Just perfect...

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The best part of this movie is unintended: 1937 England preserved with its autos, planes, streets and attitudes. The plot is hardly new. There's an invention (crystals in this case) that would prove disastrous if it should fall into the hands of the wrong people. Just who the wrong people are is not mentioned, but in retrospect they would seem to be the Nazis. Anyone who has watched many movies or serials from the period will recognize the plot quickly--and anticipate the ending.The Bulldog Drummond hero bears little resemblance to the character created by "Sapper" McNeile. His marvelous series of books are about a much rougher individual who, having enjoyed the adventure and danger of the World War, advertises in the newspaper for interesting quests and assignments. Drummond of the novels is more of a daredevil than a detective.For reasons I'd be hard pressed to explain, the makers of this movies inserted some really insipid humor--rather, attempts at humor. Drummond's sidekick, Algy, and Algy's stupid girlfriend aren't funny. They are merely annoying.Still, this is an enjoyable view of a world now gone. Not only that, it has John Barrymore in a role that is a considerable comedown for his talents.

In this installment of the Bulldog Drummond series, Bulldog and his fiancée are on their way to get married and go on a honeymoon when, naturally, bad happenings occur and put a stop to their plans. In one of the weirder plot elements in film history, an inventor is killed and his secret formula for a bomb is stolen. Now here's where it gets weird, the bad guy plants another person's arm in the plane and puts his ring on it--hoping that the police will assume BOTH men perished in the crash. Well, the bomb formula accidentally falls into the lap of Drummond and the rest of the film consists of Drummond and the baddies fighting over the bomb. The only really remarkable thing about all this is the presence of John Barrymore as the Police Inspector, the Colonel.By the way, in this film he's on the way to marriage and a honeymoon. Two films later, with the same fiancée, he's AGAIN on the way to get married and once again, the marriage never takes place. There's a later Drummond entitled BULLDOG DRUMMOND'S BRIDE--and again, the wedding plans are put on hold to solve a mystery. What a patient dame!

This is a pretty good, if unspectacular, Bulldog Drummond feature with the usual good cast and a story with plenty of action plus a little humor at the right times. The story is a little less imaginative than the ideas in some of the other features in the series, but it makes up for it with plenty of action that keeps things going.Most of the story-line revolves around a secret new explosive that a scientist has invented, which the villains would obviously love to get their hands on. Some of the better moments come when the main action interferes with Drummond's plans to marry Phyllis (Louise Campbell), while flustering the befuddled but ever-helpful Algy (Reginald Denny).John Barrymore is always good fun as Colonel Neilson, and he makes good use of his opportunities here, while E.E. Clive does likewise as the quick-witted Tenny. It's a good feature that should satisfy any fan of the series, though its fairly familiar plot ideas and rather nondescript villains keep it from being one of the very best entries in the series.

This is one of the better entries in the Drummond series. Three of the best entries are from 1937. The real reason they are better may be because of the writer, Edward T. Lowe Jr. He wrote this one as well as 1937's Bulldog Drummond Escapes and Bulldog Drummond Comes Back.The pace is quick, the dialog good, and there is some very nice physical humor throughout that features reasonable exaggeration without being too farcical. John Barrymore's more restrained performance as Col. Nielsen helps to highlight his bits of physical humor. The supporting cast is in especially fine form.The plot centers on the theft of a powerful explosive and our hero's efforts to retrieve it and solve the murders associated with the theft. There is nice touch involving a hand and arm.Lastly, if don't like to see women faint, stay away!