sol1218
***SPOILERS*** Famed British crime fighter Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond, Walter Pidgeon, who had retired to his hog farm in the country is brought out of retirement by his good friend Scotland Yard inspector Mclver, Charles Victor, in order to solve a number of robberies that took place in London over the last six months. What's so unusual about these robberies is that their executed with clock-like military precision with the latest British military hardware like ground radar where you can see in both total darkness as well as thick as pea soup fog.Given Scotland Yard lady cop Sgt. Helen Smith, Margaret Leighton, as his partner the "Bulldog" gets to work in uncovering who's behind this robbery ring by going undercover together with Sgt. Smith as the British Bonnie & Clyd like crime couple Joe Crandell & Lily Ross. It doesn't take long for the "Bulldog" with Sgt.Smith's help to discover the second banana of this robbery ring night club owner Arthur Gunns, Robert Beatty. It's Gunns' boss, who's running the whole operation, whom we always see in the shadows and who's the guy that the "Bulldog" was actually closely involved with over the last ten years in both war and peacetime!Very odd role for actor Walter Pidgeon, who's not really known as a hard boiled private eye type, as the "Bulldog" who ends up getting worked over as well him working over those who work him over in the movie. It's the "Bulldog's" good friend Algy Longworth, David Tomlison, who realizes that he's working undercover for Scotland Yard when the "Bulldog" used the BS story that he went on an unexpected trip to Africa. That was in the "Bulldog" being caught cheating in poker and being kicked out of the exclusive gambling club he's a member of by his good friend Col.Webson, Bernard Lee, for doing it. Of course the honest as the day is long "Bulldog" used that excuse, in being greatly embarrassed by the whole incident, to make believe he checked out of town to throw off suspicion, by the robbery ring, of him being secretly put on the case!***SPOILERS*** As you would expect he "Bullog" sniffs out who's behind the robbery ring by becoming a member, as Joe Crandell, of it. It's in fact Sgt. Smith who undercover as on the lamb bank robber Lily Ross who almost blows the who undercover operation by having Arthur Gunns fall for her to the outrage of his girlfriend Molly, Peggy Evens. It's Molly who unknowingly gets Gunns to find out that the "Bulldog" is not really on the run from the law Joe Crandell but crime fighter Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond!In the end the back stabbing Arthur Gunns in him not having to split up the money, $500,000.00, he and his gang just histed from a British military aircraft tries to have it all by secretly murdering his own gang members with carbon dioxide poisoning. The "Bulldog" not only ends up saving Gunns' gang members lives but uncovers Gunns' boss Mister Big himself! Mister Big thinking that the coast is clear made his grand appearance, gun in hand, to ice the very annoying "Bulldog" only to find out that it was the "Bulldog" not him who had the upper and winning hand in the movie!
blanche-2
"Calling Bulldog Drummond" is my first exposure to this character, so I can't judge the film or the acting the way others on this site do. I will be seeing more Bulldog films in the future, and perhaps I can look at this one again.Walter Pidgeon is Bulldog Drummond, and his costar is Margaret Leighton. Both are working undercover to unmask a gang of thieves.I always enjoy Walter Pidgeon, and he acquits himself well. Is he Bulldog? I don't know because I haven't seen the other films. He is certainly charming and has a light touch on the material. Victor Saville does a good job of directing. The film moves along, and the story is interesting.The standout here is Margaret Leighton, a wonderful stage actress whom I believe played the original Hannah in "Night of the Iguana" on stage - I could be wrong there. She is excellent, slipping into her low-rent character and back into her policewoman persona beautifully. A real find.Very enjoyable, but I take it NOT if you're familiar with the entire Bulldog Drummond series, which I'm looking forward to seeing.
