by Mark Murton

Directed by: Ralph Kemplen

Cat Out Of The Bag Alert! This review contains MAJOR spoilers for this film.

Synopsis: Stevenson, a British man of Spanish heritage, is convicted of murder on scant evidence. Upon being given the death sentence he places a curse on the Judge, Mr. Justice Manton (Michael Hordern), the Prosecuting Council, Sir Robert Wyvern (Ralph Truman) and the jury foreman who delivered the verdict. When the curse seems to be coming true the judge’s niece, Margaret (Susan Beaumont), and the victim’s half-brother, Mark Brett (Lee Patterson), both of whom were at the trial and believe the convicted man to be innocent, attempt to solve the mystery.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Back home after the trial, Manton sits reading with a fluffy white cat sitting on his lap as Hannah the maid (Olga Dickie) comes in to ask him if she should expect Margaret and Charley (Tony Wright), Manton’s playboy journalist son, for dinner. Manton’s reply makes clear his disapproval of his son’s lifestyle.

Increasingly convinced of Stevenson’s innocence, Margaret and Mark revisit the events described at the trial, sometimes aided by Charley, searching for new evidence. Back home again, Margaret goes to answer the phone which is obscured by the cat sitting on the desk.

As Margaret talks to Mark on the phone she gently strokes the cat (this continues even when the cat isn’t in shot as her arm continues to move in the same motion).

The conversation over, Margaret hangs up and sits at the desk deep in thought with the cat still close by.

A later visit to the Manton home from family friend Sir Robert is preceded by a shot of the cat preening in the judge’s armchair.

Margaret invites Sir Robert in and, as she pours him a drink, suggest he moves the cat so he can sit on the chair.

First he pets and smooths the cat before picking it up and, giving it a little kiss, gently lowering the kitty to the floor.

At the film’s conclusion, Charley, having revealed himself to his father as the killer, hides at the top of the stairs while Manton sees Margaret and Mark out as they go on a date. As Manton opens the door the cat runs in and he picks it up.

With Hannah out for the evening, and unaware that Charley is in the house, Margaret asks Manton if he’ll be alright alone and, indicating the cat, he replies “Yes, I’ve got company.” Closing the door, Manton turns and watches Charley come down the stairs (during this the cat, clearly not happy with the way it is being held, has an indignant look on its face and waves its tail in annoyance).

Manton confronts Charley with the gun he used for a second murder but he casually declares he’s finished with it now he’s wiped his fingerprints off.

Dropping the cat to the floor, Manton goes to his desk, puts down the gun and picks up the phone to turn Charley in to the police. Charley follows him and seizing the gun points it at his father, imploring him to hang up. Suddenly the cat jumps up onto the desk, or rather is boosted up by someone crouched behind the desk. If you look closely you can just barely see someone’s hand under the cat.

At this moment the gun goes off (suggesting, obliquely, that Charley didn’t intend to shoot and the cat jumping up caused gun to go off. The flash of the gun is achieved by scratching the film to create the white streak and the gun was not actually fired near the cat. In fact the trajectory of the flash isn’t even close to the direction the barrel of the gun is pointing!) Not surprisingly, the cat immediately turns tail and makes a hasty exit.

Manton collapses. Unsure what to do next, Charley goes to the liquor cabinet to fix himself a drink. He looks across to his father’s lifeless body on the floor with the cat sitting in close attendance.

Final Mewsings: Cats are pretty good at carrying out curses.

Many thanks to RobG for also spotting the cat in this film.

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