Customer Reviews

Bulldog Drummond Double Feature #1 - Bulldog Drummond Escapes / Bulldog Drummond Comes Back

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These are both very good B movie mysteries from the 1930's. The premise behind the Bulldog Drummond series was that Drummond is always trying to marry his girlfriend, Phyllis Clavering, when some mystery interrupts and postpones the proceedings. These two films are from the early part of the series. "Bulldog Drummond Escapes" has a young Ray Milland in the lead where he meets, falls in love with, and rescues Phyllis. "Bulldog Drummond Comes Back" has Drummond proposing to Phyllis prior to the crime drama portion of the film. Reginald Denny is great as Drummond's faithful if inept friend, and E.E. Clive is the model of efficiency and ingenuity as Drummond's gentleman's gentleman.

The problem with this double feature is that "Bulldog Drummond Escapes" is barely watchable because the video is so dark and the audio is so bad it is impossible to hear quiet conversation over the awful audio hum. However "Bulldog Drummond Comes Back" has pretty good audio and video quality for a public domain feature. A better buy might be the "Mystery Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection". It has six Bulldog Drummond films including these two and 44 more public domain mystery films.

Bulldog Drummond films date all the way back to the silent era. While the two films with Ronald Colman are considered to be the best by many critics, the most fun and entertaining films are surely the "B" films with John Howard in the role of Hugh Drummond. But others had their turn at the famous adventurer, including a young Ray Milland.


BULLDOG DRUMMOND ESCAPES


Ray Milland has fun as Bulldog in this lighthearted entry. Pal Algy is an expecting father as Bulldog arrives by plane with a bit of derring-do, landing in a dangerous fog. Guy Standing is the Clolonel this time, and he's not pleased to see Hugh, knowing his arrival is sure to bring adventure.

It isn't long before his fears are realized, when our hero Bulldog finds a damsel in distress in the road. There's a murdered man nearby and the damsel disappears! Hugh suspects she's being held against her will in Greystone Manor, but can't convince the Colonel. Pretty Heather Angel is enough to make any man take a risk or two, and Bulldog's nose for adventure and damsels leads him right into trouble.

Milland makes a fun and dashing Drummond in this entry in the series. This one is important because it shows how Bulldog and Phyllis first met. The very fun tone makes for fine entertainment for "B" fans. Bulldog plays a clever trick to tear Algy away from the delivery and an even neater trick involving a dummy to find the evidence he needs to save Phyllis from the ruffians!

Just grab the kids and some popcorn and have a good time watching this one.


BULLDOG DRUMMOND COMES BACK

This terrific entry in the Bulldog Drummond "B" series, featuring John Howard in the role of Hugh Drummond moves quickly and has more atmosphere than usual. Reginald Denny and E.E. Clive return as Bulldog's pals but Heather Angel is missed as his soon-to-be bride. Louise Campbell does a nice job as Phyllis, however, and John Barrymore's presence as the Colonel adds a serious touch to the proceedings.

Phyllis is kidnapped from Rockingham by two seriously twisted criminal minds Colonel Nielson has been aware of for some time. J. Carroll Naish and Helen Freeman are fun as the evil Valdein and Irena. Nielson allows Bulldog to search for Phyllis in his own way by following the deliberate clues left him, such as phonograph records, to find his lady love.

But while Bulldog and his pals go down to the docks in a merry yet somber chase, the Colonel isn't far behind. Barrymore gets to don disguises so he can follow the action without being seen. Howard, sometimes accused of being a bit bland as Drummond by some, seems a bit more dashing here opposite the Great Profile.

It is Tenny (E.E. Clive) who comes to the rescue in this one in Edward T. Lowe's screenplay based on "Bulldog Drummond and the Female of the Species" by H.C. "Sapper" McNeile. Louis King directs this entry in the series with some flair and the ending is a real bang! Bulldog may have a clear path to the alter finally but for a last second breeze!

A very good entry despite the absence of Heather Angel, and Bulldog Drummond fans will enjoy both entries in this double feature.

I had first read about Bulldog Drummond in a biography of Ian Flemming and was aware that he was the major influence for James Bond. But seeing these movies brought to light something more. If you are familiar with the James Bond novels you will see clearly how James Bond grew out of Bulldog Drummond, but if you watch these movies you will see how BD is the missing link with the great detectives of the nineteenth century. The way Bulldog Drummond both lives in the shadow of Sherlock Holmes and casts the shadow that will someday yield James Bond (of the books) is amazing.