From my favorite movies..

Awesome Movie

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Director: JAMES HOGAN. Screenplay: Stuart Palmer. Based on the 1926 novel The Final Count by H.C. ("Sapper") McNeile. Photography: Ted Tetzlaff. Film editor: Stuart Gilmore. Art directors: Hans Dreier, Franz Bachelin. Set decorations: A.E. Freudeman. Music director: Boris Morros. Assistant director: Evan Thomas. Sound recording: Hugo Grenzbach, Richard Olson. Western Electric Sound System. Producer: Stuart Walker.Copyright 25 November 1938 by Paramount Pictures Inc. Presented by Adolph Zukor. New York opening at the Criterion: 11 January 1939. U.S. release: 25 November 1938. Australian release: 12 January 1939. 6 reels. 60 minutes. SYNOPSIS: Drummond and his friends travel to a British-held tropical island to corner a villain who has transported a powerful death ray there from London, after killing its inventor.NOTES: Number 14 of the 24-picture "Bulldog Drummond" series.COMMENTS: There's plenty of explosive action in this one (after a slow start) and the support cast is interesting too. Unfortunately, the script re-introduces Nielson's tiresome "Don't call me Inspector!" joke, though Reginald Denny is less boobish than usual and Nydia Westman is mercifully not present. Hogan keeps the film moving at a crackling pace and production values, headed by Ted Tetzlaff's cinematography, are good.

The Bulldog Drummond series was not one of the more memorable adventure/detective series of the 30s and 40s. Most of the problem was the very high turnover in the lead--with almost a dozen actors playing Captain Drummond. However, the leading man in this film, John Howard, did play in quite a few--and made more of the role than many of the other actors given a chance to play Drummond. The combination of a good villain (George Zucco) and very good support from H.B. Warner as 'the Colonel' make this one better than most.The film begins with a seemingly crazy engineer telling the British government that he alone has the power to end wars!! They rightfully assume the man is nuts...but, oddly, he is correct! It seems that this fellow named Gannett is an inventor much like the real life Nicola Tesla (who was rather crazy according to most accounts of his time--as in addition to his brilliant inventions, he tried to perfect a death ray among other crackpot ideas). Gannett manages to create a ray that makes guns and other weapons disappear--this, potentially, ending wars! However, an evil man (Zucco) hates this because he is a war profiteer and is more than willing to steal the ray and sell it to the highest bidder! As for Drummond, I loved how the Colonel didn't do what the authorities usually do in such a film. Usually, they try their best to harass the hero and threaten to arrest him. However, the Colonel KNOWS that by the end of each of their encounters, it turns out Drummond is right and saves the day. So, instead of arresting him, the Colonel instead gets him out of jail repeatedly and is certain that Drummond will somehow work everything out in the end!! That's really pretty funny and sort of like an anti-cliché moment! In addition to Warner's excellent support, I liked how Algy and Tenny worked together in the film--they were quite funny and worth seeing. In fact, the entire film was better than average for the series--a lot of fun and with an interesting escapist plot.UPDATE--Oddly, the day after I saw this film, I just happened to see "Blake of Scotland Yard" (which was made two years earlier) and noticed that "Arrest Bulldog Drummond" was essentially a re-working of this earlier film! As a result, I added this update and knocked a point off this later film's score as it was NOT nearly as original as I first thought! Interesting timing, huh?!

This is the fourteenth Bulldog Drummond film, and it is highly watchable. The performances are very good, and one wishes the plot were less implausible and the 'secret weapon' were not a mere tin contraption which any schoolboy could have put together in an hour from scraps in a school workshop. But then, we are not meant to take the plot at all seriously, we are merely meant to sit back and enjoy seeing John Howard and Heather Angel almost get married again, H. B. Warner as Colonel Nielson grumble and demand not to be called 'Inspector', E. E. Clive as Tenny the Butler say 'I rather thought so, sir' in his own inimitable way, and Reginald Denny as Algy Longworth be an endearing bumbling fool as usual: 'You mean you're not dead, Hugh?' 'Not even a bit dead, Algy.' George Zucco is a wonderfully convincing and menacing villain, as he was to be so many more times. One surprising development is that Claud Allister, the original Algy Longworth as far back as Ronald Colman days, who in his time had seen many a Drummond come and go, appears in a serious straight role as a distinguished friend of the Commissioner, which he does very well. Perhaps they were giving a part to an old pal, or Allister wanted to show that he could be a jolly good straight actor, have a deep voice rather than a high-pitched effete whinny, and look as if he were not a dolt, - at all of which he succeeds admirably. Heather Angel is delightful, the diametrical opposite to the cringeing, whimpering and helpless Joan Bennett who in earlier times draped herself in Colman's arms like a water hose which has just squirted its last. The clouds of war are gathering in this 1939 film. There are secret agents of foreign powers willing to pay a million pounds for a ray which detonates guns at a range of half a mile. One senses the danger in the air, despite all the silliness. One wonderful touch in this film is the presence of a trained talking raven. He has a role in the plot, and even shares the last frame. We could have done with more of that raven.

Public Media Inc. has released a neat two film set of Bulldog Drummond films on one tape. The other film paired with "Arrest Bulldog Drummond" is "Bulldog Drummond in Africa." If you like The Thin Man series, you may like this as well. If you absolutely love The Thin Man series, you'll probably be disappointed with Bulldog Drummond. John Howard plays "Bulldog," which is something of a misnomer as played here because he's rather quiet, handsome & shy, not what one would expect from a "bulldog." Heather Angel matches well with Howard as his Fiancee in Perpetuity. The movies have charm, wit, a bit of mystery, & solid acting. If you're not expecting William Powell & Myrna Loy, you should be pleased. Anthony Quinn fans note: a very young Quinn has a neat little part in "...Africa." George Zucco fans note: he has a good part in "Arrest...." I rate "Bulldog Drummond in Africa" 7/10, & I rate "Arrest Bulldog Drummond" 6/10.