by Mark Murton

Directed by: Michael Relph and Basil Dearden

Synopsis: Retired Colonial Serviceman Henry Phipps (Cecil Parker) takes a job as a probation officer in a run-down London borough and finds it more of a challenge than he imagined.

Purr Blur: As Phipps gets to know the neighbourhood where he will be working he passes a tuxedo cat sitting on the busy pavement outside one of the houses just as the scene starts to transition to the next.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): At the station, Phipps encounters Mrs. Macklin (Katie Johnson) who informs him her next door neighbours are trying to poison her cat, Bertie. Phipps passes her on to a policeman who has clearly heard the story before. Later she again accosts Phipps at station with the same accusation and so he agrees to look in on her when he is next in the area. Phipps duly arrives at Mrs. Macklin’s and spotting Bertie, the longhair calico cat, he goes over to pet him.

“I’m glad to see him looking so healthy,” remarks Phipps.

This surprises Mrs. Macklin who now denies all knowledge of suggesting her neighbours are trying to poison her cat!

Confused, Phipps makes his excuses and leaves. As he steps outside the neighbours are passing by and Mrs. Macklin casually tells them that Phipps accused them of trying to poison Bertie. The neighbours are understandably appalled and move on. Mrs. Macklin then whispers to Phipps that it isn’t the cat they are trying to poison, but her!

Final Mewsings: Cats can’t go to the authorities to report their crazy owners.

Relevant Links:

To discuss this film and other cats in movies and on television, join us on Facebook and Twitter.