Dick Barton, Detective

The maiden episode of a short-lived trio of Dick Barton movies made by Hammer is a jaunty period piece from the days when the dastardly villains were still nazis rather than commies.

It's amateurish technique, period detail and use of actual locations today gains it considerable interest viewed purely as a documentary.

This is one of the worst films to watch as an adult, and as an adult who appreciates Kane, Orphee, Rashomon, Godfather I/II, Donnie Darko etc to name just a handful. You have to try and switch your Cynic Button to Standby for 66 minutes and enjoy it for what it was. I agree it is a laughable and witless film - but it was made for British children and especially the post-WW2 teenagers listening to the weekly BBC radio series - who weren't so demanding as we all have become. Although apparently the BBC were initially surprised that children were listening in their millions, and eventually decided to "tone" the gratuitous sex and mindless violence in DB down. Which of course by todays high standards was on the level of Sesame Street, but losing even that meant the end as the millions turned off. Could you watch old serials such as Nyoka nowadays without laughing - could a serious film buff in the 40's?

A populist subject for the film - a gang of Nazi smugglers operating in quaint English fishing village, plotting the downfall of all around them. Don Stannard was excellent for the ... unbelievably manly role of Dick Barton - although since Red Dwarf I can't quite get Arnold Rimmer out of my head. And current Tory Party Boss David Cameron too for that matter! Snowy and Jock were both there as DB's sidekicks, played with gusto if not finesse. What I find when I let go is that this sometimes atmospheric film is an enjoyable romp (semi-silent, too!) from proto-Hammer, which strains credulity at every turn but keeps you watching like all Fantasies should do. The whole production was cheap and amateurish which is reflected in the acting. Marvellously refreshing after seeing Requiem For A Dream!

Therefore I don't think Plan 9's Title is in jeopardy, except maybe from Blazing Saddles - time will tell!

I am not old enough to remember the original radio series.So i don't know if it was done tongue in cheek.this film seems to have an element of that.However the film is let down by a silly plot awful acting and almost invisible production values.It is probably one of the worst British films that i have ever seen.I haven't yet watched the other 2 in the series but they have to be an improvement on this load of tripe.It is a mercy for most of the actors that the credits only list a handful of the leading actors.Usually i find no difficulty in writing the mandatory 10 lines that are required for a review but the sheer awfulness of this film has left my usual nimble fingers frozen in sheer disbelief.

In preparation for the "House of Hammer" podcast, which is covering the complete "Dick Barton" trilogy that Hammer produced in the late 1940's. Slightly confusingly for me, I watched "Dick Barton: Strikes Back" first, not believing that this was available, but then finding a copy on YouTube. Having enjoyed the sequel, I found this disappointing.

With his friends as cover, Dick Barton (Don Stannard) heads to the small coastal town of Echo Bay and disrupts a smuggling ring there. Though seemingly small fry for a Detective of Barton's renown, the smugglers have a link to a foreign scientist, going by the name of Dr Casper (Geoffrey Wincott) whose scheme is more malevolent than merely importing contraband.

Despite only being made a year later, "Dick Barton Strikes Back" is a much more accomplished film, in virtually every regard. Here, at least on the version I saw, the editing is a lot less capable. The fight scenes are hilariously amateurish but most strikingly the performances are terrible. Even Don Stannard isn't as comfortable as he is next time out. Farnham Baxter's character Roscoe is a very unusual creation. I don't know what accent he's doing but to describe is as odd is an understatement. The foley work is poor, and some of the dialogue crudely pasted into certain scenes.

You have the early use of the trope of a villain who doesn't just kill the hero, when he has him dead to rights, instead choosing to trap him and assume that his elaborate scheme will work. It's a proud tradition started in the serials and continuing right through to the Batman TV show.

Nothing like as accomplished as it's sequel.

Based on the classic British Radio series this clunker of a movie is a series of bad choices (which they corrected for the next two movies), and one of the worst films Hammer Studios ever produced.

The plot of this film has to do with smuggling and Nazi spies in and around a small English Village. The villain is a German agent posing, as a Swedish scientist, complete with German accent. He has secret tunnels and hideouts in the village and is plotting great evil. He is aided by various people in the village all of whom are suspicious looking in the extreme. Good guy Dick Barton is sent to the town by his bosses, under cover of taking a vacation, to the village to find out whats going on.

This movie is bad, really bad. The film was aimed at kids and they dumb the whole movie down with over the top performances and really bad humor. Frankly this is more a misfiring comedy rather than the exciting action adventure of the radio. The direction is at best stiff with the actors not so much directed as arranged in tableaux, upon which the camera locks. It reminded me of a movie from the advent of the movies.

I'm dumb founded at this films awfulness.

I've given the movie a 2 instead of a 1 because there a few fleeting moments where the movie actually works, but they are high points in a very low movie and nothing you need concern yourself with. It would probably be best if you just skipped this movie and watched either of the other two Dick Barton films that followed.