Underworld Informers (1963)

Original Title: The Informers

Directed by: Ken Annakin

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

Synopsis: Chief Inspector Johnnoe (Nigel Patrick) prefers using “snouts” (aka informers) to track down criminals but when one turns up dead his methods are called into question.

Purr Blurs: Johnnoe is on the trail of some bank robbers who are hiding out with a pet shop owner named Hymie (Bernard Goldman). He keeps many animals in cages behind his apartment and shop. One cage contains several kittens.

Underworld Informers - Hymie Bernard Goldman with animals in alley kittens in cage
Underworld Informers - Hymie Bernard Goldman with animals in alley kittens in cage

Kitty Cameo: Hymie enters his apartment holding a tabby cat. The robbers are getting frustrated with being cooped up there.

Underworld Informers - Hymie Bernard Goldman entering apartment holding tabby cat
Underworld Informers - Hymie Bernard Goldman entering apartment holding tabby cat
Underworld Informers - Hymie Bernard Goldman entering apartment holding tabby cat

Purr Blurs: Tommy the Trotter (Donal Donnelly) is working with Charlie Ruskin (Colin Blakely), the brother of the “snout,” to find out who was the killer. He sees suspicious activity around Hymie’s place and looks around the back where a cat is sitting on one of the cages.

Underworld Informers - Tommy the Trotter Donal Donnelly in alley with animals cat on cage

Johnoe’s wife, Mary (Catherine Woodville) visits Charlie’s scrap yard. As she enters, a white cat with markings and a luxuriously fluffy tail passes by.

Underworld Informers - Mary Catherine Woodville walking through scrap yard with white marked cat with bushy tail
Underworld Informers - Mary Catherine Woodville entering scrap yard with white marked cat with bushy tail passing animated gif

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Charlie Ruskin coerces Maisie (Margaret Whiting), the girlfriend of one of the criminals, to tell them who did the killing by telling her that a man named Lou (Kenneth J. Warren) has her son. After she confesses, Lou enters carrying a tabby cat.

Underworld Informers - Lou Kenneth J. Warren entering room holding tabby cat
Underworld Informers - Lou Kenneth J. Warren entering room holding tabby cat

Charlie locks up Johnnoe, Maisie and Shorty (Roy Kinnear) as he heads out to deal with the killer. They try to escape the room by pushing the key out of the lock, but it falls past the paper they had pushed under the door. Johnnoe then tries using a piece of cable to snag the key. The tabby cat which Lou previously carried inside spots the cable and is immediately intrigued.

Underworld Informers - shorthair tabby cat on shelf looking intrigued
Underworld Informers - shorthair tabby cat on shelf looking at cable pulling key animated gif

The adorable cat starts to play with the cable, much to the frustration of Johnnoe.

Underworld Informers - shorthair tabby cat pawing at cable under door
Underworld Informers - shorthair tabby cat pawing at cable under door
Underworld Informers - shorthair tabby cat playing with cable Inspector Johnnoe Nigel Patrick is using to pull key animated gif

The tabby peers under the door to see Johnnoe’s face.

Underworld Informers - shorthair tabby cat looking under door
Underworld Informers - shorthair tabby cat looking at Inspector Johnnoe Nigel Patrick under door animated gif

As Johnnoe finally pulls the key beneath the door, the cat rolls over and purrs.

Underworld Informers - shorthair tabby cat looking at cable pulling key under door
Underworld Informers - close of shorthair tabby cat
Underworld Informers - shorthair tabby cat rolling over
Underworld Informers - shorthair tabby cat on back
Underworld Informers - shorthair tabby cat on back
Underworld Informers - shorthair tabby cat rolling over and purring animated gif

Final Mewsings: Cats enjoy taking part in suspenseful scenes!

Many thanks to Mark Murton for letting us know about the cats in this film.

Relevant Links:

IMDb logo
tcmlogo




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

Share this with your cat and movie loving friends!