BULLDOG DRUMMOND’s SECRET POLICE

US, 1939, 56 minutes, Black-and-white.
John Howard, Heather Angel, H. B. Warner, Reginald Denny, E.E.Clive, Elizabeth Patterson, Forrester Harvey, Leo Carroll.
Directed by James Hogan.

This is the sixth attempt for Hugh Drummond to marry his fiancee, Phyllis Klavering. Once again it is thwarted.

However, this is the second last film in the series from the mid to late 1930s, generally with John Howard, very comfortable in the role, but Ray Milland playing Drummond in Bulldog Drummond Escapes. Heather Angel generally portrayed the fiancee although Louise Campbell was Phyllis several times. Cololnel Nielsen from Scotland Yard was generally played by H.B.Warner from Cecil B DeMille’s? King of Kings. Sometimes Nielsen is played by John Barrymore – and, sometimes over the top, contrasting with Warner’s much more calm and credible colonel.

The opening of the film goes over the same theme of the impending wedding, Elizabeth Patterson as the impatient aunt insisting, Reginald Denny as Algy getting things mixed up, Colonel Nielsen arriving to participate and, the ever reliable E. E.Clive as Tenney providing some gentlemanly humour.

A new member of the staff arrives, played by Leo G. Carroll (comparatively young and billed as Leo Carroll). The main part of the humour and mixup about the wedding comes from an absent-minded professor (lots of jokes about his absentmindedness, mistaking August for January, wearing warm clothes… Settling into the house as if he owns it for a country visit!). He has documentation to indicate that there is treasure under Drummond’s house.

There is also news that the Professor’s associate, criminal, has just been released from prison. Given the short running time of the film, it is evident that Leo Carroll will be the villain. In fact, he murders the professor, taking his documentation, then Drummond finds a coded message which eventually he is able to understand.

There is a dream interlude which reprises scenes from several of the previous Bulldog Drummond films, especially the final confrontation with villain and lion from Bulldog Drummond in Africa.

The rest of the action takes place in the dungeon-like corridors and rooms under the house, the villain taking Phyllis hostage at one stage but her proving to be, as always, a strong participant in the action.

Drummond’s love is so strong that he does not care whether he gets the treasure or not! And, in the next episode, the last of the series, Bulldog Drummond’s Bride, the marriage actually takes place!

James Hogan did the direction as he did with a number of the films – a quite entertaining series from the 30s.