Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Clarissa Mora The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Ginger Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

moriczmusic This is a film that has a lot going for it: --a typically excellent, nuanced and three-dimensional performance from Trevor Howard as a forced-into retirement espionage agent encountering a surprising new adventure back home while at times revisiting aspects of his own past.--Jean Simmons in her radiant younger days in a role of mystery, range and substance.--a highly intelligent script that expects viewers to think and rewards their patience.--stylishly and confidently directed, and photographed with great distinction by the later-legendary Geoffrey Unsworth.--excellent use of locations, well-paced, filled with surprises.Those who are comparing it to British Hitchcock are partially right, but it also has the erudite touch of a Sir Carol Reed about it. It's visually quite satisfying, naturalistically shot for the most part, but with well-thought-out process shots when necessary. This story eventually covers a lot of ground, and each new location and situation is shot with a real eye for the distinctive look or texture of where they are next. While the visual choices are rarely "flashy," there is a real sense of location and imagery. Outdoors and nature compete with urban or more claustrophobic settings, and all the myriad parts add up to a polished and satisfying whole. It starts a little slowly, but once the wheels begin to turn, it gradually takes you on quite a journey, narratively, emotionally and geographically. I found myself very invested in the main characters.Another plus is the excellent score by Benjamin Frankel -- it hits its full marks not only in the dramatic or suspenseful passages, but also in some unusual and subtle piano music played by Simmons' character.No complaints about this movie! It's a gem.

morrison-dylan-fan With having enjoyed seeing actors Jean Simmons, Kenneth More and André Morell appear in number of recent viewings over the last year all so,I was happy to find a title which starred all 3!,which led to me getting ready to find out how yellow the cloud could be.The plot:Badly failing his latest mission,British secret service agent Maj. David Somers is told that he must leave the world of espionage behind.Frustrated over no longer having any work,Somers decides to take a job cataloguing butterflies for Nicholas Fenton in his country house.Arriving at the mansion,Somers is introduced by Nicholas to his wife Jess,and their niece Sophie Malraux,who the Fenton's have been looking after,since the sudden death of her mum.Despite being told about her "issues" Somers finds himself falling in love for Malraux,and sticking up for her when farm hand Hick tries to push Malraux around.Waking up,Somers & Malraux discover to their horror that they will no longer be having any arguments with Hick's,due to him having been found dead,with Malraux knife in his back.Realising that someone is trying to frame Malraux for murder,Somers and Malraux decide to go on the run,in the hope of finding the real killer before the thunder clouds appear on the horizon.View on the film:Setting Somers & Malraux on the run,director Ralph Thomas (who after this would work again with producer Betty Box over 30 times!) and cinematographer Geoffrey Unsworth, (who was also the cinematographer for 2001: A Space Odyssey)give the filmed on location in the north of England outdoor scenes an atmospheric crisp appearance,which cast the title against an icy Film Noir backdrop,as Somers and Malraux find themselves having to go deeper into the countryside,as Somers former spying chums close in on them.Contrasting the chill from the outdoor scenes, Thomas and Unsworth turn the Fenton's country house into a haunted mansion,as stylish close-ups reveal the "ghost" haunting Malraux troubled memory.Giving the Fenton house a peaceful shell,the screenplay by Janet Green (a Film Noir by a women!) superbly chips away to show the darkness hiding within,as the Fenton's start to appear oddly keen over Malraux not being able to clearly remember about how her mum died.For the bubbling romance between Somers & Malraux,Green does very well at giving the relationship a smooth sweetness,which makes the rather sudden ending something that is easier to accept,as Somers shows Malraux how much she means to him.Chasing after Somers, André Morell gives a terrific performance as Secret Service Chief Chubb,with Morell showing Chubb to be oddly impressive by his former fellow spy Somers showing that he still knows how to use his former skills,whilst Kenneth More gives the flick a dash of charm as Willy Shepley.Entering the movie looking like a worn- down Film Noir loner, Trevor Howard gives a brilliant performance as Maj. David Somers,with Howard showing Somers relaxed manner to transform into a thrust to clear Malraux name,whilst the elegant Jean Simmons (who like the director,would work with Betty Box again for So Long At The Fair) tremendously shows Malraux fear in tracking down the killer in time,and remembering how her mum died,as the clouds start to part.

warstoreflagsuk Okay, I admit it, I bought this DVD because I'm a big fan of Jean Simmons. Great story and I recognized many places that I've been, particularly the scenes in the Lake District. One scene overlooking Derwent water is really fab. The only thing I would say, on the downside, is that the ending was too quick. There should have been an extra scene where the police and two fugitives go back to arrest Jean Simmons' Aunt. Well worth watching though. Don't let the fact that this is black and white put you off either. This is a film with an interesting storyline and although you think you know who the murderer is right away, you'd be wrong.

derekcreedon CLOUDED YELLOW is a favourite from my schooldays because of its basic ingredients - a haunting mystery, a fascinating chase across England from a deceptively-drowsy Hampshire to the bustle of Liverpool docks, a rousing climax and the only on-screen teaming of two great British stars. Hitchcock was the obvious model, a factor utilised in the marketing of the recent DVD and the director Ralph Thomas actually remade THE 39 STEPS - very flatly - at the end of the decade. Thomas was a prolific journeyman of variable competence, turning out thrillers, war films, adventure stories, historical dramas and comedies (most notably DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE) but lacked the personality to conjure a classic.David Somers (Trevor Howard) is an M.I.6 agent - a sort of low-key James Bond without the glamour - who's put on the back-burner after botching an operation. He opts for a job cataloguing butterflies (hence the title) at a rural retreat where he involves himself in the troubles of Sophie (Jean Simmons) the young ward of the house who's suspected of murder when the local bad-lad (Maxwell Reed), with whom she'd been quarrelling, is found with a knife in his back. Somers takes it upon himself to extricate this trapped butterfly from police hostility (very Hitch) and smuggle her out of the country with the help of his contacts. Despite the presence of Kenneth More on the sidelines (waiting for the big break so soon to come) there's no (conscious) humour in the film at all and no Hitch-tension between the leads. Though motivated by a romantic attachment as well as the urge to atone for past mistakes Somers seems more a father-figure than a potential lover. No teasy-weasy handcuffs and wet stockings here, it's all very stiff upper-lip and he never questions her innocence though the girl remains an enigma until near the end. As a child she'd witnessed the violent death of her parents but has blocked out the memory (very SPELLBOUND). When she starts to get it back the real perpetrator of crimes past and present turns up in Liverpool to silence her. What follows is like watching MIDSOMER MURDERS turn into THE PERILS OF PAULINE complete with cliff-hanger. Wildly over-the-top and completely illogical it's great hare-brained fun and very gripping. Whether this startling gear-change was originally planned or came about during production is unclear. The film certainly terminates very abruptly with the pair in long-shot walking away together over the rooftops, arms around each other, though the gentleman at this moment looks about a foot taller than Mr. Howard. Hitchcockery is catching. In the changed ending to SUSPICION we're given a back-of-heads shot of Grant and Fontaine where the heads quite obviously aren't theirs.Ralph Thomas does bring off one nifty Hitch trick quite well. Somers appears to capitulate to pursuing cops and sends them into a restaurant to pick the girl up. When they reach her table she's no longer there and a brassy blonde greets them instead while Somers too has cleared off. Nice one. Hitch would smile.