Sir Ralph Richardson who played the title role in The Return of Bulldog Drummond (1934), here returns to this series, this time playing the master villain, whose henchmen put the real Bulldog Drummond out of the way, only to be thwarted in their efforts to steal British Museum jewels by an inept impersonator.
Although it has its fair share of chuckles, and two or three quite risible moments, it's fair to say that Bulldog Jack is far more successful delivering thrills than laughs. True, Jack is funny enough, whilst brother Claude makes the most perfect Algy of the entire series. Richardson in a wonderful fright wig overacts the arch-criminal to a "T", and Gibb McLaughlin is likewise successful as the Drummond butler. These are players who know instinctively how to tread the fine line between broad farce and genuinely menacing excitement. Unfortunately this talent is not shared by Fay Wray whose heroine's straight face seems almost frozen stiff, and Paul Graetz who manages to overact yet isn't the slightest bit funny.
Fortunately shortfalls in the acting department don't matter very much by the time the double climax rolls around. Aided by Junge's magnificently eerie sets, Greenbaum's noirish lighting and Ludwig's exceptionally skilful film editing, the runaway climax is the most suspensefully thrilling of the series.
As usual, Forde's direction is most accomplished. He even re-uses his famous running-down-the-stairs routine from Would You Believe It? (1929) in which all the action is filmed in just the single set but made to appear lighthousely extensive on the screen by rapid pacing and brilliant cutting.
My only complaint is that Bulldog Jack was made at least ten or twelve years before guest star cameos became so desirable and popular. Atholl Fleming is a dull and bland Bulldog (even though his first telephone voice sounds like Rex Harrison). How Ronald Colman or Jack Buchanan would have livened up this brief but vital part!
OTHER VIEWS: A gentle spoof, with Jack Hulbert perhaps a little too strenuous in his pursuit of laughs, yet it manages to outpace many a more celebrated thriller in cliff-hanging suspense and nail-biting excitement. The casting of Claude Hulbert as Algy Longworth is nothing short of inspired, as is the enjoyable re-appearance of last year's Bulldog himself as this year's fiendish Moriarty-like antagonist. Lavish sets, atmospheric photography and a deft music score add immeasurably to the film's total appeal... Despite its comic potentials (which are for the most part realized quite ably and successfully), Bulldog Jack gets my vote as the best thriller of the year.
OTHER VIEWS: A gentle spoof, with Jack Hulbert perhaps a little too strenuous in his pursuit of laughs, yet it manages to outpace many a more celebrated thriller in cliff-hanging suspense and nail-biting excitement. The casting of Claude Hulbert as Algy Longworth is nothing short of inspired, as is the enjoyable re-appearance of last year's Bulldog himself as this year's fiendish Moriarty-like antagonist. Lavish sets, atmospheric photography and a deft music score add immeasurably to the film's total appeal... Despite its comic potentials (which are for the most part realized quite ably and successfully), Bulldog Jack gets my vote as the best thriller of the year.