Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police
| Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | James P. Hogan |
| Produced by | Stuart Walker |
| Written by |
H. C. McNeile (novel) Garnett Weston |
| Based on |
Temple Tower by H. C. McNeile |
| Starring |
John Howard Leo G. Carroll Heather Angel E. E. Clive Reginald Denny Forrester Harvey |
| Cinematography | Merritt B. Gerstad |
| Edited by | Arthur P. Schmidt |
Production company |
Congress Films |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 56 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police is a 1939 English Castle murder mystery film directed by James P. Hogan, based on the H. C. McNeile novel Temple Tower. The movie is set 28 miles outside London-in Rockingham.A sign on the Railroad station states exactly that. It probably is filmed in the USA-the opening sequence-with Drummond in an open car racing a train(stock footage of train)- is set on a road with typical USA type telephone poles and lines. There is a dry looking foothill in the background with scrubby looking brush on it- like CA not GB. In any case it is set in a castle in England-Drummond's ancestral home.
Plot
An absent minded Professor Downie (Forrester Harvey) makes a call upon Drummond (John Howard (American actor)) as he is making plans for his much-delayed wedding to fiancee Phyllis Claverling (Heather Angel (actress)) in his ancestral home Temple Tower. The professor informs Drummond that a fortune was buried in one of the walled off storerooms underneath his estate, and that Downie was in possession of a book written in code that would lead them to discover the treasure. Unfortunately for the professor, someone else also wanted the riches and Drummond once again is dragged into the plot as the code book is stolen, Professor Downie is murdered, and Phyllis is kidnapped.
Cast
- Heather Angel as Phyllis Clavering
- John Howard as Captain Hugh C. "Bulldog" Drummond
- H.B. Warner as Colonel Nielson
- Reginald Denny as Algy Longworth
- E.E. Clive as Tenny
- Elizabeth Patterson as Aunt Blanche
- Leo G. Carroll as Henry Seaton/Andrew Boulton
- Forrester Harvey as Professor Downie
- Clyde Cook as Constable Hawkins
- David Clyde as Constable Jenkins
- Neil Fitzgerald as Station Master
- Elspeth Dudgeon as Housekeeper[1]
- Cat number one- mostly white- steals an early scene from the professor and a depot employee
- Cat number two-scares Drummonds fiancé making a curtain move
Notes
The film uses flashbacks from previous Drummond films and dream sequences extensively, which has led some to criticize it as tiresome. Oddly, despite the phrase 'secret police' in the title, there is nothing relating to any secret police in the plot except Col. Neilsen's quip when several of the characters are together. The production values are high as the sets are of high quality, but the script has not received much acclaim.
References
- ↑ "BFI: Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police". Retrieved 1 July 2013.
External links
- Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police at the Internet Movie Database
- Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police is available for free download at the Internet Archive