Barry Barnes Movies
Dashing, debonair actor Barry Barnes, born Nelson Barnes in Chelsea, England, starred in many British adventure films during the mid-'30s through the early '40s. Prior to coming to films, Barnes appeared on the stage during the late '20s. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 1947
Hollywood films were linking up dance halls with criminal activities long before the British-made Dancing with Crime, which does not mean that this 1949 melodrama is any less worthwhile. Adding a contemporary twist, the criminals operating within the shilling-a-dance joint are black marketeers (wartime rationing would be in effect in Britain until the early 1950s). A wisecracking taxi dancer (Sheila Sim) gets wind of what's afoot. Working with the law, the girl tries to get the goods on the criminals but nearly catches a shiv in the rib cage. 1930s crime-film star Barry K. Barnes co-stars in Dancing with Crime, together with up-and-comer Richard Attenborough. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Attenborough, Barry Barnes, (more)
- 1946
Margaret Lockwood is cast against type as a "black widow" in the British Bedelia. Wealthy but naïve Charlie Carrington (Ian Hunter) is swept off his feet by the beauteous Bedelia (Lockwood), whose three previous husbands, also wealthy, have died ostensibly of natural causes. While on their honeymoon, the Carringtons are pestered by a young artist named Ben Chaney (Barry K. Barnes), who seems to be falling in love with Bedelia. No matter where they go, the Carringtons are pestered by the persistent Ben. On the verge of tossing the interloper out, Charlie reconsiders-and a good thing, too, since Bedelia has been planning all along to poison him at the first opportunity. In the film's operatic climax, Bedelia discovers that this time she has been set up for a fall! Bedelia is based on a novel by Vera Caspary, of Laura fame. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Margaret Lockwood, Ian Hunter, (more)
- 1940
Also known as Girl in the Case, this early Carol Reed effort tended to be dismissed or ignored by its director in later interviews. Even so, the film is a worthwhile effort, with an intricate and sometimes amusing script by Sydney Gilliat. Young lawyer Stephen Garringdon (Barry K. Barnes) manages to clear his first client, nurse Anne Graham (Margaret Lockwood), of charges that she has been systematically murdering his patients. At first exultant, Garringdon begins suffering pangs of guilt because he never completely believed in his client's innocence. When another murder occurs during Anne's shift, the lawyer begins to wonder if he is actually an accessory after the fact. Admittedly, things look bad for Anne, but unexpected salvation is at hand in form of affable Mr. Tracy (Emlyn Williams), who knows a lot more about the killings than anyone else-except, of course, the victims. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Margaret Lockwood, Barry Barnes, (more)
- 1940
In this melodrama, a wealthy businessman, is at long last reunited with his estranged son, an oily-tongued salesman who has been working for him for ages. Meanwhile, the salesman is in love with a pretty young woman. Trouble ensues when a psychic predicts that the father will die in a car wreck involving the son. Sure enough, the father does indeed die in a car crash, but the son survives to deal with it all. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barry Barnes, Judy Kelly, (more)
- 1940
In this actioner, a flashy young lawyer successfully defends some saboteurs. His friends and family are appalled as are the police. When the attorney is drafted he soon discovers that the people he defended are now using guided missiles. He decides to stop them anyway he can. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1940
The Two For Danger in this British comedy-mystery are lawyer Tony Grigson (Barry K. Barnes) and art museum curator Diana (Greta Gynt). The son of a police commissioner, Grigson decides to play detective himself to find out who's been pilfering valuable paintings from the collection under Diana's care. The principal suspects include an American (Tony Shaw), a German (Gordon MacLeod) and an Australian (Ian McLean). Intrigued by the prospect of a bit of excitement in her humdrum life, Diana enthusiastically joins Grigson on his hunt, resulting in all sorts of hair's-breadth escapes for them both. Two for Danger was produced through the Teddington Studios facilities of Warner Bros., who distributed the film in the US. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barry Barnes, Greta Gynt, (more)
- 1939
This Man in Paris was the followup to the successful British comedy-mystery This Man is News. Barry K. Barnes and Valerie Hobson return as Simon and Pat Drake, London's answer to Nick and Nora Charles. The plot gets under way when Simon, star reporter for a London tabloid, is dispatched to Paris to gets the goods on a counterfeiting gang. Despite warnings from editor Macgregor (Alistair Sim) to stay out of the way of the police authorities, Simon and Pat insist upon doing a lot of sleuthing themselves. Inevitably, hero and heroine find themselves at the mercy of the villains, but one is certain that they'll wriggle out of their predicament none the worse for wear. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barry Barnes, Valerie Hobson, (more)
- 1939
This Man is News is a British imitation of Hollywood's Thin Man pictures. The "Nick and Nora" herein are Barry K. Barnes as an investigative reporter and Valerie Hobson as his helpful wife (?) After writing a series of articles about an elusive gang of jewel thieves, Barnes is framed for robbery. He goes after the crooks himself, despite the "cease and desist" warnings of Scotland Yard and his own editor. This Man is News did well enough to warrant a sequel, but This Man in Paris did poorly enough to bring this would-be series to an abrupt end. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barry Barnes, Valerie Hobson, (more)
- 1939
The success of the British Q Planes spawned a brief cycle in airborne espionage pictures--at least until all British aircraft was impounded for actual combat use. The title Spies of the Air tells all: The central character is a test pilot who turns out to be in the employ of The Enemy. Since the film is adapted from Jeffrey Dell's stage play Official Secrets, much of the action takes place on the ground. The flight sequences blend stock footage and newly-shot aerial scenes with acceptable expertise. Spies of the Air was filmed in 1939, but not released until 1940--by which time its topicality had increased tenfold. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barry Barnes, Roger Livesey, (more)
- 1938
In this WWI drama, a group of captured British soldiers imprisoned in a German POW camp attempt to escape by building a tunnel beneath the camp. One of the prisoners is unable to stand the strain and lets the cat out of the bag, forcing the others to leave ahead of time. The pressure increases when the newest prisoner discovers that the group leader is the husband of his lover. In the end, the philandering new prisoner sacrifices his life for the leader. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1938
In this European drama, a girl in reform school finds herself falling in love with school physician, but must compete with the liberal thinking superintendent for the doctor's affection. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Corinne Luchaire, Edna Best, (more)
- 1938
In this taut drama, a wealthy financier is tried for the murder of his brother-in-law after the damning corpse is found floating in his garden pond. He is eventually acquitted. Upon his return home, he is angered to find his lawyer has become romantically involved with his wife. An argument ensues, during which the financier confesses his guilt and then makes a fatal leap from a balcony. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clive Brook, Jane Baxter, (more)
- 1938
In this comedy a young woman weasels out of a vacation with her parents and away from the young man they want her to date by conning a scientist to pose as a doctor and tell them she is terribly ill. The daughter and her "physician" end up traversing the country in their attempts to avoid her family and the suitor who disgusts her. Along the way, the two fall in love. Marital bliss ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1937
The French revolutionary Robespierre vows to get revenge on the Scarlet Pimpernel who has been helping the aristocracy escape from the dreaded guillotine in this sequel to 1934's The Scarlet Pimpernel. To do so Robespierre kidnaps the Pimpernel's wife and takes her to France. Unfortunately, he is not clever enough for the roguish hero and he soon frees her. Together they return to England. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barry Barnes, Sophie Stewart, (more)
- 1936
A government agency is charged with locating jobs for various people in order to remove them from the dole while these people try to avoid the agency in order to stay on the dole! ~ All Movie Guide
