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The Yellow Balloon

  • 1953
  • 1h 16m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
462
YOUR RATING
Andrew Ray in The Yellow Balloon (1953)
CrimeDramaThriller

In post-war London, a small boy who blames himself for the accidental death of a friend, falls under the bad influence of a street criminal.In post-war London, a small boy who blames himself for the accidental death of a friend, falls under the bad influence of a street criminal.In post-war London, a small boy who blames himself for the accidental death of a friend, falls under the bad influence of a street criminal.

  • Director
    • J. Lee Thompson
  • Writers
    • Anne Burnaby
    • J. Lee Thompson
  • Stars
    • Andrew Ray
    • Kathleen Ryan
    • Kenneth More
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.9/10
    462
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • J. Lee Thompson
    • Writers
      • Anne Burnaby
      • J. Lee Thompson
    • Stars
      • Andrew Ray
      • Kathleen Ryan
      • Kenneth More
    • 13User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos76

    Andrew Ray in The Yellow Balloon (1953)
    The Yellow Balloon (1953)
    Andrew Ray in The Yellow Balloon (1953)
    Andrew Ray in The Yellow Balloon (1953)
    Andrew Ray in The Yellow Balloon (1953)
    William Sylvester in The Yellow Balloon (1953)
    Andrew Ray and William Sylvester in The Yellow Balloon (1953)
    Andrew Ray and William Sylvester in The Yellow Balloon (1953)
    Peggy Ann Clifford, Andrew Ray, and William Sylvester in The Yellow Balloon (1953)
    Andrew Ray and Kathleen Ryan in The Yellow Balloon (1953)
    Marjorie Rhodes and Kathleen Ryan in The Yellow Balloon (1953)
    Marjorie Rhodes in The Yellow Balloon (1953)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Andrew Ray
    Andrew Ray
    • Frankie
    Kathleen Ryan
    Kathleen Ryan
    • Em
    Kenneth More
    Kenneth More
    • Ted
    Bernard Lee
    Bernard Lee
    • Constable Chapman
    Stephen Fenemore
    • Ron
    William Sylvester
    William Sylvester
    • Len
    Marjorie Rhodes
    • Mrs. Stokes
    Peter Jones
    Peter Jones
    • Spiv
    Eliot Makeham
    Eliot Makeham
    • Pawnbroker
    Sidney James
    Sidney James
    • Barrow Boy
    • (as Sydney James)
    Veronica Hurst
    Veronica Hurst
    • Sunday School Teacher
    Sandra Dorne
    Sandra Dorne
    • Iris
    Campbell Singer
    • Potter
    Laurie Main
    Laurie Main
    • Bibulous Customer
    Hy Hazell
    Hy Hazell
    • Mary
    Hilda Barry
    • Newspaper Seller
    • (uncredited)
    Michael Brooke
    • Boy Singing at Sunday School
    • (uncredited)
    Peggy Ann Clifford
    • Cafe Owner
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • J. Lee Thompson
    • Writers
      • Anne Burnaby
      • J. Lee Thompson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Frankie's father (Kenneth More) is named Ted. Andrew Ray really was the son of Ted: his father was film and radio star Ted Ray.
    • Goofs
      It is unlikely that any pub landlord would sell drinks after closing time to an obvious juvenile as is the case when Potter sells Frankie a glass of brandy.
    • Quotes

      Ted: Kids is proper little savages - even the best of them. I don't think anything bothers them much, at least till they got kids of their own to look after.

    • Connections
      Featured in London: The Modern Babylon (2012)

    User reviews13

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    J. Lee Thompson's second film showed considerable promise.
    You won't find the films of J. Lee Thompson on any list of all-time great movies nor will you find Thompson mentioned on any list of great directors and yet he was one of the best directors Britain ever produced and he went on to have a sizeable international career. He made "The Yellow Balloon" in 1953; it was only his second film and while a minor movie in the Thompson canon it showed considerable promise, making great use of its London locations. It had a good plot, involving the accidental death of a child and a blackmailing murderer and it gave that fine and underrated actor William Sylvester one of his best roles as the villain.

    The talented Andrew Ray is the boy being blackmailed after his friend falls to his death and he's spotted at the scene by Sylvester who then uses him in a robbery that goes wrong. Ray's parents are the always reliable Kenneth More and Kathleen Ryan while Bernard Lee is once again on the side of law and order. There's also an uncommonly good supporting cast of British character actors. It's a small film but it is genuinelly exciting and it showed Thompson was definitely a name to watch.
    helpful•7
    0
    • MOscarbradley
    • Jun 21, 2020

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 4, 1953 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Der gelbe Ballon
    • Filming locations
      • Sutton Estate, Cale Street, Chelsea, London, England, UK(Frankie's home and environs)
    • Production companies
      • Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC)
      • Marble Arch Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 16 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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