Directed by: Sam Wood

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: A gentleman thief who leaves calling cards at the scene of his crimes signed “The Amateur Cracksman” is actually the well-liked cricket star A.J. Raffles (David Niven.) Raffles is ready to retire from thievery until a weekend at a country estate, a crime planned by others, a financially burdened friend and a persistent detective (Dudley Digges) forces him to pull one last job.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Near the beginning of the film, we see Raffles leave his London apartment at night. Moments later he is walking down the street where there is a black and white kitten sitting by some metal railings. Raffles stoops down to pick up the kitten and place it inside his coat.

In the next scene there are alarm bells going off at a jewelry store and the police rush in to catch the thief, only to find the kitten in the middle of the store playing with the security alarm trigger wire.

Detective Phillips (Charles Irwin) picks up the kitten as he and the police chalk the alarm up to the playful pussy. Phillips carries the kitten from the store.

Raffles, who is hiding inside the shop, turns off the alarm again and robs the store. He then leaves his customary note, only this time it reads, “The kitten lives in Cork Street. Let it off lightly!” Meanwhile, Phillips is carrying the kitten down the street with an officer as they discuss what to do with the animal. “Well, the missus won’t have ‘im in the house, I can tell you that!” the officer states. “I’m going to try to sneak him into my house,” Phillips says. Scotland Yard Inspector MacKenzie (Dudley Digges) pulls up in this car and asks Phillips if he has put the kitten under arrest. When Phillips explains the situation, MacKenzie thinks it sounds suspicious and goes to investigate.

The kitten in this scene is absolutely adorable and this is a very clever ruse used by Raffles, yet he shows compassion for the kitten by telling the police where he first picked it up.

Final Mewsings: Kittens make excellent cat burglar accomplices.

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