The Dog and the Diamonds (1953) User Reviews

A British "Our Gang"

[nigel_hawkes · 6/10 · 16 December 2023]

Another delightful, harmless CFF early film (1953) that has a larger-than-usual quota of kids. The inept crooks are not particularly nasty or threatening, the caretaker/rent collector takes that role on here. Lots of animals for the audience to like, with the dog the natural star!

As it's 1953 we have depictions of almost empty streets, with kids using their imagination out there and making their own amusements; there's a good spread of ages with the older ones keeping an eye on the younger ones (and sometimes vice versa!). Parents are largely absent and the policeman has a minimal appearance-just as it was then!

Another useful social document of those post-War times, which those of us who were young then will immediately recognise. It's not as gritty as e.g "Skid Kids" or "Soapbox Derby", more Enid Blyton, but worth having in the Archive.

Reliable Kathleen Harrison features in a typical role-she had an amazing, long career; the irascible caretaker, George Coulouris, was a fine actor who was with Orson Welles in the early years-quite a coup to have actors of this stature giving their services.

Thanks yet again to UK's Talking Pictures channel for airing these little gems.

Hue and Cry in Mill Hill

[richardchatten · 7/10 · 16 December 2023]

Peter Rogers' first film as full producer was this early Children Film Foundation production in which a bunch of kids - described in the credits as 'The Gang' - realise every youngsters's dream when they discover a big derelict house with an enormous garden.

Surprise surprise it turns out to be functioning as a hideout for a trio of crooks to stash the proceeds of a smash & grab raid (hence the title).

George Coulouris has be the only member of the cast of 'Citizen Kane' to have appeared in a production of the Childrens Film Foundation, playing a querulous old caretaker of whom Brian Oulton declares "That man Orange is an sour as a lemon!" The 'introducing' credit goes to 'Boffin the Dog' who certainly showed promise.

I've always liked George Colouris

[malcolmgsw · 6/10 · 10 March 2024]

Firstly I want to correct a statement to the effect that these were "children's quota quickies". Films such as this were always made with children's Saturday morning shows,and were.not shown during the adult programme and therefore would not be counted for quota purposes.

This is a delightful film starting the great George Colouris with a cameo from that stalwart of British cinrma,Kathleen Harrison.

Coloured was a very versatile actor ,quite apart from his time in America he appeared in classic plays on the stage and has no less than 145 entries on IMDb.

The story is one of a type used in many OFF films.

I reckon much of the later part of this film was filmed in Hampstead.

Why not the Cockatoo and the Crooks?

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 24 December 2023]

Or the frog and the fuzz? A bunch of kids in a neighborhood where there's no park for them to play in have to be creative to make their fun, and they decide to look for an abandoned house to turn into their pet zoo. Unfortunately, there's a group of jewel thieves hiding in the giant old white elephant they come across, and fortunately, members of the children's welfare association come across it and contemplate turning it into an activity center, complete with back yard.

Another children's "quota quickie", and at under an hour is pretty snappy. The dog's adorable, the wisecracking cockatoo an absolute delight, and the frog hopping happy. There's a few glimpses of a few other critters as well. It's a reminder of how kids of all kinds and ages got together and made their own fun, and didn't require electricity. The location photography has lots of interesting looking suburban dwellings, nicely shot. Starring Kathleen Harrison, George Coulouris, and Geoffrey Sumner, one of the few entries of this series to rely on a few cinematic names.

Cute animal overload

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 26 January 2024]

THE DOG AND THE DIAMONDS is another early instalment from the Children's Film Foundation factory, this time around directed by the Carry On team. This one has the biggest gang of kids I've ever seen in any of these films, and in a nice bit of social commentary they're stuck in a newfangled high rise with a blustering building inspector who hates pets. The usual pratfalls ensue, the plot only kicking in when they occupy an abandoned house with the usual trio of diamond thieves. The preponderence of cute animals automatically serves to make this one mildly enjoyable, although it's rather lowbrow considering some of the minor classics CFF put out.

A great wee film.

[plan99 · 8/10 · 20 December 2023]

This looked more like a 1943 film than a 1953 one but this didn't make it any less enjoyable.

A children's adventure which could still be enjoyed by children now but some won't watch a film not in colour. Where do all the highly talented dog actors, and actresses, come from ase they are often the best character in a film.

In CFF tradition one baddie got wet but it was easy to miss his soaking to watch carefully. A cast of what seemed like thousands of children running about rather that the more common half dozen or so.

Very enjoyable from TPTV channel where all the best programmes are in the UK these days.