In this "episode" Bulldog, his girlfriend and butler are in Africa trying to free a kidnapped Scotland Yard member.Again, there is nothing overly special to see here as far as a good crime film goes. It's a typical "episode" based around the adventurer Bulldog Drummond. The only person that interests me in this flick is J. Carrol Naish - nice to see him in a different kind of a role. The film gets one extra point from me for J. Carrol Naish alone.The movie is your average crime film of the 1930s that was cranked out in a hurry for the audiences that would eat it up. I have found myself unimpressed with Bulldog Drummond. I'm more of a fan of Sherlock Holmes.3/10

British adventurer John Howard (as Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond) is all set to marry girlfriend Heather Angel (as Phyllis Clavering). After several unexpected wedding postponements, Drummond isn't taking any chances. He is sequestered himself in his mansion. So that he can't go out and stumble into some crime scene, Drummond has surrendered his trousers and money to pal Reginald Denny (as Algernon "Algy" Longworth). Manservant E.E. Clive (as Tenny) is also left in his underwear and shirt-tails. Meanwhile, a mystery connected to Africa develops. Drummond's old friend and colleague H.B. Warner (as Colonel Nielson) is kidnapped. Of course, the Drummond wedding is canceled...Drummond, Algy and Tenny take a flight to Africa. Phyllis is a stowaway...Drummond and his supporting cast are really on the road to Morocco, which somehow doesn't seem like the Africa promised in the title. However, Morocco is on the continent. And, there are lions hanging around. For this entry in the series, John Barrymore has been replaced in the role of Scotland Yard investigator Nielson. Another veteran actor with a stellar list of credits, Mr. Warner was a good choice to fill Mr. Barrymore's shoes. Less obviously, Ms. Angel returns to play Phyllis, for the duration. J. Carrol Naish (as Richard Lane) has fun in the bearded villain's role. As his henchmen receiving generous on-screen time, good-looking young Anthony Quinn makes a striking impression.***** Bulldog Drummond in Africa (1938-08-05) Louis King ~ John Howard, H.B. Warner, J. Carrol Naish, Reginald Denny

The movie opens with a trouser-less Drummond (John Howard) and his butler Tenny (E.E. Clive), confined to Rockingham Lodge on the eve of the Captain's wedding to Miss Phyllis Clavering (Heather Angel). Drummond's sidekick Algy (Reginald Denny) is holding their pants hostage to prevent his boss from getting caught up in a distraction that would disrupt the ceremony. Is it possible that they only had one pair of pants each?Scotland Yard's Colonel Nielson (H.B. Warner) meanwhile, is about to be taken hostage himself by an old nemesis, Richard Lane (J. Carrol Naish). Lane hopes to secure information about a newly developed radio-wave disintegrator, but when Nielson becomes uncooperative, Lane hustles him aboard a plane bound for Morocco where he'll have time to work him over for the secret. The early going is marked by a frantic effort to catch Lane and Nielson, as Algy valiantly tries to deliver the pants along the way.The ever patient and ever single Miss Clavering stows away aboard Drummond's plane as the good guys take flight to Africa. The final confrontation there involves a lion, strategically tethered to an uncertain stake with Colonel Nielson the prize should it give way."Bulldog Drummond in Africa" offers it's share of characteristic good humor and camaraderie between Drummond and his cohorts, though this time around some troubling elements are included as well. Nielson's butler Phillips is dispatched by Lane, and Algy takes a bullet in the arm during the finale at Lane's estate.For J.Carrol Naish, this was his second unsuccessful attempt to outwit hero Drummond. He previously vied with John Howard in "Bulldog Drummond Comes Back", though portraying a different character. Heather Angel reprises her role as Phyllis Clavering from "Bulldog Drummond Escapes", the only film in the series with Ray Milland in the role of the title character. Howard and Angel would team up a total of four times, culminating in the 1939 entry "Bulldog Drummond's Bride". Not having seen it yet, I've got my fingers crossed for an invitation to a wedding.

With a story that has a couple of interesting turns, rather effective atmosphere, and a good cast, "Bulldog Drummond in Africa" is one of the most entertaining of the John Howard series of 'Bulldog' features. To the usual good action and likable main characters, it adds some interesting settings that work well given the limited budget.The story opens with some light comedy about the ongoing obstacles to Drummond and Phyillis's wedding plans, and then they are plunged into another adventure when Phyllis herself witnesses Colonel Neilson being kidnapped. The story shifts to Morocco for the rest of the action, where the story takes some interesting turns, with the usual snappy pace. Even though it shows signs of having been filmed on a shoestring, the climactic confrontation with the lions creates some suspense.The cast has Howard, Reginald Denny, and E.E. Clive from the previous features, and they are joined by Heather Angel (returning to the role she had played in an earlier Drummond feature with Ray Milland), who is engaging and energetic as Phyllis, plus H.B. Warner as Neilson. This is the feature in which Warner took over from John Barrymore, who was always so enjoyable in the part, but Warner works well enough in his own right in this feature. His confrontations with the villains give him some decent material to work with.The main characters are given help from the supporting cast, with J. Carrol Naish doing a solid job as the traitorous Lane, and a young-looking Anthony Quinn making very good use of his opportunities. Strictly as light entertainment, it's an enjoyable combination.