7.1/10
177
9 user 7 critic

The Yellow Balloon (1953)

| Drama | 4 October 1953 (USA)
The Yellow Balloon Poster
One of two young boys accidentally falls to his death when playing in a bombed-out London neighborhood. Frankie, the survivor feels guilty about his friend's death. Len, a petty thief who ... See full summary »

Director:

J. Lee Thompson (as J. Lee-Thompson)

Writers:

Anne Burnaby (from an original story by), Anne Burnaby (screenplay) | 1 more credit »

Stars:

Andrew Ray, Kathleen Ryan, Kenneth More | See full cast & crew »
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Photos

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Cast

Cast overview:
Andrew Ray Andrew Ray ... Frankie
Kathleen Ryan ... Em
Kenneth More ... Ted
Bernard Lee ... Constable Chapman
Stephen Fenemore Stephen Fenemore ... Ron
William Sylvester ... Len
Marjorie Rhodes Marjorie Rhodes ... Mrs. Stokes
Peter Jones ... Spiv
Eliot Makeham ... Pawnbroker
Sidney James ... Barrow Boy (as Sydney James)
Veronica Hurst Veronica Hurst ... Sunday School Teacher
Sandra Dorne ... Iris
Campbell Singer Campbell Singer ... Potter
Laurie Main ... Bibulous Customer
Hy Hazell ... Mary
See full cast »
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Storyline

One of two young boys accidentally falls to his death when playing in a bombed-out London neighborhood. Frankie, the survivor feels guilty about his friend's death. Len, a petty thief who has just killed a pub owner during a botched robbery, learns of the accident. He poses as Frankie's friend and blackmails the boy into stealing from his parents to finance Len's escape. When Len decides that Frankie may know enough to connect him with the murder, he decides to silence the boy in a tense "hide and seek" chase through the ruins. Written by Mike Rogers <MICHAELPEM@aol.com>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

british noir | See All (1) »

Genres:

Drama

Certificate:

See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 October 1953 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Der gelbe Ballon See more »

Filming Locations:

Sutton Estate, Cale Street, Chelsea, London, England, UK See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC), Marble Arch Productions See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in A Story of Children and Film (2013) See more »

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User Reviews

 
Great Photography and editing but the balloon is a bit deflated now.
3 June 2015 | by malcolmgsw – See all my reviews

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.
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