Wesley Barry Movies

In the wake of a nuclear war that wipes out 92 percent of the world's population, civilization rebuilds itself with the help of robots, which soon become sufficiently advanced to rival -- and then surpass -- the men and women that they are designed to serve. Of particular usefulness (and concern) are the robots series R-21 and above, designed specifically to mimick human form and communication -- the humanoid robots. Despite their distinctive appearance (no hair, blue-tinted skin), they intermingle freely with humans at work, and have been granted some very limited rights under the law. But a backlash has developed among the humans -- the robots are often routinely referred to disparagingly as "clickers," and some of the most militant opponents of the robots have organized The Order Of Flesh And Blood, a paramilitary vigilante group with its own intelligence, scientific, investigative, and surveillance services, all dedicated to limiting the presence, influence, and rights of the robots, in not eradicating them. One of their most active and ambitious members is Craigis (Don McGowan), a captain in the Order and also a top gerontologist in his professional life, who despises the humanoid robots for the threat he sees in their presence -- that with their physical and intellectual superiority, they force man to think less of himself, and to rely on the robots to do many of the tasks that man should do for himself. Craigis is more intelligent than a lot of his fellow Order members, who are little more than bully-boys throwing their weight around, but as such he also sees this struggle in more serious and dire terms than many of his colleagues. One night, while investigating a robot carrying a forged assignment card, he stumbles upon a series of events more ominous and astounding than any he could have anticipated -- a robot violates its First Law of behavior by murdering a man; and the robot committing the murder was designed to look and pass for human. Craigis feels he has stumbled onto something incredibly dangerous, but he is distracted from the implications of these events by news closer to home -- that his sister (Frances McCann) is now living in in an officially sanctioned raport with a "clicker." This sends him tearing off to her home ready to do violence. Craigis is still coping with his sister's choice of a partner, when he meets her friend Maxine (Erica Eliot), and the two discover a strange fascination with each other. As Craigis tries to sort out his feelings about this woman, and keep a perspective on everything he has discovered, he has no inkling of a revelations still to come, about the robots, and their plans, the reason behind them, or how close to home they already are. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide

Produced, directed and cowritten by former child star Wesley Barry, Racing Blood was distributed in the US by 20th Century-Fox. Jimmy Boyd, a juvenile singer who'd risen to fame with the hit single "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", stars as a sensitive stable boy. When a colt is born with a split hoof, its owner decides to destroy it. The animal is rescued by young Boyd, who nurses the colt to health and trains the animal as a racer. Inevitably, the horse is entered in a crucial competition--opposite its own brother, a proven champion. Bill Williams, George Cleveland, Jean Porter and John Eldredge costar in this amiable equestrian yarn. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Monogram's Sea Tiger stars John Archer as discredited sea captain Ben McGrun, on the outs for supposedly collaborating with the enemy during the war. Blackballed in the U.S., Ben manages to dig up a job in New Guinea as skipper of a rundown freighter owned by heroine Jenine (Marguerite Chapman). It turns out that Ben and Jenine are the only honest people in the region, leading to trouble aplenty when a gang of gem thieves arrive on the scene. Seizing the opportunity to redeem himself, Ben risks life and limb to round up the crooks. There seems to be two stories going on at once, leading at least one observer to conclude that Sea Tiger was originally conceived as the pilot for a TV series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this children's move, a teenager and his loyal dog wander the wild West. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Stunt Pilot is a typically lively entry in Monogram's "Tailspin Tommy" series. Hired to work on an aviation picture, ace pilot Tailspin Tommy (John Trent) immediately runs afoul of obnoxious, grandstanding stunt flyer Martin (George Meeker). Obliged by the script to shoot down Martin in one scene, Tommy discovers to his chagrin that his "prop" gun has been filled with real bullets. Naturally our hero is accused of murder, and just as naturally the guilty party is someone else involved in the film-within-a-film. Most of the aerial dogfight scenes were culled from Howard Hughes' WW1 epic Hell's Angels. Returning from previous "Tailspin Tommy" adventures are Marjorie Reynolds as the hero's sweetheart Betty Lou and Milburn Stone (Gunsmoke's Doc) as his best pal Skeeter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Filmed on location at Lake Los Angeles, CA, this minor Monogram Western starred Jack Randall (aka Addison Randall and Allan Byron), the lesser-known brother of B-Western star Robert Livingston. Randall played Jack Wood, who, while looking for his brother's murderer, hooks up with the Mexicali Kid (Wesley Barry), a stage robber. Although Jack convinces the Kid to give up his loot, the two are forced to flee Payson City. They take refuge at the ranch belonging to Jean Carter (Eleanor Stewart), only to encounter a gang of rustlers. Jack cozies up to the gang who is headed by the foreman Gorson (William von Brincken). Agreeing to impersonate the long-lost heir to the ranch, Jack discovers that Gorson is the man who killed his brother. The Kid is mortally wounded in the ensuing melee but Gorson and his men are brought to justice by Jack, who has been working for the Payson City sheriff all along. A discovery of silent screen director Marshall Neilan, freckled Wesley Barry enjoyed some success as a juvenile actor during the 1920s; Barry's appeal was fleeting, however, and by the 1930s he had joined the ranks of supporting actors. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

