Pool of London is a 1951 British noir crime film directed by Basil Dearden. It stars Bonar Colleano, Earl Cameron and Susan Shaw.
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.
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.
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."