The Yellow Balloon

What a nice neat little slice of post-war London life this film is. Being a great fan of British films from the 1950's I was delighted to discover this near-forgotten gem on DVD and it will now take pride of place in my collection. I have always loved and admired Kenneth More and as "The Yellow Balloon" came just prior to his burst to stardom in "Genevieve" we find him here in a relatively small but very significant role as the boy's loving father. I just relish every moment he is on screen and long for more of him.

Andrew Ray is on screen for the entire film and he is moving and totally convincing in role that may have scared a less competent child actor ; he is pivotal to the entire plot development. The long list of familiar players in brief but impressive appearances keep the action moving at a nice pace and at less than 90 minutes duration you really are left wanting more and not less as is the case with so many films. Noteworthy is the intense sense of atmosphere and I love the communal cold-water tap and sink in the stairway of the family's apartment block. I heartily recommend this very British film ; I know I'll be re-watching on a regular basis along with my very extensive Kenneth More collection.

Very fine, taught thriller set in a bombed out East End. Andrew Ray plays the respectable young lad who comes under the spell of a baddie (William Sylvester) and through whose eyes, unfortunately for me, the film is largely seen through. The kid does well enough but as a consequence, the film is on the edge of sentimentality the whole time. That it does avoid lapsing into paper handkerchief mode is due to the sharp direction and atmospheric cinematography, dark black shadows and all. To be fair this is also helped by the most convincing performance from the young lad who at no time goes for the easy options. Sparkling performance from Hy Hazel towards the end.

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.

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.

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.