robertguttman
Bulldog Drummond was already a famous action/adventure hero by 1929, when this movie was produced. Nevertheless, it is obvious from the first scene that this movie was made with tongue firmly in cheek. Everything is presented in a manner so over-the-top, so heavy-handed, particularly the melodramatic aspects of the story, that it is clear that this film was meant to be as much a comedy as an action/adventure melodrama. It takes a deft hand to pull off the trick of presenting melodrama as comedy without looking foolish. In this case, the cast of able professionals is headed by two stars who would fo on to achieve legendary film careers: Ronald Coleman and a 19-year-old Joan Bennet. This movie was produced before Ms. Bennet changed her hair color from blond to black, so some film buffs might not recognizer her immediately. The change differentiated her from her equally-famous blond sister, Constance. However, it apparently also helped her to get more substantial roles. Joan Bennet would end up having one of the longest careers in film history, appearing in 98 productions over a period of well in excess of 60 years. Bulldog Drummond is an old-fashioned action adventure/melodrama. However, if viewed from the correct perspective, it is also quite funny. It is patently evident that was the perspective from which the filmmakers intended the film to be viewed.
Prismark10
Ronald Coleman stars in this early talkie from 1929 which now appears to be rather creaky, not helped that some of the actors appear to be making a difficult transition to talking pictures.Not so with Ronald Coleman he seems to have stepped up with ease as the dashing hero, Captain Hugh Drummond a retired army officer who places a personal ad in the Times newspaper advertising his services. A young lady Phyllis (Joan Bennett) responds as her wealthy American uncle is being held captive in a Nursing Home by a gang which consists of a mad doctor and his cohorts who are after the uncle's money.Drummond is assisted by his valet and the annoying as well as dim friend Algy (Claude Allister.)This is a rather stagy film being adapted from a play and it also comes across as rather starchy.
Uriah43
"Hugh 'Bulldog' Drummond" (Ronald Coleman) is a rich but exceedingly bored veteran of World War I with nothing to do. So he writes an advertisement to "The London Times" offering his services as a freelance adventurer in the hope of finding some action. Sure enough, he receives a letter from a young woman named "Phyllis" (Joan Bennett) who suggests a meeting. She then tells him that she has a very wealthy uncle who is being held prisoner at a mental institute and she needs his help to free him. Naturally, he is intrigued with the idea but first he has to discern for himself whether or not he can be of any assistance. Now, rather than reveal any more of this movie and risk spoiling it for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this was one of the first motion-pictures to transmit actual sound in the dialogue. So regardless of what a person might think about the overall quality of this movie it certainly deserves some measure of respect for this accomplishment. Having said that, I would also like to add that the script also contained a good measure of wit which, along with some of the action, combined to produce a most entertaining film. Admittedly, this movie is quite dated—but I enjoyed it none-the-less. Above average.
Cajun-4
The literary character of Bulldog Drummond has not worn well. Reading the books now, Drummond tends to come across as more of a fascist bully than as a hero. This 1929 movie was Ronald Colman's first in a talkie and he plays the character with his usual charm, honing down the more brutal aspects of the Drummond in the books (although in one scene he does gleefully choke a man to death with his bare hands).The movie is based on the stage play rather than on the book and the stage origins show. One can almost sense actors waiting for their cue to make an entrance. Colman and Bennett are pretty good in the lead roles but the over acting of Lawrence Grant as the mad doctor is painful to behold.For collector's it's worth seeing once for the record.
AD
