The Clouded Yellow (1950) Online

Sort of paint-by-numbers Hitchcock. But still, it probably comes closer to the style of the master than any other pretender with the exception of "Niagara".

Hitch always liked a story with some odd eccentricities to the plot. This story has a butterfly collector, a taxidermist, and some shady Chinese Liverpudlians.

But you can tell it's not Hitch easily enough. I believe it's the pacing, which never reaches a nail-biting pitch of intensity -- more like nail-drumming. I hope someone more astute than I will analyse precisely what marks this film as ultimately un-Hitchcock.

The film's ending is very abrupt and more than a little unsatisfying, with the loose ends being tied up in a slip knot.

An important element in many a great Hitchcock film is the pursuit sequence through imaginative locations. At least we are not disappointed in that respect. Besides Liverpool, our hero and heroine are hunted through night-time Newcastle which is made to resemble Vienna in an earlier Trevor Howard film, "The Third Man". Some of the best chase scenes take place among the hills, lakes, and waterfalls of the English Switzerland -- the Lake District, at that time in Cumberland (hence the name of the bus line) and Westmorland.

Our beautiful English Swiss Miss, Jean Simmons, seems to be more voluptuous here than she would be later in her career, but perhaps I'm mistaken.

The film's mysterious title refers to a variety of butterfly found in a meadow near the collector's house.

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.

If it weren't for good old Trevor Howard, this film would not be nearly so interesting. He is always enjoyable to watch, as he is always convincing and we want to see what he will get up to. Here he is thrown out of MI-6, the foreign secret service, rather unceremoniously after years of brilliant service in the field, and has to find some work. He ends up taking a temporary job cataloguing butterflies, of which the Clouded Yellow is a particularly pretty one which comes across the English Channel in a good summer and flutters around as delightfully as Jean Simmons. And yes, she is living in the rambling country house where the butterfly collection is. She is the psychologically disturbed and mysteriously orphaned niece of a rather creepy aunt and uncle. Or at least they say, rather too often, that Jean is psychologically disturbed. But is she really? Did she witness as a very young child what really happened to her parents? They say she 'found them'. But did she see who killed them? Clearly there is some vintage mystery material here. Jean Simmons at this stage in her career had very bushy eyebrows and looked more like a trapped wild animal than a girl. Alas, she did not have the magically convincing wildness of Jennifer Jones in GONE TO EARTH (1950, see my review), or this film could have become something of a classic. The direction by Ralph Thomas is also rather uninspired and pedestrian. So this film never really rises to the level of a butterfly's flight. Come to that, the story is pretty contrived and corny. The film is a tasty amuse-bouche, but should never be confused with a main course.

The Clouded Yellow is a compact psychological thriller with interesting characterizations. Barry Jones and Kenneth More are both terrific in supporting roles in characters that both have more to them than what meets the eye. Jean Simmons is quite good, and Trevor Howard makes a fascinatingly offbeat suspense hero.

This is an average thriller with good performances all-round. Trevor Howard is excellent as an ex-spy, David Somers, taking a break to work on cataloguing butterflies in the Fentons' country house. There he meets their highly-strung niece, Sophie. The film plot in some ways resembles the plot of 'Gaslight' when we see her strict aunt Jess is intent on convincing Sophie that she is losing her memory.

When the police suspect Sophie of murder, she goes on the run with Somers. This gives us an excuse to take a trip around early 1950's Britain. Somers makes full use of the contacts he made during his previous spying experience.

After a short stay in Newcastle the couple travel on to the Lake District and we have an opportunity to indulge in the scenic beauty of Ullswater, Patterdale as well as the waterfall at Sourmilk Gill.

In contrast to the countryside scenes, the denouement takes place in Liverpool. There is a small final twist, but anyone watching carefully will notice that this twist had been hinted at some time beforehand. Nevertheless the film is enjoyable and doesn't put too many demands upon the viewer. 6/10.

