The Monster of Highgate Ponds

This CFF film is from 1961 and therefore towards the end of that run of gritty B&W works that featured self-reliant kids making their own amusements in camps, dens, with little parental involvement; London's bombsites often were central, as were scrapyards and threatening toughs; amongst the kids was bullying, betrayals, fights.....there was usually a tense chase towards the end that eventually got resolved.

This little film is more gentle fare with "goody-goody" kids coming from a nice family in Highgate, with the parents well involved. Still, it's a decent little story directed by one of the greats (Cavalcanti) with some recognisable character actors, not least Philip Latham and lovable rogue Michael Balfour. Add to this mix interesting London locations, and you have another period piece for present-day students and those of a certain age reliving their childhoods. I'm sure that younger kids loved this at the time.

Just don't pay too much attention to the monster!