Dick Barton Strikes Back (1949)

Special Agent Dick Barton uncovers a ring of international psychopathic criminals with plans to dominate the world using a terrifying weapon of mass destruction.

Director:

Godfrey Grayson

Writers:

Elizabeth Baron (screenplay), Ambrose Grayson (screenplay),

Stars:

Don Stannard, Bruce Walker, Sebastian Cabot

Cast

Cast overview:
Don Stannard	...	Dick Barton
Bruce Walker	...	Snowey White
Sebastian Cabot	...	Alfonso Delmonte Fouracada
James Raglan	...	Lord Sir James A. Armadale
Jean Lodge	...	Tina
Morris Sweden	...	Agent Robert Creston
John Harvey	...	Major Henderson
Humphrey Kent	...	Colonel Gardener
Sidney Vivian	...	Inspector Burke
Tony Morelli	...	Nicholas, Thug with Accordion
George Crawford	...	Alex, a Gunman
Larry Taylor	...	Nick (as Laurie Taylor)

Storyline

Special Agent Dick Barton uncovers a ring of international psychopathic criminals with plans to dominate the world using a terrifying weapon of mass destruction.

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Plot Keywords:

london england | part of trilogy | sonic weapon | serial action | sequel | 

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Sci-Fi

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

April 1949 (UK)

Also Known As:

Dick Barton - Geheimwelle 505

Filming Locations:

Blackpool Tower Ballroom, Blackpool, Lancashire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hammer Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

73 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

First Hammer feature of John Harvey.

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Connections

Followed by Dick Barton at Bay (1950)

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Soundtracks

"The Devil's Galop"
Composed by Charles Williams (uncredited)

User Reviews

A Towering achievement

Easily the best film in the Dick Barton trilogy, showing a cinematic professionalism the first two lacked. This was the last to be filmed but released second, sad to lose Don Stannard so young and promising in 1949. Apart from the Boys Own adventure storyline, and Barton speaking in capital letters, this was a good attempt at cheapo-noir, nice camera work and high production values being a constant source of surprise.

Gang of evil musical gypsies (can I put that nowadays?) led by ruthlessly evil Englishman (that always OK nowadays) have developed an evil sonic beam that will eventually be used to wipe Britain out and put it out of its misery. They experiment first by destroying thousands of people in two quaint English towns, the beam "instantaneously shrivelling their brains" - the carnage and the bodies seemed to have been cleared away by the authorities in less than a day. Sebastian Cabot as Fouracada the evil second in command who was marvellously over the top, is warned by Barton that "The Indemnity For Murder Is Not A Slight One" to no avail - I wish the film would have run another 3 hours just for their melodramatic battle of wills. The location shots of the stricken emptied town and later Blackpool and its Tower were very good and used efficiently. All I could remember of the film after last seeing it on TV in 1981 were the scenes in and up the Tower, I think that idea was a winner! During the climax the boss appeared to be using his suitcase in much the same way as a laptop would be - but he couldn't be - could he?

There are the usual silent stretches with background music for company as a reminder this was a cheaply made film, but Hammer did brilliantly well in disguising it.