A delightful little thriller opens with Trevor Howard in his Jag convertible and ends on a dockside in Liverpool. It's all thrills and spills as the ex-spy has to restart his career just as he's getting some serious R & R cataloguing butterflies (how British is that?).

Trevor Howard and Jean Simmons frolic from London to Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Liverpool (via Ullswater) - he's just been thrown out of MI5 or something, and she, you guessed it, is on the run, wrongly accused of murder. There's seedy docks, rolling Lake District hills, sheep, country pubs, coppers getting lost, waterfalls, a bunch of amateur cyclists, rooftop chases, and lots of Chinamen (don't ask), and it's all very Hitchcocky and Hannayesque...

..and a smashing example of British Noir...

A young woman (Jean Simmons) is convinced by her scheming and dangerous aunt (Sonia Dresdel) and uncle (Barry Jones) that she's losing her mind and in very delicate condition that requires their supervision which turns out to be more like manipulation, as they try to keep her as far away from outside human contact as possible. The only other person she sees is the estate caretaker, a lascivious character played by Maxwell Reed, whose caught the wayward eye of the middle-aged aunt. All of this, the aunt and the caretaker, the butterfly expert uncle who has a serious underside to him, and the susceptible niece in the middle, would have made for a darker and more sinister film. As it is, a frame-up for a murder sends Trevor Howard (a fired government secret service agent who took a job at the estate cataloging butterflies) and Simmons across the countryside escaping police, catching headlines of "Police Net Closing In" over her front page photo, hopping on buses, and winding up in Liverpool, where they meet some wonderfully cast characters, and finally face down the greedy and murderous aunt and uncle.

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.

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.

The Clouded Yellow is directed by Ralph Thomas and written by Eric Ambler and Janet Green. It stars Trevor Howard, Jean Simmons, Sonia Dresdel, Barry Jones, Kenneth More and Geoffrey Keen.

Taut British spy thriller with Hitchcockian flavours, The Clouded Yellow finds David Somers (Howard) as an ex-secret service operative working as a butterfly cataloguer who finds himself neck deep in a murder plot. Set in the North of England, with some good locations to be spotted by the keen of English eye, the story revolves around the murderous goings on at the stately home where Somers now works. With Sophie Mairaux (Simmons) the chief suspect, Somers comes to believe she is innocent and sets about proving so.

It follows a reliable formula, where the set-up introduces the main players, the hero in waiting takes it upon himself to use his skills to prove he's right, which builds to an odd couple on the lam final quarter of film. The strength is in the characterisations, particularly Somers with his past hanging heavy on his mind, and Mairaux and her current predicaments which involve her being surrounded by vile people. Thomas directs assuredly, mixing the drama with humour and affection, and the suspense and mystery elements are maintained up until the dramatic conclusion. Cast are suitably in good tune with the material, with Howard and Simmons making a compelling and complex coupling. 7/10

This film plays really well with an audience. Especially once the chase begins. Plus, Trevor Howard with his sensible, smart charms and Jean Simmons with her innocent demeanor and piercing eyes are terrific together.

The film starts as a psychological drama but after the murder it segues into a chase thriller as the two leads head for the border. Some may think the chase is superfluous but actually the chase is essential because it aids in clearing the mind of the Jean Simmons character by getting her out of the oppressive household, plus it helps bring out the real killer - who is suddenly put into such a position that they have to finish the job. The killer rightly believed that once the Simmons character was arrested she would be put away. And it is true that her lack of control in the household - as well as evidence pointing her way - there is no way she would have gotten out of the murder charge. The chase that ensues helps bring out the truth.

This is an entertaining film. Seek it out if you can find it.

