''Dick Barton at Bay'' is a 1950 British

spy film The spy film, also known as the spy thriller, is a genre of film that deals with the subject of fictional espionage, either in a realistic way (such as the adaptations of John le Carré) or as a basis for fantasy (such as many James Bond films) ...

about special agent

Dick Barton ''Dick Barton – Special Agent'' is a radio thriller serial that was broadcast in the BBC Light Programme between 7 October 1946 and 30 March 1951. Produced and directed by Raymond Raikes, Neil Tuson, and Charles Lefaux, it was aired in 15-mi ...

. It was the second of three films that

Hammer Film Productions Hammer Film Productions Ltd. is a British film production company based in London. Founded in 1934, the company is best known for a series of Gothic horror and fantasy films made from the mid-1950s until the 1970s. Many of these involve class ...

made about the British agent, although it was the last released, following '' Dick Barton: Special Agent'' and ''

Dick Barton Strikes Back ''Dick Barton Strikes Back'' is a 1949 British spy film about special agent Dick Barton. It was the third of three films that Hammer Film Productions made about the agent, although it was the second released. Plot Captain Richard 'Dick' Barton a ...

''.

Plot

Captain Richard 'Dick' Barton and his wartime college 'Snowey' White, are quickly assigned to recover a kidnapped scientist and de-activate a death ray before national catastrophe triggers World War III with Britain at the heart of Hell.

Cast

Main cast

Don Stannard Don Stannard (1915 – 9 July 1949) was a British actor. Born in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, Stannard trained at RADA, graduating in 1935. He is best remembered for playing the secret agent Dick Barton in three Hammer films: '' Dick Barton: Specia ...

as Dick Barton *

Tamara Desni Tamara Desni (22 October 19137 February 2008) was a German-born British actress She appeared in films in the 1930s and 1940s. Biography Desni was born in Berlin as Tamara Brodsky,

as Anna * George Ford as Snowey White *

Meinhart Maur Meinhart Maur ( hu, Grünbaum Menyhért, 18 August 1891 – 27 November 1964) was a Hungarian-German film actor. He appeared in more than 40 films between 1919 and 1954. He was born in Hajdúnánás, Hungary and died in London, England. Selec ...

as Serge Volkoff * Joyce Linden as Mary Mitchell *

Percy Walsh Percy Walsh (24 April 1888 in Luton, Bedfordshire – 19 January 1952 in London) was a British stage and film actor. His stage work included appearing in the London premieres of R.C.Sherriff's '' Journey's End'' (1928) and Agatha Christie's ''And ...

as Professor Mitchell *

Campbell Singer Campbell Singer (born Jacob Kobel Singer; 16 March 1909 – 16 February 1976) was a British character actor who featured in a number of stage, film and television roles during his long career. He was also a playwright and dramatist. Life He was ...

as Sir George Cavendish *

John Arnatt John Edwin Arnatt (9 May 1917 – 21 December 1999) was a British actor. Early life and education John Arnatt was born in Petrograd, Russia on 9 May 1917. His parents were Francis and Ethel Marion (née Jephcott) Arnatt. He attended Epworth ...

as Jackson * Richard George as Inspector Slade * Beatrice Kane as Betsy Horrock

Supporting cast

* Patrick Macnee as Phillips (Credited as Patrick McNee) * George Crawford as Boris * Paddy Ryan as Fingers * Fred Owens as Gangster (credited as Fred Owen) * Yoshihide Yanai as Chang * Ted Butterfield as Tommy

Uncredited/cameo cast

Arthur Howard Arthur Howard (born Arthur John Steiner; 18 January 1910 – 18 June 1995) was an English stage, film and television actor. Life and career Born in Camberwell, London, Howard was the younger son of Lilian (née Blumberg) and Ferdinand "Frank" ...

as Extra *

Eliot Makeham Harold Elliott Makeham (22 December 1882 – 8 February 1956) was an English film and television actor. Career Makeham was born in London, England. Between 1931 and 1956, Makeham appeared, primarily in character roles, in 115 films and in 1 ...

as Police Sergeant * Jim O'Brady as Henchman * Ross Parker as Stall Holder * Ben Williams as Submarine Captain Korczanski

Production

The film's title during production was ''Dick Barton vs the Death Ray''. A fourth Barton film was scheduled, ''Dick Barton in Africa'', but

was killed in a car crash driving back from the wrap party and Hammer elected not to continue the series.

Critical reception

Sky Cinema Sky Cinema is a British subscription film service owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). In the United Kingdom, Sky Cinema channels currently broadcast on the Sky satellite and Virgin Media cable platforms, and in addition Sky Cinema o ...

'' wrote: "In their rush to get Barton on to the screen, the makers, despite using the original radio serials as a basis, neglected to give the films the proper budget, resulting in Dick's adventures having an air of tatty, thick-ear melodrama which was never present for the millions of wireless devotees glued to their sets every night at 6.45pm". ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corpora ...

'' noted "a simple action-adventure film that moves at an entertaining pace". Allmovie called it "a far better thriller than its predecessor".

References

External links

* 1950 films 1950s spy films British spy films Films directed by Godfrey Grayson Films based on radio series British sequel films Hammer Film Productions films British black-and-white films 1950s English-language films 1950s British films {{1950s-UK-film-stub