CommentsXp Best movie ever!

Aubrey Hackett While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Michelle Ridley The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

kmoh-1 One of Jack Hulbert's best films, a spoof of the Bulldog Drummond series. There is little point watching Bulldog Jack if you are a fan of neither Bulldog nor Jack, but the USP of this film is that it doesn't play fast and loose with the thriller elements. It works pretty well as a Drummond film, and the first reel could easily have been transplanted from any of the others, as the crooks try to sabotage Drummond's car. Jack Hulbert steps in with his immense amateur enthusiasm and endless self-belief, immune to any doubts about his detective ability despite setback after setback; this confidence was Hulbert's trademark, and in any of his films you knew it would get him the girl, eventually. Smart dialogue peppers most scenes, particularly the early scene in Drummond's flat where Hulbert tries to make sense of the mysterious goings-on: "who is this man Santini, and why doesn't he know what he's done?" Claude Hulbert steps in as Algy, perennial 'silly ass' of the Drummond films, a clever piece of casting which allows brother Jack a confidante who will not outshine him, however dim he is being; Claude's finest moment is in the climactic scenes on the underground. Ralph Richardson is a somewhat eccentric master villain (with bizarre hair and a "filthy hat"), and Fay Wray as the love interest plays it entirely straight, which was probably wise.For the aficionado of either Bulldog or Jack, this is a great picture. It is one of Hulbert's best (he was always a stage star), and it's better than most straight Drummonds. This is at least partly because the thriller elements are taken seriously. The most obvious sign of this is that there are no songs in the film, still less dancing. Even in Jack's the Boy, in contrast, Hulbert gives himself a couple of charming numbers. The self-restraint pays off in spades here.

peefyn I was not aware of the character Bulldog Drummond before watching this movie. This movie seems to be a fun way to make a comedy out his kind of stories, though. While the set up was a bit weak - Drummond basically handing over his everything on little more than a whim - it worked okay within the (silly) movie. For this is a silly comedy. It does have a crime plot, but it's not that good, and not at all in focus. It's about Jack Pennington and the goofs he is forced to solve this crime with. Jack Pennington himself is mostly a comic relief with a hard to pin-down personality. He does deliver some fun lines, mostly the dismissive ones between himself and his sidekick. This relationship is the highlight of the movie - but only certain scenes and situations. At its worst parts, the movie is dumb gags with sound effects. These can be good, but in this movie isn't. For instance, I Initially liked the visual gag of the spiral staircase, but it lasted way too long to.Jack Hulbert does not impress with his acting, either. It might be that his style was more suited for the his era, as it bear similarities to other comedies of that time. But there's still something with his way of delivering many of the lines that distracted you from the punchline. At times it felt like he was on the verge of breaking into laughter. The other performances in the film did not feel off in this way.But then again, maybe I am too young for these kind of movies? Or maybe I am not well enough versed in comedies like this to appreciate them? Either way, the movie did not work for me now.

dbborroughs Jack Hulbert plays a polo player named Jack Pennington who literally runs into Bulldog Drummond when Drummond's car is sabotaged to stop Drummond from helping the young woman (Fay Wray) back in London. Drummond's arm is broken in the crash and he asks Hulbert to take his place in order to get the information that will let him help the fair damsel.Hulbert of course refuses to give up the ruse and soon with the aid of Algy he's trying to rescue the kidnapped girl and best the villainous Morelle (Ralph Richardson).Moving like the wind this is a damn fine little comedy mystery. Hulbert is absolutely hysterical as the Drummond wannabe as he blusters his way in and out of danger. His insanity is absolutely charming.(He would repeat the same sort of nonsense to much the same effect three or so years later in Kate Plus Ten an adaptation of an Edgar Wallace story thats gotten better with each viewing. Fay Wray has never looked more stunning. I'm so used to her in American films which seem now never managed to show her beauty the way that this film does. As Morelle Ralph Richardson is a truly demented evil genius. Its clear he's dangerous, however he's so genuinely smooth that you almost by that he could be a nice guy.The action is first rate with the climatic underground train sequence rightly held out as a key reason to see the film. One can easily imagine that the final twists and turns had audience members seeing this on a big screen shrieking.This is a really good film and one wonders why its not currently out on DVD or, apparently, available for TV broadcast in the United States, since its easily one of the better mysteries of this sort.Yes you really do want to check this film out.(I don't know if I'd consider it a Bulldog Drummond film, partly because its so humorous, partly because Drummond isn't really in it and partly because its kind of atypical for the films that are real Drummond films. It is but its not. CAn we call it a semi-Drummond film?)

ljq Have seen this film several times now and generally chuckle/grin/smile most all of the way through. Always enjoy seeing the Underground and the British Museum settings again. Excellent "escapist" antidote to today's generally depressive "gloom and doom" national atmosphere. These days, I feel we need more of this type of film and less of the kind that's too light on dialogue and too heavy on violence and special effects.