This is a superior British thriller, powered by Trevor Howard's masterful characterisation, but hampered by a poor final 15. Howard plays a secret serviceman, fired in an excellent opening scene for a slip-up overseas. His misdemeanour is never fully explained, but we know he barely escaped with his life. "I'm allowed one slip-up, aren't I?" Howard asks his superior. "No," comes the reply. Looking to get out of the big city, Howard takes a job cataloguing butterflies at a country estate, where he meets the owners' fragile niece (Jean Simmons). The burgeoning relationship between the two is tender and believable, while the scene in which they first meet is marvellously handled by the actors. She's edgy, spooky, spooked - apparently in a Noir. He is dignified, condescending, but polite - torn from real life. Here the film changes tack for the first time, from character drama to melodrama, with hints of Simmons' possible mental instability laid on pretty thickly.

When gamekeeper Maxwell Reed - who couldn't be a more obvious target for comeuppance if he had 'Imminent Murder Victim' tattooed on his face - gets knocked off, Simmons is established as suspect # 1, and Howard and Simmons have to take it on the lam. I like films that blur genres - it can be the sign of an imaginative, uncalculating author (or a derivative hack) - and for a while it works. Thrillers with a then-fashionable Freudian bent haven't aged well, but the meshing of character study and chase picture here plays great, as the protagonists criss-cross the country: London to Newcastle, Newcastle to the Lake District, the Lake District to Liverpool... The obstacles are realistic and the developments quite sharp, as we race towards the finish. Can Simmons recall the tragedy that's blighted her life and with it the identity of the murderer? Or will she and Howard be trapped in Kenneth More's rolling dragnet before the breakthrough? (The recurring metaphor of the 'trap' is a nice one.) It's only with the heavy-handed, stupid denouement that The Clouded Yellow falls apart. And it's a real shame. For a film that begins as wonderfully as this one, an obvious, ugly twist and a suspenseless rooftop chase really don't cut it.

But until the finale, there's plenty to enjoy. Howard remains one of the most compelling presences in British cinema and his unsentimental, understated turn is terrific. Simmons - forever big-eyed, intriguing, ethereal - is some way from her best, though her glowering insecurity as Howard's former beau gives them an escape route is wonderfully observed. And a young Kenneth More appears as Howard's formidable adversary: like him in all ways, except which side of the law he stands. The rest of the cast is pretty nondescript, though it's always nice to see Richard Wattis, if only for a minute.

Ralph Thomas had a habit of making his thrillers look ordinary and threadbare, but there are a couple of shots in The Clouded Yellow that are unusual. The first shows a police patrol passing a front door's glass panel as Howard and Simmons prepare to abscond from the house. The second is the unobtrusive cut to Howard's hat that reinforces secret serviceman's Kenneth More's miss-nothing eye for detail.

The Clouded Yellow (which takes its name from a type of butterfly that Howard catalogues), is no classic, but remains a worthwhile watch. Fans of British cinema, and of Trevor Howard in particular, won't want to miss it.

Hitchcock was of the opinion that audiences aren't really interested in what puts protagonists into danger - only that they ARE in danger, and need to escape.

This film proves Hitchcock was not 100% correct. Police believe Jean Simmons is guilty of a crime, when she plainly isn't. Trevor Howard decides their best course of action is to run for it. And so, the body of the movie has our charismatic pair dodging on and off trains, buses and coaches - jumping across rocks at the top of a waterfall - scrambling across dockyard roofs.

All good exciting stuff - but I couldn't get out of my mind that it was all unnecessary. They should have stayed put.

In other words, the MacGuffin wasn't strong enough.

It's more than possible than David Cornwell saw this film and kept the idea of a British secret agent getting fired and then taking a dead-end job in mind when he came to write The Spy Who Came In From The Cold a good decade later. Naturally it's not quite straightforward plagiarism, for one thing Trevor Howard really is fired whereas Richard Burton was only pretending; against that both ex-spies take similar jobs, Howard in a private house and Burton in a left-wing private library. That's still not as referential as the Clouded Yellow gets because next comes the one about Sonia Dresdel trying to send Jean Simmons mad - straight out of Gaslight and, for good measure, we get a touch of the 39 Steps as Howard and Simmons take it on the Jesse Owens with the Lake District standing in for Scotland. None of this would matter if there was even a spark of chemistry between Howard and Simmons, alas, a romance between Stalin and Mother Teresa would be more convincing. On the other hand nostalgia buffs will have a field day spotting the likes of Richard Pearson, Sam Kydd, Richard Wattis, Dandy Nichols, Geoffrey Keen and more all fretting and strutting their hour upon the stage. Poor Butterfly indeed.

