Muelles de Londres

Ealing goes to the docks in this marvellous story, about robbery, smuggling and life in general aboard a ship, docked in the old port of London. Bonar Colleano plays Dan MacDonald , a seaman on board the freighter 'Dunbar' who supplements his income, by a little harmless smuggling, when he is approached by a gang to take the proceeds of a daring jewel robbery, to a fence abroad.

Shot in and around Tower Bridge, and the area of Southwark, It shows a side of London, still reeling from all the bomb damage from the blitz.The present generation would do well to see this slice of history.

Quite splendid and surprisingly good British film with marvellous and evocative location shooting, mainly in and around the Tower Bridge and the docks. Fast moving, with decent story, well acted and directed, I am amazed I have never come across this before. Living in Greenwich, I was particularly thrilled to see a sequence shot in the Maritime Museum plus a shot which included a glimpse of what looked like a derelict observatory, certainly not surrounded by tourists as it is today. Also great to see the power station billowing smoke and absolutely no docklands development beyond. Earl Cameron plays the West Indian sailor who is shown getting pretty close to the action, even if he is considered, 'Just like all the rest.' Good to see he has continued to work right up to the present. Unlike the co-lead, very popular in his day apparently, Bonar Colleano, who died in a motor accident eight years after making this. Not a 'noir' as some have suggested, but a rattling good yarn and if you are interested in a glimpse of early post-war London, trams and all, this is a must.

London docklands in the 1950's . Just a little before my time . I was 12 at the time of filming ,but a few years on when I was 15 I cycled around the Pool with my friends and this movie brought back memories. We also cycled around the Beacton power station and always ended up in a greasy spoon for a meat pie and a cup of builders tea. Great days for so little money.I still remember how things have changed those old buildings have gone and the docks have given way to Docklands and Canary Wharf along with the trappings of super luxury apartments and financial centers. The Thames has altered , so clean, there are so many species of fish. One thing about the film was the Thames sailing barges they have gone, Shame. The film was an excellent example of life in post war London. If you get a chance watch it. the chase through London on a Sunday morning and the old police cars smashing!!.

When the cargo ship Dunbar is moored at the Pool of London, the crew is released to have the weekend for entertainment in the city. The customs officer asks if the sailors have anything to declare before they go to London. The wolf Dan MacDonald (Bonar Colleano) and his best friend, the Jamaican Johnny Lambert (Earl Cameron), go together and Dan meets his girlfriend Maisie (Moira Lister) while Johnny befriends the ticket vendor Pat (Susan Shaw). Meanwhile Dan meets a stranger that proposes one hundred pounds for him to smuggle a small box to Rotterdam. They schedule a meeting at a church on the next morning to deliver the package to Dan. The stranger, who is a gangster, heists jewels earlier with his gang but the robbery goes wrong, they kill the guard and the police chase them. Later he delivers the box to Dan during the mass. Dan, who had problem with the costums officer before leaving the ship, asks Johnny to bring the box onboard. But when he learns that there are stolen jewels in the box and is wanted by the Scotland Yard, he lives a dilemma: shall he flee or save Johnny from the Scotland Yard.

"Pool of London" is a surprisingly good unknown British film. The post-war London is impressive, with a few cars on empty streets. The screenplay and the cinematography are top-notch, with several sub-plots and characters well-developed. But the most impressive in the story is the racism with the mullato Johnny, who feels outcast in London. The moralist conclusion fits perfectly to the melodramatic plot. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Encontro em Londres" ("Meeting in London")

I remember some scenes in this film being shot at the end of the street I lived in in East London. As a 12 year old boy I was fascinated by the way they moved the bus stop so Earl Cameron and Susan Shaw could pop into the nearby café for a drink. Other scenes were filmed in the local music hall, the Queens Theatre and in the Rotherhithe Tunnel. Every time I drive through there I remember this movie. And what a great film, the cast, plot, location all perfect. Along with other contributors I also cannot understand why there has been no DVD release. There are far less deserving films which have been released. If the powers that be ever read these comments please consider releasing this on DVD.