Pool of London (1951)

by Linda Kay

Directed by: Basil Dearden

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

Synopsis: A ship’s crew gets a weekend leave in London. Petty thief Dan (Bonar Colleano) gets caught up in a major robbery while Johnny (Earl Cameron) falls for a girl.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): The robbery of a safe containing diamonds is masterminded by an acrobat named Charlie (Max Adrian). Using his skills, Charlie breaks into the large building through a skylight. Below him the elderly watchman (Beckett Bould) arrives in a corridor and greets a lovely longhair calico cat.

Pool of London - watchman Beckett Bould approaching longhair calico cat in large corridor

Pool of London - watchman Beckett Bould greeting longhair calico cat in large corridor

Pool of London - watchman Beckett Bould greeting longhair calico cat in large corridor animated gif

As the watchman moves on, the calico cat remains in the corridor as Charlie reaches that floor.

Pool of London - watchman Beckett Bould walking away from longhair calico cat and Charlie Max Adrian

Charlie knocks out the watchman who falls at the top of some steps. The cat moves next to the prone gentleman as Charlie steals the man’s keys to let in his cohorts through the front gate.

Pool of London - watchman Beckett Bould lying on top step with longhair calico cat

Pool of London - watchman Beckett Bould falling on top step with longhair calico cat animated gif

Pool of London - watchman Beckett Bould lying on top step with longhair calico cat watching Charlie Max Adrian steal keys

A policeman notices that the watchman has not taken in a bottle of milk left in front of the gated establishment (for the cat, perhaps?) and is on hand when the alarm goes off and the men make their escape, breaking the bottle. The watchman comes to and wrestles with Charlie before being pushed down the steps, hitting his head. When the ambulance arrives, the calico cat is on the front steps near the spilled milk.