Pool of London (film)
| Pool of London | |
|---|---|
 Original British quad format film poster | |
| Directed by | Basil Dearden |
| Screenplay by | Jack Whittingham John Eldridge |
| Produced by | Michael Balcon Michael Relph (associate producer) |
| Starring | Bonar Colleano Earl Cameron Susan Shaw |
| Cinematography | Gordon Dines |
| Edited by | Peter Tanner |
| Music by | John Addison |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | GFD (UK) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 86 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | £130,000[2] or $392,000 (UK)[3] $40,000 (US)[4] |
Pool of London is a 1951 British noir[5] crime film directed by Basil Dearden.[6] It stars Bonar Colleano, Earl Cameron and Susan Shaw.[7]
Plot
The character-driven story of Pool of London centres around the crew of the merchant ship Dunbar, which docks in the Pool of London. The crew members are given shore leave, with some practising petty smuggling and other various dodges. Set in post-war London, the film is of note for portraying the first interracial relationship in a British film.[8]
Black crew member Johnny (Earl Cameron), an all-round nice guy, meets a pretty blonde, Pat (Susan Shaw), who offers to show him the sights of London. In a visually-rich montage, they visit the National Maritime Museum and the Greenwich Observatory. Also shown briefly are views from the dome of St Paul's Cathedral, and some of the bombed areas around the cathedral before the rebuilding of Paternoster Square.
Another seaman, Dan (Bonar Colleano), inadvertently becomes involved with a jewel robbery in which a night watchman is murdered.
Main cast
- Bonar Colleano as Dan MacDonald
- Earl Cameron as Johnny Lambert
- Susan Shaw as Pat
- Renée Asherson as Sally
- Moira Lister as Maisie
- Max Adrian as Charlie Vernon
- Joan Dowling as Pamela
- James Robertson Justice as Engine Room Officer Trotter
- Michael Golden as Customs Officer Andrews
- John Longden as Detective Inspector Williams
- Alfie Bass as Alf
- Christopher Hewett as Mike
- Leslie Phillips as Harry
- Ian Bannen as Garage attendant
- George Benson as George
- Beckett Bould as The Watchman
- Sam Kydd as 2nd Engineer
- Victor Maddern as First Tram Conductor
- Laurence Naismith as Commissionaire
- Campbell Singer as Station Sergeant
Release
Pool of London premiered at the Odeon Leicester Square in London on 22 February 1951.[1]
Critical reception
In The New York Times, Bosley Crowther wrote, "there is excitement and suspense in the gritty and grimy melodramatics," and concluded that the film, "though not distinguished, is entertaining and has the flavor of a great shipping port."[9]
References
- ^ a b "Pool Of London". Art & Hue. 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ Harper, Sue; Porter, Vincent (2003). British Cinema of The 1950s The Decline of Deference. Oxford University Press USA. p. 285.
- ^ "John Davis Cites Cases". Variety. 17 November 1954. p. 8.
- ^ "John Davis Cites Cases". Variety. 17 November 1954. p. 8.
- ^ tasteofcinema.com
- ^ Brooks, Xan (8 August 2017). "'I've not retired!' Earl Cameron, Britain's first black film star, on Bond, racism – and turning 100" – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ "Pool of London (1951)". BFI. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ BFI Screenonline: Pool of London Linked 2015-06-08
- ^ "Movie Reviews". 2 July 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020 – via NYTimes.com.
External links
- Template:BFI Explore
- Pool of London at the BFI's Screenonline
- Pool of London at IMDb
 | This article related to a British film of the 1950s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1951 films
- 1951 crime drama films
- British crime drama films
- Ealing Studios films
- Films directed by Basil Dearden
- Films produced by Michael Balcon
- Films scored by John Addison
- Films set in London
- Films with screenplays by Jack Whittingham
- British black-and-white films
- 1950s English-language films
- 1950s British films
- 1950s British film stubs