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Dick Barton at Bay
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Wikipedia article
'Dick Barton at Bay' is a 1950 British spy film about special agent Dick Barton. It was the second of three films that Hammer Film Productions made about the British agent, although it was the last released, following 'Dick Barton: Special Agent' and 'Dick Barton Strikes Back'.
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 as Dick Barton* Tamara Desni as Anna
* George Ford as Snowey White
* Meinhart Maur as Serge Volkoff
* Joyce Linden as Mary Mitchell
* Percy Walsh as Professor Mitchell
* Campbell Singer as Sir George Cavendish
* John Arnatt 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 A Gangster (Credited as Fred Owen)
* Yoshihide Yanai as Chang
* Ted Butterfield as Tommy
Uncredited/cameo cast
* Arthur Howard as Extra* Eliot Makeham 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 Don Stannard was killed in a car crash driving back from the wrap party and Hammer elected not to continue the series.Bruce G. Hallenbeck, 'British Cult Cinema: Hammer Fantasy and Sci-Fi', Hemlock Books 2011 p46
Critical reception
'Sky Cinema' 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"; while 'TV Guide' noted "A simple action-adventure film that moves at an entertaining pace"; and Allmovie called it "a far better thriller than its predecessor."
References
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