by Mark Murton

Directed by: Carol Reed

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

Synopsis: Fast paced farce in which two gold-digging chorus girls, Gloria (Renee Houston) and Clytie (Lilli Palmer), pursue eligible bachelor the Earl of Pangborough (Hugh Sinclair) but find they have competition from fellow chorus girl, the shy and demure Leslie (Margaret Lockwood).

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): The three girls win places in the chorus line of a new musical, and Gloria and Clytie attend the opening night party that follows, while Leslie returns to the boarding house where they all reside. Pangborough is also at the party and Gloria and Clytie waste no time vying for his attention, resulting in Gloria “accidentally” spilling wine on Clytie who immediately seizes the opportunity to have Pangborough drive her back to the boarding house so she can change. While Pangborough waits in the corridor outside Clytie’s room (which she shares with Gloria) he sees Leslie leaving her room and going down the stairs only to return a few seconds later holding a large grey Persian cat in her arms.

At the top of the stairs, Leslie feigns surprise at Pangborough’s presence and drops the cat which runs off back down the stairs.

Leslie explains that she wanted the cat, Jennie, to catch a mouse she found in her room, so Pangborough volunteers to help her reclaim the cat. They make their way down to the kitchen as Leslie urges Pangborough to make as little noise as possible to avoid disturbing the other residents. Arriving in the kitchen, they find Jennie sitting on the sill by the open window. As they creep towards her, Jennie jumps down out of the window into the back yard.

Purr Blur: Leslie and Pangborough go out into the yard where they spy Jennie sitting on the shed roof next to a black cat.

Pangborough climbs up to try and reach Jennie (the other cat having already disappeared), noisily knocking over various objects on the way, much to Leslie’s consternation.

Inevitably, just as Pangborough reaches Jennie she runs off across the roof – cue further crashing about which starts the chickens in the yard clucking loudly as well as the dog there barking incessantly.

To add to the mayhem, Clytie, continuing to talk to Pangborough who she thinks is still outside the door, finally reacts to the racket outside by throwing a shoe (one of Gloria’s, naturally) in the direction of the commotion. The shoe hits Pangborough, allowing Jennie to scurry off again. Eventually Pangborough manages to gather up Jennie and they all go back inside.

Pangborough carries Jennie into Leslie’s room and sets her down near the closet where Leslie says the mouse is.

Meanwhile, Gloria has arrived back at the boarding house and once she and Clytie have finished trading insults they realise Pangborough has disappeared. Hearing Leslie and Pangborough laughing in her room they burst in to see what’s happening and are greeted by the site of Leslie lying on the bed looking underneath it as Pangborough emerges holding Jennie.

Leslie explains about the mouse to the sceptical Gloria and Clytie as they continue their bickering. Pangborough ends the feuding, temporarily at least, by making his excuses and leaving, passing Jennie to Leslie as he goes.

Leslie, a picture of innocence, sits on the bed cradling Jennie in her arms as she declares, “I can’t think what happened to that mouse, he seems to have got away.”

“Funny there are mice in a house,” responds Gloria pointedly, “where there are so many cats about.”

A cat lover in real life, Margaret Lockwood is pictured here with her own cat (circa 1953).

And again at home with her daughter and another family cat.

Final Mewsings: Is it cheating to employ a cat in the pursuit of love?

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