I rated this film only 6/10 which agrees with the overall IMDb.com average rating.As other reviewers have aptly pointed out above, this Ralph Thomas directed film does not have the quirky comedy, pace or nail biting finish of a Hitchcock.However It has some similarities enough to show Thomas was at least influenced by that great master.

Jean Simmons was 22 when she made this film and was at a stage in her career when agents were casting her in roles where she had psychiatric problems.One only has to think of her "Ophelia" in Laurence Olivier's "Hamlet" (1948) and "Angel Face" (1952), the psychotic daughter of Herbert Marshall.Much as I admire Trevor Howard I do not see him as a romantic lead (unless he is wooing Celia Johnson. i.e. an older woman); so I would have preferred a younger looking and more handsome leading man.The final scene (as pointed out above by another reviewer) showed them walking along the rooftops of the Liverpudlian warehouse, arm in arm but it looked more like father and daughter!! (Note: I know Trevor Howard always looked older than he really was).I guess he obtained this cloak & dagger type part on the strength of his army officer cracking down on black market traffickers in Carol Reed's "The Third Man" (1949).

Barry Jones often appeared in professorial type roles and he made a menacing "baddy".I love spotting character actors in films of this vintage such as Sam Kydd as a police wireless operator and the actor Richard Wattis who played the employment consultant (the same year he played the maths master in "The Happiest Days of Your Life" with Alistair Sim).Also I spotted Dandy Nichols as a harassed mother on the train, long before she would rise into public awareness as Mrs Garnett in the 60s TV comedy series " 'Till Death Do Us Part" with Warren Mitchell.Kenneth More was really serving his film acting apprenticeship and before long he would play a lead in "Genevieve" (1953).

Have a look at Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps" (1935) with Robert Donat & Madeleine Carroll and particularly compare the chase scenes over the wild countryside, then compare the pacing, humour and interplay between the principal actors and you will see why this film ,although good, only warrants a 6/10.

It was issued by Columbia I suppose on a double bill which accounts for the cuts. The beginning is cut and the chase is cut and there are small cuts throughout. the cuts might be alright if you dont see the original - once you do you'll understand how vile Columbia were. basically it was a louis b. mayer tribute film.

A Betty E. Box Independent Production for Carillon Films, released in the U.K. through G.F.D. (25 December 1950), in Australia through B.E.F. (18 September 1952), in the U.S.A. through Columbia (August 1952). Copyright in the U.S.A. by General Film Distributors, Ltd., on 21 November 1950. New York opening at the Park Avenue: 12 November 1951. Registered: November 1950. "A" certificate. 8,647 feet. 96 minutes.

SYNOPSIS: An ex-intelligence officer takes a job as a live-in assistant to a butterfly collector in the country, but the apparently serene household is not as peaceful as it seems on the surface.

NOTES: Real locations were expertly utilized in London, Newcastle, and large areas of Northern England, including the Lakes District.

COMMENT: A first-rate mystery thriller that builds suspense slowly and surely and then comes to one of the most stunning chase climaxes ever filmed, The Clouded Yellow boasts a really outstanding cast of talented players. Be sure to see only the full 96 minute version, not the version screened on American TV which has been cut down to 85 minutes. The loss of 11 minutes may not seem that much in theory, particularly as all the action material remains intact but without that necessary exposition which skillfully attracts audience sympathy to the lead characters, all the thrills seem somewhat empty and non-involving.

Assisted by the expert cinematography of Geoffrey Unsworth, director Ralph Thomas has made absolutely brilliant use of a whole gamut of real locations.

Howard gives one of his most vigorous performances as the man on the run, while the lovely Jean Simmons superbly conveys the troubled innocence of the engaging yet puzzling heroine.

