BULLDOG DRUMMOND IN AFRICA
US, 1938, 58 minutes, Black-and-white.
John Howard, Heather Angel, H. B.Warner, J.Carrol Naish, Reginald Denny, E.E.Clive, Anthony Quinn, Michael Brooke, Matthew Boulton, Fortunio Bonanova.
Directed by Louis King.
This is one of the many Bulldog Drummond short films made in the mid-to-late 1930s. It has the usual popular ingredients – especially Hugh Drummond and his fiancee, Phyllis, on the verge of getting married – but, the marriage put off yet again, but Phil is getting in on the action.
It begins amusingly with Drummond and Tenney without their trousers, not able to use the phone, at home so that they won’t go off on a case instead of going to the wedding. LG has the trousers and the wedding ring. With the two at home, they find some tartan cloth’s and are able then to do some Highland dancing with Tenney playing the bagpipes. John Howard fits the Bulldog Drummond role perfectly and E.E.Clive is excellent as ever, the ever-thoughtful butler and valet, getting getting in on the action.
Once again, H.B.Warner, DeMille’s? Jesus in King of Kings, is: Neil Nelson, much more subdued and sympathetic than John Barrymore, overacting in the role. Nielsen is confronted by an arch spy from the past and abducted from his home, taken to Morocco to get information about scientific weapon developments. He is assisted by Anthony Quinn and an early role – as well is a line that is kept at his hacienda in Spanish Morocco.
Phyllis discovers the secret, lets Hugh Drummond know, who let Scotland Yard know, who summons allergy with the trousers, they hurry to the airport but not able to stop the plane. Despite tactics by the Scotland Yard to prevent them leaving, they will fly off, Phyllis as a stowaway.
Meanwhile in Morocco, the British official is deceived and abducted, Drummond and co taken by the police (character actor for junior bond and over) and to be deported (in a plane with explosives set by Anthony Quinn to go off over the ocean). In the meantime, Nielsen is being interrogated by a group of international spies led by the veteran (J.Carol Nash).
Needless to say, Drummond is shrewd and turns the plane back, landing before the explosion. They hurry to the hacienda where the kernel is tied up and threatened by the lion. Needless to say, a shootout, Tenney helping, Phyllis helping, and the villain being mauled to death by the lion.
Quite some excitement in 58 minutes, a good addition to the Bulldog Drummond films, some directed by Louis King as here, others by James Hogan. Reginald Denny’s allergy is much more involved than usual and less of a silly-ass than usual (although Drummond does call in at one stage a blithering idiot).
