Dick Barton: Special Agent

For the radio serial, see Dick Barton.

Dick Barton: Special Agent
Opening title
Directed by	Alfred J. Goulding
Written by	Alfred J. Goulding Alan Stranks
Based on	the BBC radio serial
Produced by	Henry Halstead
Starring	Don Stannard George Ford
Cinematography	Stanley Clinton
Edited by	Eta Simpson
Music by	John Bath
Production company	Hammer Film Productions
Distributed by	Exclusive Films
Release date	10 May 1948 (1948-05-10)
Running time	71 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Dick Barton: Special Agent (released to television in the USA as Dick Barton, Detective ^[1] ) is a 1948 British second feature ('B') ^[2] spy film directed by Alfred J. Goulding and starring Don Stannard. ^[3] It was written by Goulding and Alan Stranks, adapted from the extremely popular BBC radio serial Dick Barton – Special Agent. It was the first of three films that Hammer Film Productions made about the British agent, followed by Dick Barton at Bay and Dick Barton Strikes Back . ^[4]

Plot

Special Agent Dick Barton and his colleagues Snowey and Jock are investigating smuggling when two failed attempts are made on his life. The criminals then kidnap Snowey and Jack, as well as Dick's girlfriend Jean. While attempting to rescue his friends, Barton is trapped himself in an underground room where he is chained to a wall. It turns out the criminals led by Dr. Caspar are involved in a neo-Nazi plot to contaminate Great Britain's water supply.

Cast

• Don Stannard as Dick Barton
• George Ford as Snowey
• Jack Shaw as Jock
• Gillian Maude as Jean
• Beatrice Kane as Mrs Horrock
• Ivor Danvers as Snub
• Geoffrey Wincott as Dr. Caspar
• Arthur Bush as Schuler
• Alec Ross as Tony

Release

Though critically unpopular, the film's commercial success prompted Hammer to make a number of other movies based on radio and/or TV shows. It was released to television in the USA as Dick Barton, Detective. ^{[5] [6]}

Critical reception

Sky Cinema noted "schoolboy shenanigans from slick Dick and his (badly miscast) aides Jock and Snowy. More laugh-a-minute than thrill-a-minute, this was British 'B'-film making at its grimmest." ^[7]

DVD Talk wrote "the picture has an Ed Wood-like ineptitude." ^[8]

Allmovie blamed "too much comic relief and terrible pacing". ^[4]

References

1. Johnson, Tom (1996). Hammer Films: An Exhaustive Filmography. North Carolina: McFarland. p. 30. ISBN 0-7864-0034-X.
2. Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 74. ISBN   978-1-8445-7319-6.
3. "Dick Barton: Special Agent". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
4. "Don Stannard - Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos". AllMovie.
5. Pitts, Michael R. (10 March 2019). Famous Movie Detectives III. Scarecrow Press. ISBN   9780810836907 – via Google Books.
6. Dick Barton Special Agent Archived 17 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine at Hammerfilms.com
7. "Dick Barton - Special Agent". Find and Watch.
8. "The Dick Barton Trilogy - Dick Barton, Special Agent / Dick Barton at Bay / Dick Barton Strikes Back (Region 2)". DVD Talk.

External links

• Dick Barton: Special Agent at IMDb