Dick Barton Strikes Back (1949).
IMBd meta-data is runtime 1 hour 13 minutes rated 5.2 by 49 cinematizens.
Genre: Spy Fy with Sy Fy.
Verdict: [Did not Disturb – Zzzzzzz.]
Mr Giles has invented Fox News sucking brains out viewers. All the brainless people around creates litter and fearless – because he has a stunt double – Dick ambles into action. The fate of the free-world hangs in the balance but Dick has plenty of time to turn his good side to the camera.
Giles had arrived from Prague and nothing good has ever arrived from Prague. Moreover, he shaved his beard as a disguise. What a dirty trick that is. Nonetheless Dick and his faithful comic relief spot him.
The result is more Spy Fy than Sy Fy. It is included on Scifist 2.0 because of the brain dehydrating sonic beam ear worm that pumps out Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas’ without end. Cruel enough that to bring a smile to faces in the Kremlin.
The stunt double gets a work out, and for reasons only known to the script writer, the Gypsies did it! Yep, the Gypsies who run the fun fair are not in it for the fun and certainly aren’t fair either. Red Gypsies! Bad Gypsies! At least they held onto their brains.
Dick Barton started his derring-do on the radio in the 1930s and went on, but did not reach retirement age. He was James before Bond in his devil may care attitude, but he was also asexual. His exploits were aimed by prepubescent boys and steered clear of any of the mushy stuff.
The characters – the good and the bad, alike – stumble around like three stooges but evidently collide in Blackpool Tower which is pretty good work for the stunt man. The eminence gris has a laptop to control the music, but….
The direction is snappy, the dialogue atrocious, the setting unusual, the result juvenile. Dick did not go on because without a stunt double, the star was killed in a car accident returning home (drunk, no doubt) from the wrap party. Giles did not do it. Ah huh.