“Le Ballon Rouge,” the first film in the double feature, was released in 1956. The title is fairly self-explanatory: the film is about a young boy and a red balloon. It explores a child’s fantasy of happiness, conveyed through his affection for his balloon.
Although filmed in Technicolor, “Le Ballon Rouge” is filled with shades of gray; the only colored objects are the balloons in the film. Paris, considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world, is shown through the eyes of a little boy named Pascal (Pascal Lamorisse). Pascal’s monotonous life changes when he discovers a large red balloon on his way to class. His days quickly fall into a routine of protecting his balloon from those who want to take it away from him.
Pascal silently makes his way across town to school with the balloon. His adorable facial expressions are enough to carry the film in the wake of its limited dialogue; it is amusing to see a small boy in sweats patter around the streets like an adult. Holding tightly to his briefcase and balloon, Pascal runs to school after missing the bus. When Pascal arrives at school, he politely asks a caretaker to watch his balloon while he goes to class.
The balloon appears to have a mind of its own as it follows Pascal to school and patiently waits outside while he is in class. Somehow, every time someone tries to get rid of it, the balloon always magically returns to Pascal. The boy treats his red balloon as though it was a person, ordering it to obey him. Guarding his precious balloon becomes difficult as a gang of Pascal’s classmates threatens to take it from him. At 34 minutes long, “Le Ballon Rouge” is a cute children’s film certain to entertain audiences. The film’s ending is aptly unconventional, since it narrates a childish fantasy.
“Crin-Blanc,” the next film in the double feature was released in 1954. It is about a wild horse and the boy who attempts to tame him. Despite the fact that both films seem to have the same premise, “Crin-Blanc” doesn’t evoke the same feelings of joy as “Le Ballon Rouge.”
Additionally, “Crin-Blanc” is narrated in English and shot in black-and-white, giving it the appearance of an old, silent film. The film stars a horse called White Mane, who is the leader of a wild herd in the French countryside.
White Mane escapes various attempts by the local herdsmen to capture him. While chased through marshy lands, the horse meets Folco (Alain Emery), a young fisherman who observes the scene from his boat. Folco watches as the horse escapes by breaking through a fence.
After a particularly brutal encounter with White Mane, the leader of the herdsmen declares that anyone who wants the horse can take him. Upon hearing this, Folco sets out to capture White Mane and succeeds after a gallant effort. Folco triumphantly leads White Mane back to his home.
However, White Mane soon runs away to rejoin his herd, only to discover that a new horse has assumed leadership. A terrifying battle ensues between the two horses, which causes White Mane to seek refuge with Folco.
Although it is intended for children, “Crin-Blanc” borders on dull repetitiveness, culminating in a slightly depressing ending. Lamorisse has more success with unconventional endings in “Le Ballon Rouge” than in “Crin-Blanc.”