by Mark Murton

Directed by: Richard Loncraine

Synopsis: In 1905, after ten years of missionary work in Africa, the Reverend Charles Fortescue (Michael Palin) is recalled to England where his Bishop gives him his new assignment: to minister to London’s slum prostitutes.

Kitty Cameo: The first “fallen woman” Fortescue approaches is the buxom Ada (Tricia George). He asks if he can talk to her and thinking she knows what he’s after she leads him to her room. As they climb the stairs the view cuts to the inside of her room where a fluffy white cat lounges on the bed.

The door opens and Ada and Fortescue enter. Ada talks to the cat, Tiddles, while she crosses to the other side of the room as Fortescue follows. As they talk, Ada gets some food for the cat and then calls to Tiddles who responds with an off-screen cry. By the end of the scene, Ada has convinced Fortescue to sample her wares and the last thing we hear is their footsteps approaching the bed followed by (off-screen again) a Poor Cat Screech!

Final Mewsings: Is this why brothels were sometimes called cat-houses?

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