by Ted Davis
Directed by: J. Lee Thompson
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: It’s the London, England of the early 1950s, and 12 year-old Frankie Palmer (Andrew Ray), in a moment of spite, swipes a balloon from nearby neighbor and friend Ronnie Williams (Stephen Fenemore). A chase ensues, with Frankie leading Ronnie through bombed-out tenements until the boys reach the upper floor, at which point a tragic accident occurs that is witnessed by habitual criminal spiv Len Turner (William Sylvester), a particularly nasty slab of damnation. Turner plays on Frankie’s guilt and fear, and manipulates the boy into becoming an accomplice in his criminal schemes, starting out with small-time activities, then graduating to a more serious offense that climaxes in death.
Cat Burglars (Scene Stealers): When Frankie’s mum Em (Kathleen Ryan) puts him to bed, his tuxedo cat is resting comfortably beside him. The cat seems more interested in the boom mike above than the scene taking place.
During the same scene, from a different angle, the cat is behind Frankie on the bed. Later that evening, after he has run a fruitless errand, Frankie is back in bed and calls for his cat, which we learn is named Tibbyl. But Tibbyl does not respond and is not seen again.
Later in the movie, after witnessing an attempted nighttime robbery, Frankie scarpers and hides in a shop doorway. A combination shop-cat / watch-cat can be seen in the front window of the shop as Frankie passes.
Fortunately for Frankie, confident and self-possessed businesswoman Mary (Hy Hazell) is walking her dog down the same street, and rescues him — for the time being — from his predicament. During the initial conversation between Mary and Frankie, the cat is doing his ferocious best to tear through the pane of glass in the shop window to ostensibly attack the dog.
The shop-cat is seen more clearly a moment later when he appears over the shoulder of Frankie.
Final Mewsings: Little boys are better off resting with their cats than running errands for violent criminals.
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