Rainey Dawn In this "episode" Bulldog, his girlfriend and butler are in Africa trying to free a kidnapped Scotland Yard member.Again, there is nothing overly special to see here as far as a good crime film goes. It's a typical "episode" based around the adventurer Bulldog Drummond. The only person that interests me in this flick is J. Carrol Naish - nice to see him in a different kind of a role. The film gets one extra point from me for J. Carrol Naish alone.The movie is your average crime film of the 1930s that was cranked out in a hurry for the audiences that would eat it up. I have found myself unimpressed with Bulldog Drummond. I'm more of a fan of Sherlock Holmes.3/10

blanche-2 Bulldog Drummond in Africa is a 1938 entry into the series, with John Howard again as Hugh Drummond, Heather Angel as Phyllis, E.E. Clive as Tenney, Reginald Denny as Angy, and instead of Barrymore, we have H.B. Warner, the first Demille Christ, as the Colonel.Hugh again is trying to marry Phyllis. This time they've decided that Hugh will stay in the house and not answer the phone until it is time to leave; this way, he can avoid becoming involved in any case.When Phyllis arrives at the Colonel's house to pick him up, she meets a man who says he is the new tenant, which seems strange to her. She sees the Colonel's briefcase, though she is told he isn't there, but has gone to Africa. She parks in a hidden spot and sees men carrying out the Colonel.So Hugh is on another case.Fast-moving and quite good, the men who have taken over the Colonel's house are trying to locate some top secret government process - these things are real McGuffins, just an excuse for the story. The Colonel won't give them any information. They then take him to Africa.Actually they are in Morocco.Loved seeing the old plane. Angy is really out of it this time, and Drummond is his usual dapper, mostly relaxed self.Fun episodes. I really like this cast but of course would have loved to see Barrymore again. He made a much more vital, worse tempered Colonel.Anthony Quinn plays a thug.

robert-temple-1 Here we go again, but it isn't 'Africa', it's just Morocco. However, I guess they thought 'Africa' sounded more glamorous for a title. This is a superior entry into the Bulldog Drummond series, and is the thirteenth Drummond film to be made. John Howard is a terrific Drummond, compares well with Ronald Colman, and is superior to Ray Milland and Walter Pidgeon. (I do hate to say anything against Walter Pidgeon, but I am only referring to the role of Drummond, whom he played on one occasion, the 21st Drummond film, 'Calling Bulldog Drummond' in 1951.) E. E. Clive is once again the butler, and what a time he has! (As do we, just watching him.) Heather Angel is the gal this time, due to be married to Drummond of course the next morning, but then we knew that would never be allowed, didn't we? She is a great kisser, doubtless smells of heather, has a fresh face and one wants her around. And she won't leave her man alone, but insists on sharing his danger. That's a good sport, then! Nothing like a love interest who contributes to the action plot as well! J. Carroll Naish is a particularly sinister baddie in this film, with his ultra-calm demeanour and suave, reassuring ways. He out-Sanders George Sanders sometimes and out-Conways Tom Conway. A pity, as a villain, he is not allowed to get a girl after all that sophisticated behaviour and under-playing of his dialogue to insidious effect. Yes, this is a good one. And the escape from the exploding plane is worthy of Batman.

classicsoncall The movie opens with a trouser-less Drummond (John Howard) and his butler Tenny (E.E. Clive), confined to Rockingham Lodge on the eve of the Captain's wedding to Miss Phyllis Clavering (Heather Angel). Drummond's sidekick Algy (Reginald Denny) is holding their pants hostage to prevent his boss from getting caught up in a distraction that would disrupt the ceremony. Is it possible that they only had one pair of pants each?Scotland Yard's Colonel Nielson (H.B. Warner) meanwhile, is about to be taken hostage himself by an old nemesis, Richard Lane (J. Carrol Naish). Lane hopes to secure information about a newly developed radio-wave disintegrator, but when Nielson becomes uncooperative, Lane hustles him aboard a plane bound for Morocco where he'll have time to work him over for the secret. The early going is marked by a frantic effort to catch Lane and Nielson, as Algy valiantly tries to deliver the pants along the way.The ever patient and ever single Miss Clavering stows away aboard Drummond's plane as the good guys take flight to Africa. The final confrontation there involves a lion, strategically tethered to an uncertain stake with Colonel Nielson the prize should it give way."Bulldog Drummond in Africa" offers it's share of characteristic good humor and camaraderie between Drummond and his cohorts, though this time around some troubling elements are included as well. Nielson's butler Phillips is dispatched by Lane, and Algy takes a bullet in the arm during the finale at Lane's estate.For J.Carrol Naish, this was his second unsuccessful attempt to outwit hero Drummond. He previously vied with John Howard in "Bulldog Drummond Comes Back", though portraying a different character. Heather Angel reprises her role as Phyllis Clavering from "Bulldog Drummond Escapes", the only film in the series with Ray Milland in the role of the title character. Howard and Angel would team up a total of four times, culminating in the 1939 entry "Bulldog Drummond's Bride". Not having seen it yet, I've got my fingers crossed for an invitation to a wedding.