1929 was the first year of talkies I believe, and even though this was a nicely polished movie, it still lacked in the department that mattered most: suspense.
"Bulldog Drummond" starred Ronald Colman as the hero Hugh Drummond. I thought I recognized his voice and face, but after a brief search I found that I hadn't seen him in anything else, he just had that generic face and voice that was popular in the '30's. Who I did recognize and was very familiar with was the villain in this flick: Lilyan Tashman. She played Irma, a woman hellbent on getting the wealth of "the John Travers" (Charles Sellon)--which means he was famous for something or other. I'd seen Tashman in "Millie," "Up Pops the Devil," "The Road to Reno," "Girls About Town," and "Finn and Hattie." She was a much better actress in these films which were all done in 1931.
The events of this movie were put into play when Captain Drummond, a bored, wealthy, playboy, printed an ad in the London Times stating that he was looking for adventure. The ad was answered by Phyllis Benton (Joan Bennett), a young lady who needed help rescuing her uncle from the clutches of Peterson (Montagu Love), Irma, and Dr. Lakington (Lawrence Grant). They were holding him hostage under the pretense of forced care for a sick and delirious old man. What they really wanted was for him to sign over his wealth to them.
Because this movie took place in the "simpler" and "purer" time of the 1920's, Drummond believed Phyllis when she came to him with a fantastic story and a bucket of tears. Forgetting myself for a minute I thought she was a weak conwoman who was pouring it on too thick. I wasn't alone in that assumption because Drummond's lawyer, Algy (Claud Allister), thought the same thing. It turns out we were both wrong and Drummond had the adventure he was looking for with a pretty woman to boot.
I think the movie was caught in between being a comedy and a true suspenseful thriller. Drummond jumped headlong into dangerous situations with no real regard for his life or safety, not like a man with nothing to lose, but like a man who thought it was all a game--which in turn made it like a game. The movie came off light and a bit flippant. With better direction and the very same script this movie could've been the suspense it should've been. Instead we got a rather weak crime drama that was more suited for afternoon television than the silver screen.
Free with Amazon Prime.
"Bulldog Drummond" starred Ronald Colman as the hero Hugh Drummond. I thought I recognized his voice and face, but after a brief search I found that I hadn't seen him in anything else, he just had that generic face and voice that was popular in the '30's. Who I did recognize and was very familiar with was the villain in this flick: Lilyan Tashman. She played Irma, a woman hellbent on getting the wealth of "the John Travers" (Charles Sellon)--which means he was famous for something or other. I'd seen Tashman in "Millie," "Up Pops the Devil," "The Road to Reno," "Girls About Town," and "Finn and Hattie." She was a much better actress in these films which were all done in 1931.
The events of this movie were put into play when Captain Drummond, a bored, wealthy, playboy, printed an ad in the London Times stating that he was looking for adventure. The ad was answered by Phyllis Benton (Joan Bennett), a young lady who needed help rescuing her uncle from the clutches of Peterson (Montagu Love), Irma, and Dr. Lakington (Lawrence Grant). They were holding him hostage under the pretense of forced care for a sick and delirious old man. What they really wanted was for him to sign over his wealth to them.
Because this movie took place in the "simpler" and "purer" time of the 1920's, Drummond believed Phyllis when she came to him with a fantastic story and a bucket of tears. Forgetting myself for a minute I thought she was a weak conwoman who was pouring it on too thick. I wasn't alone in that assumption because Drummond's lawyer, Algy (Claud Allister), thought the same thing. It turns out we were both wrong and Drummond had the adventure he was looking for with a pretty woman to boot.
I think the movie was caught in between being a comedy and a true suspenseful thriller. Drummond jumped headlong into dangerous situations with no real regard for his life or safety, not like a man with nothing to lose, but like a man who thought it was all a game--which in turn made it like a game. The movie came off light and a bit flippant. With better direction and the very same script this movie could've been the suspense it should've been. Instead we got a rather weak crime drama that was more suited for afternoon television than the silver screen.
Free with Amazon Prime.