This film is part of Rentals

The Yellow Balloon
A young boy is coerced into helping a fugitive in J. Lee Thompson’s taut crime thriller, set amid the bombed-out ruins of post-war London.
Thriller 1953 80 mins
Director: J. Lee Thompson
Overview
Frankie is devastated when his friend Ronnie falls to his death while playing in a blitzed building, but is even more distraught when the only witness – a hidden fugitive - blackmails him on the basis that he’s implicated in the tragedy.
J. Lee Thompson’s taut crime thriller was controversially given an X certificate by the British Board of Film Censors, only for the decision to be overturned following an outcry when its young lead (Andrew Ray) was unable to watch the film. With its copious images of post-war devastation it remains a highly evocative London film that deserves to be better known.

Accessibility
Related
Thriller

Homebound Homebound
Horror 2017 71 mins Director: Sebastian Godwin
Nothing is as it seems when a woman visits her new husband’s family with chilling results.

Knives Out Knives Out
Thriller 2019 130 mins Director: Rian Johnson
Daniel Craig is the Kentucky Fried Poirot with all-star suspects - Chris Evans, Ana de Armas and Toni Collette among them - in this nimble and brilliant crime caper.

Boiling Point Boiling Point
Drama 2020 95 mins Director: Philip Baranttini
An emotionally scarred London chef (Stephen Graham) struggles to keep it together in this formally extraordinary and beautifully acted single-take thriller.

The Beta Test The Beta Test
Horror 2021 93 mins Director: Jim Cummings
Indie actor-director Jim Cummings returns after his breakout hit Thunder Road with a pacey down-the-rabbit-hole thriller about a Hollywood talent agent who becomes ensnared in a sinister world of sex, lies and murder.

The Courier The Courier
Thriller 2020 112 mins Director: Dominic Cooke
Benedict Cumberbatch is gripping in this true-life spy thriller charting the story of unassuming British businessman Greville Wynne as he is recruited into the Cold War effort.

A Brixton Tale A Brixton Tale
Drama 2021 76 mins Director: Darragh Carey
Affluent YouTuber Leah is drawn to shy youth Benji as the subject for her Brixton documentary, but her desire for edgy footage leads them both down a dangerous path.
Cinema of Childhood

Crows Crows
Drama 1994 66 mins Director: Dorota Kedzierzawska
Dorota Kiedzerawska’s remarkable film turns a troubling storyline - about a neglected girl who kidnaps another girl and acts as her surrogate mother - into a tender and exhilarating drama.

A Story of Children and Film A Story of Children and Film
Documentary 2013 101 mins Director: Mark Cousins
Mark Cousins' personal and poetic exploration of the cinema of childhood, as told through 53 great films from 25 countries.

Willow and Wind Willow and Wind
Drama 2000 81 mins Director: Mohammad-Ali Talebi
An edge-of-seat classic about a boy who has to transport a large pane of glass across the countryside in a howling gale, from Iranian masters Abbas Kiarostami and Mohammed-Ali Talebi.

Bag of Rice Bag of Rice
Drama 1996 80 mins Director: Mohammad-Ali Talebi
A feisty child and her near-blind neighbour trek across Tehran in this unforgettable odd-couple adventure.

The Boot The Boot
Drama 1992 59 mins Director: Mohammad-Ali Talebi
Sameneh pesters her mother for a pair of red boots, only to lose one and then undertake a desperate search for it.
Featuring William Sylvester

What Every Woman Wants What Every Woman Wants
Drama 1954 88 mins Director: Maurice Elvey
The trials and tribulations of 1950s working class family life are engagingly evoked in this warm-hearted drama of urban England.
Featuring Kenneth More

Some People Some People
Drama 1962 90 mins Director: Clive Donner
Cult 1960s musical drama about a leather boy who forms a Shadows-style guitar band.
New

The Swimmer The Swimmer
Drama 2021 84 mins Director: Adam Kalderon
An elite swimmer competing for a place on the Olympic team encounters intense rivalry and lust during training.

Cop Secret Cop Secret
Comedy 2021 100 mins Director: Hannes Þór Halldórsson
Two Icelandic cops forced to work together become more than just buddies in this enjoyably explosive send-up of action movies.

Ali & Ava Ali & Ava
Drama 2020 94 mins Director: Clio Barnard
Clio Barnard’s latest film is a tremendously warm and tenderly written love story.

Parallel Mothers Parallel Mothers
Drama 2021 123 mins Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Almodóvar at his very best, presenting a riveting drama about two mothers from very different backgrounds whose lives become intertwined.

Wake Up Punk Wake Up Punk
Documentary 2022 84 mins Director: Nigel Askew
Nigel Askew's documentary explores the punk movement, featuring revealing insights from designer and punk icon Vivienne Westwood.

We're All Going to the World's Fair We're All Going to the World's Fair
Horror 2021 86 mins Director: Jane Schoenbrun
This remarkable debut from Jane Schoenbrun is destined to be a cult classic.