In this crime drama, a tightwad accountant for a newspaper becomes friends with a reporter. The bookkeeper goes on vacation, and while there he learns of a kidnapping conspiracy. He quickly phones the paper and they order him to follow up on the story and stay off the phone so the reporter (whom he secretly has a crush on) can use it. The paper also gives him a $25,000 expense account. He uses this money to make sure no other reporters can reach them. This insures that he will always get the scoop. His ploy increases sales of the paper and brings the crooks to justice. He also wins the heart of the reporter. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

John Ford, whose fierce pride in his Irish heritage often manifested itself in his work, directed this historical drama which uses as its backdrop the 1916 Easter Rebellion of Irish patriots against British rule. Nora Clitheroe (Barbara Stanwyck) runs a rooming house in Dublin and tries to stay away from the political turmoil raging around her, so she becomes quite upset when she learns that her husband Jack (Preston S. Foster) has joined a militia of Irish rebels trying to drive out the British. Nora fears for Jack's safety and begs him to keep his distance from the revolutionary forces. Jack assures her that he'll step back from their activities, but it's not until it's too late that Nora learns that Jack has done just the opposite -- and has become a commander with the Irish Citizen Army as they plan an ill-fated raid on the Dublin Post Office. John Ford had several bitter disputes with RKO Pictures while making The Plough and the Stars, especially after the studio re-shot several scenes with another director to tone down the film's politics; while he distributed several independent productions through the studio, he never shot another picture for RKO. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Another of Thorne Smith's slyly naughty fantasy novels, Night Life of the Gods was transferred to the screen with reasonable fidelity to the original in 1934. Alan Mowbray plays the eccentric Hunter Hawk, inventor of a ray gun that can turn human beings into statues. Much to his surprise, Hawk is also able to turn statues into humans; consequently, he brings to life eight marble effigies of such Greco-Roman mythological gods as Apollo, Bacchus, Diana, Mercury, Venus and Perseus. All flimsily clad within an inch of the Production Code, the now-lively gods have a high old time adapting to Manhattan night life: in one of the funniest scenes, Neptune (Robert Warwick) playfully spears a bevy of bathing beauties with his trusty trident. Along the way, Hawk falls in love with 900-year-old "baby goddess" Megaere (Florine McKinney). The wry original ending of Smith's novel was watered somewhat by having the whole thing turn out to be a dream, but it's fun while it lasts. Night Life of the Gods was the final directorial effort of Lowell Sherman, who died shortly before the film went into release. Unfortunately, copies of this delightful bit of risque whimsy are few and far between; indeed, Night Life of the Gods may well become a "lost" film if the preservationists don't get on the stick as soon as possible. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The late "B"-picture historian Don Miller once referred to the "teenage sex" exploitationers of the 1930s as the "Enlighten Thy Daughter-type film." A remake of the 1917 picture of the same name, the 1934 version of Enlighten thy Daughter stars Herbert Rawlinson as Dr. Richard Stevenson, who for the edification of the audience relates the tale of two daughters. Ruth (Beth Barton), the offspring of Stevens' hypocritical brother (Russ Hicks), is neglected by her parents in matters of sex education; as consequence, she trods the primrose path, ending up pregnant, then dead. But Dr. Stevens' own daughter Alice (Claire Whitney), is told the facts of life early on, and as a result makes responsible romantic decisions in her later life. Enlighten thy Daughter was distributed on a States' Rights basis by -- who else? -- Exploitation Pictures Inc. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Charles Delaney, an all-purpose actor who appeared in several Poverty Row productions of the early 1930s, assumes the role of a newspaper reporter in Hell Bent for Frisco. Delaney intends to prove that the deceptively charming Carroll Nye was the murderer of the brother of heroine Vera Reynolds. Meanwhile, tough city editor William Desmond runs the gamut of newspaper-movie cliches, from "Stop the Presses!" to "This story will tear this town wide open!" If villain Carroll Nye looks familiar, it's because he played Scarlett O'Hara's second husband Frank Kennedy in Gone with the Wind. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide