The Ploughman's Lunch (1983)

by Mark Murton

Directed by: Richard Eyre

Synopsis: At the time the Falklands war is dominating the British media, ambitious Journalist James Penfield (Jonathan Pryce) starts working on a book about the 1956 Suez Crisis while he also beginning a pursuit of TV reporter Susan Barrington (Charlie Dore).

Purr Blur: In his pursuit of Susan, James attempts to befriend her mother Anne (Rosemary Harris), who previously wrote a tenth anniversary article on Suez, and so visits her home. On his arrival he is shown into a room adjoining the kitchen. As Anne’s stepson Carl comes into the room, in the background a black cat can be seen crossing the kitchen floor.

The Ploughman's Lunch - black cat walking in background behind Carl

The Ploughman's Lunch - black cat walking in background behind Carl animated gif

James talks with the boy while they await Anne’s arrival, then at the end of the scene as James and Anne adjourn to her study the cat again crosses the kitchen, this time in the opposite direction.