POOL OF LONDON

UK, 1951, 85 minutes, Black and white.
Bonar Colleano, Susan Shaw, Renee Asherson, Earl Cameron, Moira Lister, Max Adrian, James Robertson Justice, John Longden, Alfie Bass, Leslie Phillips.
Directed by Basil Dearden.

This is a slice of London life from the early 1950s. It centres on the dock area of London and its surroundings.

The themes are familiar, sailors on leave, visiting the city, involved in small-time smuggling, involved in on and off relationships. Bonar Colleano is Dan, the central sailor, but there is a strong focus on his friend, Johnny, played by Earl Cameron (who appeared 60 years later in Inception), a sailor from the West Indies. There is a wide range of British character actors in supporting roles, interesting to see them in their early days.

Earl Cameron’s character is very interesting because of the racist attitudes towards him from many of the characters, rough behaviour. However, he is a sympathetic character and is strongly befriended by a young woman played by Susan Shaw.

With plenty of characters and plot, there is a safe robbery, car chases through London (and, unlike subsequent car chases, there are practically no other cars in the streets). There are further complications with the sailor asked to smuggle the stolen diamonds onto a ship and his intention to use his friend, Johnny, to bring them on board.

However, there are various complications, Johnny saved from incrimination and Dan giving himself up.

The film was an early film by Basil Dearden who, during the 50s and early 1960s took on some serious social themes including racism, especially in Sapphire, and issues of homosexual criminality in Victim.

Sadly, Bonar Coleano was killed in a car accident seven years later, Susan Shaw his widow. And then, Basil Dearden was killed in a car accident in the early 1970s.


1. The title, the focus on London, the wharves, the surrounding areas? Views of London, the landmarks? Streets, pubs? The ships and interiors? The car chases – and the empty streets? The musical score?

2. A slice of life in the early 1950s? The crews of the ships, onshore? Criminals and police? The acrobat and his role? Smuggling?

3. Race issues? Johnny from the West Indies? Prejudicial statements and racism? The contrast with those who accepted him? This critique from the early 1950s in 21st-century retrospect?

4. The focus on Dan, smuggling, shrewd, friendship with Johnny and support of him? Relationship with Maisie? Her being self-serving, wanting the stockings et cetera? Happy-go-lucky, the visit with the criminals at the theatre? Going dancing, Maisie, her curiosity about the packet, the discovery of the diamonds? Her plans? Being overheard by her sister? The police? Dan and his using Johnny to smuggle the diamonds aboard? His relationship with Sally, sympathetic, dancing, wanting to hide out, her urging him to go to the police? Picking up the diamonds in the church, his being picked up by the criminals, getting out, wounded, in the water, sailing back to London, his decision to save Johnny, giving himself up? Sally hearing this news – prepared to wait for him?

5. Johnny, from the West Indies, his explanation of his background? Racial prejudices of the time? Derogatory comments to him, general racial comments? As a person, friendship with Dan, helping him out, going to the theatre, the encounter with Pat, her letting him watch the show, the prejudiced guard ousting him? His return, with the nylons? Out together, talking, the dance? Going to the Camberwell Palace, seeing her with friends? His drinking, being robbed? Dan saving him by getting the diamonds back? Plans for the future?

6. Pat, her work, sympathetic, no prejudice, the outings, the maritime exhibition? Her friends? The contrast with Maisie and her self-seeking, yet the discussions with the police? Her sister overhearing and going to the police? Sally, Harry and his two-timing, Dan’s sympathy, the dancing, the return to the flat, urging Dan to give himself up?

7. The characters on the ship, the captain, the engine room engineer, reading poetry, drinking? Harry, friend, unreliable?

8. A cross-section of London society in the early 1950s?