If The Clouded Yellow had been made by Alfred Hitchcock, it would be hailed as one of the great classic thrillers. As it is, Betty E. Box produced the film, and no one has remembered it. I found it just as enjoyable as a Master of Suspense movie, and in fact, better than most of his films.

Trevor Howard, practically unrecognizable in his youth and mustache, plays a retired Secret Service agent who takes a quiet job in the country categorizing butterflies. While his employers and landlords seem nice enough, their niece Jean Simmons seems a little off—and not just because of her ridiculous bangs. She forgets things and has mysterious amnesia of key memories from her childhood, or so she says.

Because of his previous employment, Trevor has a naturally curious mind, so he can't help but notice that Jean's aunt isn't as fond of her niece as she claims, and the local handyman is paying an unhealthy amount of attention towards his married employer. As in every great Hitchcock, when the chips fall down, suspicion is thrown in every direction! For a very entertaining, classic thriller, rent The Clouded Yellow on a foggy afternoon.

I am not quite happy about this film - it's too much of a cliché patchwork, like a good but nevertheless obvious paraphrase on Hitchcock. There is nothing wrong with Jean Simmons and Trevor Howard, they are both always reliable in any film they played in, and I don't think they worked together in any other film.

It all starts very well and interestingly with a failed secret agent stranded at the mercy of his sinister employer who can't tolerate one single mistake, turning his failed agent to cataloging butterflies, just to keep him safely out of the way. Unfortunately for him, a murder occurs in his vicinity, and the one who is obviously totally innocent and incapable of it comes under suspicion because of her rumoured mental instability. Jean Simmons makes this character quite convincing and interesting, demonstrating openly her weakness without blushing, and Trevor appears as the knight in shining armour committing himself to rescuing her by taking her along on a great escape up and down all northern England. It's a spectacular escape indeed, but it obfuscates the more interesting psychology of the relationships turning the film more into a superficial entertainment, with great effects, of course, but when the murderer finally is exposed it all humanly falls flat. It's so obvious that the audience from the beginning has been led astray by being forced to suspect another. Well, well, nevertheless, it's great entertainment, and that at least is something.

THE CLOUDED YELLOW is nothing more than a re-staging of Hitch's THE 39 STEPS, although not without merit for this thriller genre of film-making. What I particularly liked about it is how deceptive it starts off: former secret agent Trevor Howard gets a job cataloguing butterflies for some eccentric old country bumpkin, before falling in love with the man's fragile niece (the ubiquitous Jean Simmons) and getting involved in a murder plot.

The plot then becomes a chase narrative that takes in numerous locations around the UK: Newcastle, the Lake District, Liverpool, to name but three. I can't remember other British thrillers featuring so many different locations so this must have had a bigger budget than usual for the genre. The story is familiar but things don't get too convoluted, and the suspense remains strong from halfway through until the very end, which is highly satisfying.

The cast is full of familiar faces with Andre Morell as the typically gruff secret service chief and Kenneth More as the likable agent giving chase. There are cameos for the ever-present likes of Richard Wattis and Sam Kydd, Geoffrey Keen plays a cop, and Maxwell Reed (Mr Joan Collins) a suave and sinister type. Howard and Simmons aren't my favourite of stars but they acquit themselves well with the material here and THE CLOUDED YELLOW as a whole is a watchable British thriller.

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.

I like the idea of David Somers being fired from his job and forced to register with an employment agency to secure a new job cataloguing butterflies. It shows how a career person can fall from grace and end up following the agency route. What makes this stand out is that even though Somers has friends he can speak to about his unemployment, even his friend, Kenneth More, is spying on him and reporting back to HQ. It shows that you can't trust anyone because whoever you speak to will either block your pathway, or speak to people who can block your pathway. The fact that Somers ends up in a dull job is just a macguffin because it puts him in contact with Jean Simmons whom he goes on the run with because she is accused of a murder.