robert-temple-1
This was the 21st Bulldog Drummond film, and was the last attempt at making a serious feature film based upon the character. It brought to an end 29 years of serious Drummonding, and the remaining four Drummond films were all absurd and worthless pastiches. So this was truly the end of an era. In the two previous Drummond films, the title role had been played by the suave and charming Tom Conway. This time Drummond was played by Walter Pidgeon, his single time in the role. Pidgeon was also suave and charming, but was not a young man by this time and lacked the energy and vivacity for the part. In any case, the director Victor Savile was clearly infatuated (if only in the directorial sense) with Pidgeon's female co-star in this film, the remarkable Margaret Leighton. We get plenty of closeups of her, but none of Pidgeon. Pidgeon was evidently happy to let Margaret Leighton steal all her scenes, as it must have amused him that in her role as a woman police officer masquerading with him as a crook to infiltrate a criminal gang of thieves, she was taking over the film. Pidgeon was not an egotist. I knew him slightly when I was young and he was old. Despite his impeccable manners of a gentleman, which were perfectly genuine, he could be a bit difficult at times and did not suffer fools gladly. He had an excellent sense of humour and laughed heartily and deeply. He was a passionate drinker of strong coffee, and the twinkle in his eye was natural and innate. Despite the many decades of difference in our ages, we 'clicked', and if circumstances had permitted, we could have had long and meaningful conversations, whereas our conversations were never long, and our acquaintance was passing. However, I gained enough of a personal impression of him to judge his worth, and that was high indeed. He was an extremely interesting, thoughtful, and amusing man, and he was far from superficial. He is best seen in 'Mrs. Miniver' (1942), for which he was nominated for an Oscar, and 'Advise and Consent' (1962). In this film he is just walking through the part, and although he manages the charm part of being Bulldog Drummond, he frankly does not manage the action part, and he was clearly under no pressure to do so, as the director was rather effete anyway, and Margaret Leighton was happy to do all the business, and was enjoying herself so much they all just let her get on with it. She was a magnificent actress, although she was best on stage, where I saw her a few times, and was dazzled by her stage presence. I had no idea during the time I knew him that Larry Harvey had once been married to her, as he never mentioned her. (But then he wouldn't, as it might have upset Paulene, I suppose, who is a fiery gal, or was back then.) This Drummond film does not have a trace of humour anywhere in it, not a single laugh, gag, or witty line. It is treated absolutely straight as a crime detection film. The cinematography was by Freddie Young, later famous for 'Lawrence of Arabia', 'Doctor Zhivago', etc., though there is little sign of his genius in this early effort. I knew him too, and he was a very quietly spoken and thoughtful fellow, wholly dedicated to his work, whom everyone liked, and I don't suppose anyone ever disliked. This Drummond film makes good watching, if only to see the amazing Margaret Leighton, and it does not disappoint as a Drummond film either except that Tenny, the Inspector, and Phyllis Clavering all are missing. Algy Longworth is there, played fussily by David Tomlinson, but he is not funny, nor does he try to be. As the last 'real' Drummond film, this one has an air of dignity about it, as the true series finally bows out and leaves the screen forever. It is not commercially available on DVD or video, and you have to be ingenious to acquire a copy from the right collector, as most of the television airings (where I first saw it) have ceased. Let's hope that some day an enlightened company will bring out a DVD set of 'The Complete Bulldog Drummond', because although the first silent film appears to be lost, the second does survive in a single copy, and it would be a fascinating thing to have all these films gathered together and accessible.
krorie
This is a very good movie with Walter Pidgeon doing an excellent job as Bulldog Drummond. Algy too is back and played to perfection by David Tomlinson. The story is filled with suspense and action. But where are Colonel Neilson, Tenny, and Phyllis Clavering, The woman Major Drummond is always about to marry but, alas, usually does not? Margaret Leighton as Sergeant Helen Smith fills in nicely for Phyllis Clavering and this somewhat compensates for Ms Clavering's absence, plus giving a new twist to the comparable role. This is a faithful rendition of the Bulldog Drummond series and highly recommended for fans and non-fans.
