Le ballon jaune

An interesting plot and very well acted but Frankie's accent was a bit too posh for the character. I had the pleasure of serving Veronica Hurst, who played the Sunday School teacher, in a shop in South Wimbledon, London in 1973 and she remains the most charming Lady that I have ever met.

The photography and editing in this film are first class,particularly in the climax.All very expressionistic.Actually very reminiscent of early Hitchcock.Also seeing London the way it was in 1952 ,with so many bomb sites is very nostalgic.However the story fails to grip due to its total implausibility and the use of too many clichés and coincidences.Whilst Sylvester makes a convincing villain his use of the boy in the robbery is rather beyond belief.Kenneth More as the puzzled father is just on the cusp of stardom.The next year he would appear in Genevive and the following year in the film which made his name,Reach For The Stars.Andrew Ray just seems a bit too posh to have lived in that environment and would surely have been rather more streetwise.

Made in 1953 we are transported back to the still bombed out ruins of London. Frankie Palmer is smitten by a yellow balloon he sees a street vendor selling, but before he can buy it, a friend of his has already up and bought it. Now Frankie is an erstwhile 'good boy' but the green eyed monster of envy leads him to snatch it and 'do a runner' as is the common parlance. His friend follows and an accident happens that will change Frankie's life.

Luckily he is taken under the wing of some man who witnessed the incident. This is Len Turner (William Sylvester) who at first appears to be the friend he claims to be but it is not long before he is revealed to have intentions that are much more sinister all together.

Now this is beautifully shot in black and white and the scenes of London and the Tube are a great romp back in time. The actors will be known to a few, with Kenneth More doing his best to be working class, Sid James and Bernard Lee ('M' from James Bond) to name but three. The story is linear and as black and white as the film print, but it still manages to have a high degree of tension and a believability that has survived down the years despite changing societal norms.

This is one for those who love a bit of nostalgia and moreover a bit of realistic British cinema. It is only 77 minutes long but does not waste a single one and is so compelling it feels an awful lot shorter – so if any of the above floats your boat you will not be disappointed – recommended.

THE YELLOW BALLOON can be said to be a period piece unto itself. It is an art film that was made in the early 50's. A time when cinema was dead in the water. Especially in Britain. Television was attempting to upstage the big screen until THE ROBE debuted(also in 1953). THE YELLOW BALLOON takes place in post-WW2 London which makes it even more referential in its sociological tone. It's Hitchcockian plot concerns a capricious boy who gets misconstrued with a tragic event perpetrated by the incidental drudges of his war-torn society. The most fascinating aspect of the film is that the plot is a byproduct of the film itself. In many ways it resembles Kurosawa's HIGH AND LOW. Anyone familiar with that film or the Ed McBain story will appreciate this. THE YELLOW BALLOON is also notable as an early film by J. Lee Thompson(GUNS OF NAVARRONE)and cameraman Gilbert Taylor(DR. STRANGELOVE, STAR WARS) You might also recognize William Sylvester who played Dr. Heywood Floyd in 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. THE YELLOW BALLOON is a lost film,which also means that it is hard to find. If you ever do find it,consider yourself a genuine afficianado.

Like many post-WW2 films this intrigues as much for its location photography, as the plot itself. The concept of a working class area of Chelsea would probably amaze the residents of London SW3 today, but exist it certainly did until the late 70's. Similarly bombsights, and the capacity they had to cause accidents were to be found for almost as long. I enjoyed 'The Yellow Balloon' mainly for the reasons above, and the performance of Andrew Ray. However, imo the casting of Kathleen Ryan and Kenneth More as the parents did not convince given the setting. Even worse was the casting of William Sylvester. I felt he played the role as well as he could, but due to having to desert his natural accent he never found the capability of mastering a local one. (Dirk Bogarde for example could have made the role memorable.) Despite this, it is well worth watching particularly to understand what the then censorship board initially deemed unacceptable for young adults to watch.