Customer Reviews

Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police / Bulldog Drummond's Bride [VHS]

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BULLDOG DRUMMOND'S SECRET POLICE is a 1939 movie. Much of the action takes place in Drummond's ancestral home. John Howard is Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond and the cast includes Heather Angel, H.B. Warner and Reginald Denny.

In BULLDOG DRUMMOND'S BRIDE Phyllis and Drummond are finally married. The film is based on Sapper's novel BULLDOG DRUMMOND AND THE ORIENTAL MIND. The cast includes John Howard, Heather Angel, H.B. Warner, Elizabeth Patterson and Reginald Denny.

Bulldog Drummond (John Howard) is going to marry his sweetheart (Heather Angel) but first, he's got a mystery on his hands. He re-opens the old tower, a building he owns. Soon he is confronted with an old tale of treasure within the walls and the old professor thinks he can figure out where it is! With encouragement, he begins to decode the sipher, but soon finds himself the victim of greed. Drummond takes it upon himself to solve the murder and to find the treasure before the intruder can. Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police is an excellent film that plays similarly to an old time radio drama. It is less than an hour long so it moves swiftly, providing lots of action throughout. Lost treasure stories are always fun, but when combined with murder and intruige, they're even better.

Bulldog Drummond's Bride is not quite as exciting, but it is good too. It stars the same cast and once again, Howard and Angel are set to get married. This time it is a bank robbery that keeps them apart. Drummond is determined to figure out the case himself, although the new police detective hopes to solve the mystery without any help. There is plenty of humor in this movie along with action, so it can appeal to many different audiences.

The sound and picture quality for both of these films is excellent. Highly recommended!

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. Two of the best entries are included in this fabulous double feature.


BULLDOG DRUMMOND'S SECRET POLICE

The "B" series had cute and lovely Heather Angel as Hugh's fun bride-to-be, Phyllis Clavering. E.E. Clive was great as Bulldog's valet, Tenny, and Reginald Denny offered moments of amusement as his affable pal, Algy. H.B. Warner was fun as Colonel Nielson and Elizabeth Patterson swell as Phyllis' Aunt Blanche, always skeptical that Bulldog would ever make it to the alter with Phyllis.

James Horn directed this one with a screenplay from Garnett Weston based on "The Temple Tower" by H.C. "Sapper" McNeile. This particular entry is quite fun, as Hugh finds adventure in his own home. Five other times Bulldog's nose for mystery and adventure has kept him from the alter with Phyllis, and when a professor shows up at Rockingham on the eve of the nuptuals with a book containing directions to a hidden treasure in the world underneath Bulldog's home, adventure can't be far away.

A secret cipher and the possibility of treasure is just too much for Hugh and his pals to resist, wedding or not! The fun really starts and the pace picks up once the book is stolen and a man is murdered. Phyllis is game, however, and joins in the chase with moxy, asking for a gun. She may need it when she's taken hostage by the killer and the treasure is found, Bulldog and gang on the chase to save her.

There is a dream sequence that lets Hugh recall some of his exploits from previous entries which is campy fun. Leo Carroll makes a good "B" villan and Howard adds the right touch as the man-about-town who can't resist a good adventure. Heather Angel is cute as a button throughout and an ending with a laugh makes this a particularly enjoyable outing for Bulldog and gang. Those who enjoy "B" films, especially series, will like this one a lot.


BULLDOG DRUMMOND'S BRIDE

This one starts off with a bang and moves at a good clip, making it one of the best in the series. A bank robbery Bulldog and Phyllis just happen upon provides the adventure while the real question, as always, was whether Hugh would ever make it to the alter with his cute girl Phyllis! She's given him a ten day ultimatum in this one, or she'll marry another. Can Bulldog manage not to blow his last chance with Phyllis and her skeptical aunt?

A mad painter, a radio holding a secret that Bulldog has sent to Phyllis in France, unknowingly putting her in harm's way, and a fine bad guy in Eduardo Cianelli make it nearly, but not quite impossible. This is definitely one of the more entertaining entries in the "B" series. James Hogan's snappy direction and a swift moving screenplay from Garnett Weston and Stuart Palmer give this one lots of zip.

A great ending wraps up everything nicely and gives audiences what they've been waiting for from the beginning: a chance for cute little Heather Angel and our hero John Howard to tie the knot! Fans of "B" films and series will find this one extremely enjoyable. Great fun!