. Leave it to a French magistrate to drag him to the altar like a prisoner, demanding satisfaction for zee beeoootiful young lady who has waited for him so long. H. B. Warner is in attendance as Colonel Nielson, and Heather Angel, whom I prefer in the role of Phyllis, has the honor of finally getting her man.

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