Bulldog Drummond Comes Back

Weaker entry in the Bulldog Drummond series, with John Howard in the role. Usual funny banter and antics, but not much plot. Barrymore gets something to do as the inspector, swapping disguises to follow Drummond, Algy, and Tenny on a wild goose chase (mostly in circles; perhaps the budget was tighter than usual) to rescue poor Phyllis, who is being held captive by people who want to lure Drummond to his doom. For those keeping score, in this one, Drummond is planning to ask Phyllis to marry him and Algy is worried about missing the baby's christening. It's fun to see Algy and Tenny dressed up as fisherman to blend in at The Angler's Rest, but little of it rises above silly.

Although I saw an edited version Bulldog Drummond Comes Back there was still enough there to enjoy. Especially enough of J. Carrol Naish and Helen Freeman as ruthless a pair of brother and sister villains you'll ever find.

These two have it for Drummond played by John Howard. He was instrumental in having Freeman's husband captured and executed in France and they've now captured Howard's long suffering Tess Truehart type fiancé Louise Campbell. But they don't kill her outright nor do they kill Howard. Naish and Freeman are enjoying toying with him like a pair of feral cats with a wounded mouse. Howard refers to Freeman as Lady MacBeth and she's that big a schemer.

Butler E.E. Clive and cricket friend Reginald Denny are in on the chase, but John Barrymore as Scotland Yard's Inspector Neilson is ordered out. You don't tell Scotland Yard what to do however.

The only real flaw in this Reginald Denny who in most films is amusing as Drummond's silly twit of a friend. But in Bulldog Drummond Comes Back he's downright annoying.

Bulldog Drummond Comes Back is a pretty good B film from Paramount Studios and while Howard is no Ronald Colman he gives a good account of himself in all his Bulldog Drummond films.

In foggy old London town/ Did Drummond chase the poesy 'round/ Assisted by a secret corps/ Led by "Colonel" Barrymore.

In this Bulldog Drummond adventure, starring John Howard, he must follow a playful string of clues to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend. The villains, intent on revenge, hiss and taunt at every turn. Thankfully, they drag out the game long enough for the hero to thwart their efforts. John Barrymore plays the resourceful Colonel Neilson who finds a way to aid Drummond.

As adventures go, this is rather weak. The trail of clues is obtuse and repetitive. It all ends with a ticking cliche.

Bulldog Drummond was a popular character in 1920's and 1930's adventure novels by H.C. McNeile. Drummond was a wealthy WWI veteran and war hero (in real life, McNeile was also a veteran and war hero, having won the Military Cross, Britain's second highest medal for valor).

This film is notable for having excellent sets and atmosphere. Catch Drummond's big drawing room in the first scene! It's very evocative of an English gentleman's abode. There are really nice matte shots later of an old mansion, and several scenes in realistic looking pubs.

The plot is pretty thin, but honestly, the books were the same way. E.E. Clive, who appeared in all seven films with John Howard, is a standout! He brings a wealth of acting experience to the role.

Don't look for especially clever plots in these films. Watch them for the fun and the good 1930's atmosphere.

Now John Howard is Bulldog Drummond in this 1937 film, "Bulldog Drummond Comes Back," with John Barrymore getting top billing.

Phyllis (Louise Campbell), the fiancée of Bulldog, is kidnapped. In order to find her, Bulldog, who has wronged the kidnappers, has to solve a series of clues. It's all to trap him.

The villains are J. Carrol Naish and Helen Freeman, and John Barrymore is the Colonel. He did two Bulldog films. What a great actor -- it's kind of sad to see him here. He uses some disguises very effectively.

Tenney (E.E. Clive) is very good as Bulldog asks for his approval on a poem, and Tenney provides him with further help. And poor Algy (Reginald Denny) is trying to get back for his baby's christening. Somehow Bulldog always lures him away from family.

I like John Howard in this role. He's handsome, smooth, and sophisticated. He's best remembered (by me anyway) as Katharine Hepburn's fiancée in The Philadelphia Story.

The story idea is interesting if lightweight, with villains played by J. Carrol Naish and Helen Freeman using a series of riddles and puzzles, along with a kidnapping, in their attempts to lure Drummond into a trap. The series of puzzles gets a bit far-fetched, but it does hold your interest, and perhaps with a little more careful writing and editing it could have made a pretty good movie.

Entertaining.