Having done a review on J. Lee Thompson's first film, MURDER WITHOUT CRIME. It seemed natural that i should continue the string and review his second attempt at direction.
THE YELLOW BALLOON - The film is set in a bombed out slum on London's east side. Two young lads are playing among the ruins when one of the boys takes a three storey fall. The second boy, Andrew Ray, scrambles down to help but finds his friend is dead from a broken neck. He starts to run off to fetch help when a voice calls out from the shadows within the rubble. "Why did you push him?" Out into the light walks a rather vicious looking William Sylvester. Sylvester is a small time hood who is using the ruins as a hiding place from the police. The lad protests that it was an accident. Sylvester however says that is not what he saw. "But!" says Sylvester "I could be convinced to say nothing if you will do me a few small favors." Ray agrees. Sylvester sends the lad off to loot his mother's household cash. Once he is involved, Ray can see no way to get out from under Sylvester's control. Soon the boy is being used as a decoy while Sylvester pulls a robbery at a pub that is just closing. Sylvester however is a little too generous with the application of the cosh and the manager is killed. Ray is now the only witness to the crime and Sylvester needs to tie up all the loose ends. Ray bolts the scene and starts running. Several blocks later he crashes into a woman on the street who takes him into her flat. She listens to Ray's story about the murder. She calls a taxi and drives Ray home dropping him at the sidewalk. She then heads to the police station to retell the boys story. Ray heads into the building where of course Sylvester is waiting in the shadows. He grabs Ray and takes him to an abandoned underground train station where he intends to kill him. Ray manages to get in a swift boot and takes off into the underground maze. The helpful woman has by now filled the police in on the murder and where Ray lives. Not finding the boy at home the police quickly realize what happened and begin a search. After leading Sylvester on a crackjack 10 min chase, Ray is finally cornered by him. The police do the old nick of time stunt and Sylvester is killed by a head first tumble down a shaft while trying to escape. Excellent rather unseen noir. The pace starts slow and steadily builds to a real heart-pounding ending.
The rest of the cast include Kenneth More, Kathleen Ryan, Bernard Lee, Sid James and Sandra Dorne.
The use of the shadows and light among the bombed out ruins is simply breath-taking. The director of photography was Gilbert Taylor whose work in various genres include, ICE COLD IN ALEX-58, WEAK AND THE WICKED-54, SAILOR OF THE KING-54, A HARD DAYS NIGHT-64, THE BEDFORD INCIDENT-64, CUL-DE-SAC-66, Hitchcock's FRENZY, THE OMEN-76, and STAR WARS-77.
By the way the title refers to the balloon the two boys where playing with before the one fell.
THE YELLOW BALLOON - The film is set in a bombed out slum on London's east side. Two young lads are playing among the ruins when one of the boys takes a three storey fall. The second boy, Andrew Ray, scrambles down to help but finds his friend is dead from a broken neck. He starts to run off to fetch help when a voice calls out from the shadows within the rubble. "Why did you push him?" Out into the light walks a rather vicious looking William Sylvester. Sylvester is a small time hood who is using the ruins as a hiding place from the police. The lad protests that it was an accident. Sylvester however says that is not what he saw. "But!" says Sylvester "I could be convinced to say nothing if you will do me a few small favors." Ray agrees. Sylvester sends the lad off to loot his mother's household cash. Once he is involved, Ray can see no way to get out from under Sylvester's control. Soon the boy is being used as a decoy while Sylvester pulls a robbery at a pub that is just closing. Sylvester however is a little too generous with the application of the cosh and the manager is killed. Ray is now the only witness to the crime and Sylvester needs to tie up all the loose ends. Ray bolts the scene and starts running. Several blocks later he crashes into a woman on the street who takes him into her flat. She listens to Ray's story about the murder. She calls a taxi and drives Ray home dropping him at the sidewalk. She then heads to the police station to retell the boys story. Ray heads into the building where of course Sylvester is waiting in the shadows. He grabs Ray and takes him to an abandoned underground train station where he intends to kill him. Ray manages to get in a swift boot and takes off into the underground maze. The helpful woman has by now filled the police in on the murder and where Ray lives. Not finding the boy at home the police quickly realize what happened and begin a search. After leading Sylvester on a crackjack 10 min chase, Ray is finally cornered by him. The police do the old nick of time stunt and Sylvester is killed by a head first tumble down a shaft while trying to escape. Excellent rather unseen noir. The pace starts slow and steadily builds to a real heart-pounding ending.
The rest of the cast include Kenneth More, Kathleen Ryan, Bernard Lee, Sid James and Sandra Dorne.
The use of the shadows and light among the bombed out ruins is simply breath-taking. The director of photography was Gilbert Taylor whose work in various genres include, ICE COLD IN ALEX-58, WEAK AND THE WICKED-54, SAILOR OF THE KING-54, A HARD DAYS NIGHT-64, THE BEDFORD INCIDENT-64, CUL-DE-SAC-66, Hitchcock's FRENZY, THE OMEN-76, and STAR WARS-77.
By the way the title refers to the balloon the two boys where playing with before the one fell.