Unusual casting — Douglass Dumbrille as the lead and Sidney Toler as his sidekick — and polished performances by these actors, with effective contributions from the rest of the cast, including Russell Hayden, elevate this western tale of an old outlaw, who was driven to a life of crime when framed for murder, returning to …
Read the full post →“<em>The Mysterious Rider</em> (Paramount, 1938)”
Hugh Drummond (John Howard), together with Algy (Reginald Denny) and Tenny (E. E. Clive), and with Phyllis (Heather Angel) aboard his plane as a stowaway, dashes off to Morocco when he learns that Colonel Nielson (H. B. Warner) has been abducted by a ruthless spy (J. Carrol Naish). A hostile reception from the local British …
Read the full post →“<em>Bulldog Drummond in Africa</em> (Paramount, 1938)”
Nearly everyone from his radio show gets a chance to contribute in this Jack Benny movie — Phil Harris is key to setting Jack up to go west (though surprisingly he doesn’t lead his band), Andy Devine has a ranch Jack pretends to own, Dennis Day gets to sing, Mary Livingston contributes her voice, announcer …
Read the full post →“<em>Buck Benny Rides Again</em> (Paramount, 1940)”
Murder and the theft of an artificial diamond created by the father of Algy’s wife Gwen (Nydia Westman) causes the postponement of the imminent wedding of Captain Hugh Drummond (John Howard) and Phyllis Clavering (Louise Campbell), as Hugh scrambles to figure out what occurred — though the viewer is aware of at least part of …
Read the full post →“<em>Bulldog Drummond’s Peril</em> (Paramount, 1938)”
Captain Hugh “Bulldog” Drummond (John Howard) and his fiancée Phyllis Clavering (Louise Campbell) will soon be heading to Switzerland to be married, but the murder of an inventor and the theft of his new explosive — which inadvertently ends up, at least temporarily, in Drummond’s possession, makes for a delay while the criminal plotters are …
Read the full post →“<em>Bulldog Drummond’s Revenge</em> (Paramount, 1937)”
A nightclub singer (Mae West) is pursued by several suitors, including rival crooks, but is herself attracted to a temperance worker (Cary Grant) with a secret. There’s a plot here, but the movie is really a star vehicle for West, who dominates the movie with her smoldering, saucy, and strong personality, even opposite folks such …
Read the full post →“<em>She Done Him Wrong</em> (Paramount, 1933)”
John Barrymore tops the cast and makes the most of his opportunities to shine as Colonel Neilson in this Bulldog Drummond movie, the first with John Howard in the role of Drummond, supported by Reginald Denny as Algy and E. E. Clive as Tenny. Drummond is the target of a plot by villains out for …
Read the full post →“<em>Bulldog Drummond Comes Back</em> (Paramount, 1937)”
Eva Gabor had her film debut in this Richard Arlen actioner. Arlen plays a hotheaded pilot who comes to the country of Mosaque for work but clashes with a local military official (Nils Asther), particularly over the officer’s fiancée (Gabor). When the young woman’s father is ill and in trouble — workers on the vital …
Read the full post →“<em>Forced Landing</em> (Paramount, 1941)”
A jealous husband (Lionel Atwill) who captures wild animals for a zoo makes use of the creatures to punish his wife’s lover and others…can he be stopped? Atmospheric thriller with a creepy opening and a suitably menacing villain, with Charlie Ruggles on hand to provide comic relief as the zoo’s new public relations man. Recommended. …
Read the full post →“<em>Murders in the Zoo</em> (Paramount, 1933)”
Pilot Jim Clark (Richard Arlen) and the stewardess who loves him, Shirley Brooks (Jean Parker) start an independent airline of their own, conveying couples to Las Vegas to get married and see the town on a whirlwind visit. It’s clear that Shirley hopes all these matrimonial trips will spur Jim to do something along those …
Read the full post →“<em>Flying Blind</em> (Paramount, 1941)”
