Skip to content
MovieCove
Mona Barrie

Mona Barrie

Actor · Died June 27, 1964, aged 54 · London, England, UK

Sometimes described as a poor man's Kay Francis, brunette, hazel-eyed Mona Barrie possessed neither quite the looks nor the personality required to become a major player in 1930's Hollywood. Nonetheless, the London-born and Australian-educated former childhood ballerina (born Mona Barlee, daughter of veteran comedian Phil Smith) enjoyed a fairly substantial career as a versatile 'second lead' for more than two decades. Soon after being spotted by a talent scout on a Fifth Avenue bus in New York, Mona signed with Fox in 1932 and was immediately cast as one of two female leads in Sleepers East (1934), a failed attempt by Fox to remake MGM's all-star mega hit Grand Hotel (1932) as a train-bound crime drama. That same year, she also played a supporting role in the post-Civil War romance Carolina (1934), which established the fact that she wore elaborate gowns exceedingly well. The New York Times (January 9, 1935) caustically commented about her role in Mystery Woman (1935): "The players go through the required motions with a minimum of effort, except perhaps for Mona Barrie, who must have had to spend a great deal of time and energy being fitted for the extensive wardrobe she displays". In fact, Mona was voted by several newspapers as one of the best dressed women in Hollywood and acclaimed by the designer Royer for her innate fashion sense. During her tenure at Fox, Mona's varied career encompassed an entry into the Charlie Chan series, as well as starring roles in the mystery-comedy Ladies Love Danger (1935) and the action adventure Storm Over the Andes (1935), opposite Antonio Moreno. There were others. However, none of these second features generated much publicity or box office success and Mona took a chance, walked out on her contract and was out of work for six months. Picked up by Warner Brothers, she bought a house in Beverly Hills, complete with swimming pool and croquet lawn. Loaned out to MGM, she at last appeared in distinguished company, alongside Joan Crawford and Clark Gable in Love on the Run (1936). In the course of the next decade, as before, Mona made the most of her limited opportunities, often typically cast as 'the other woman', as perfunctory western heroines, the occasional villainess or glamorous clothes horse, or even popping up as Franklin Pangborn's wife in W.C. Fields's madcap farce Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941). There were some good reviews, too, for films like Skylark (1941) and Cairo (1942). By the end of the 40's, the law of diminishing returns began to apply, with ever fewer roles on offer. After an uncredited bit in Warner's Plunder of the Sun (1953), Mona called it a day and retired from films. She maintained her residence in Los Angeles, where she died in June 1964, aged just 54.

Read more

Biography from IMDb.

Born
December 18, 1909
Died
June 27, 1964 (aged 54)
From
London, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
21 on MovieCove · 50 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Up 19% in 30 days

What are Mona Barrie's films like?

Across their 18 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 48th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 33rd percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Action movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
32%
Morality
30%
Self
21%
Power
9%
Survival
3%
Ideas
3%
Society
1%
Romantic love7 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception8 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal3 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage4 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 18 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 13 · Serious 3 · Dark 2

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 7 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 7 · Charged 11 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 14 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 4

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 2

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 11 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 17 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 3 of 6 analyzed roles.

Shadow
3 of 6
Shapeshifter
1 of 6
Ally
1 of 6
Threshold guardian
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Romantic
9
Joyful
6
Hopeful
6
Warm
4
Other
12

How their films linger

Feel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet5
  • Tragic1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Mona Barrie's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 5 of their 21 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Mona Barrie's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

50 credits, 21 with a MovieCove page.

  • Plunder of the Sun(1953)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Strange Fascination (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Diana Fowler

  • The First Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Cassie Mayhew

  • My Dog Rusty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Dr. Antonia 'Toni' Cordell

  • Cass Timberlane(1947)

    as Avis Elderman

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • I Cover Big Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Dora Hilton

  • The Secret of the Whistler(1946)

    as Linda Vail

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • The Devil's Mask(1946)

    as Louise Mitchell

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Just Before Dawn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Harriet Travers

  • Storm Over Lisbon(1944)

    as Evelyn

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • One Dangerous Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Jane Merrick

  • Dawn on the Great Divide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Sadie Rand

  • Cairo(1942)

    as Mrs. Morrison

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Lady in a Jam(1942)

    as Martha (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Syncopation(1942)

    as Lillian

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Strange Case of Doctor Rx (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Eileen Crispin

  • A Tragedy at Midnight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Alta Wilton

  • Today I Hang(1942)

    as Martha Courtney

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Road to Happiness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Millie Rankin

  • Skylark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Charlette Gorell

  • Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Nurse Marian Tracy

  • Never Give a Sucker an Even Break(1941)

    as The Producer's Wife

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • When Ladies Meet(1941)

    as Mabel Guiness

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Murder Among Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Clair Turk

  • Lady with Red Hair(1940)

    as Mrs. Hilda Brooks

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Who Killed Aunt Maggie? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Eve Benedict

  • Love, Honor and Oh-Baby! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Deedee Doree

  • I Take This Woman(1940)

    as Sandra Mayberry

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Say It in French(1938)

    as Lady Westover

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Men Are Such Fools(1938)

    as Bea Harris

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Love, Honor and Behave (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Lisa Blake

  • Something to Sing About(1937)

    as Stephanie Hajos

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • I Met Him in Paris(1937)

    as Helen Anders

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Mountain Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Evelyn Wayne

  • Love on the Run(1936)

    as Baroness Hilda Spandermann

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • A Message to Garcia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Spanish Spy

  • Here Comes Trouble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Evelyn Howard

  • King of Burlesque(1936)

    as Rosalind Cleve

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • The Melody Lingers on (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Sylvia Turina

  • Ladies Love Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Actor

  • Unwelcome Stranger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Madeline Chamberlain

  • Storm Over the Andes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Theresa

  • Mystery Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Margaret Benoit

  • I'll Fix It (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Anne Barry

  • Charlie Chan in London(1934)

    as Lady Mary Bristol

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • One Night of Love(1934)

    as Lally

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Such Women Are Dangerous (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Wanda Paris

  • All Men Are Enemies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Actor

  • Carolina (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Virginia Buchanan

  • Sleepers East (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Ada Robillard

Career shape

Star power in the 55th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 50 titles from 1934 to 1953.

Highest rated

Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941)

Midcredits 81st

Most popular right now

One Night of Love (1934)

Film career

  • 1934Screen debut· Charlie Chan in London

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting50 of 50: 50 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score48th

By decade

1930s22 · acting1940s25 · acting1950s3 · acting

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Mona Barrie's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 48th percentile, the median of all 21; across their 18 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 55th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Approval · how many liked their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Reach · how many have seen their films

38thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Midcredits score across 21 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 21 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Crowd Pleaser10
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

When Ladies Meet (1941)

58th percentile spread · 17% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941)

Midcredits 81st · 70% liked

Reviewers score the acting 63/100 in their films, across 18 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 41. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Mona Barrie work with?

People who share at least 2 of Mona Barrie's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; George Sherman shares the most, 2.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers

Producers