The Fallen Idol (1948)
Country: GB
Technical: bw 94m
Director: Carol Reed
Cast: Ralph Richardson, Michèle Morgan, Bobby Henrey, Jack Hawkins, Bernard Lee, Geoffrey Keen, Denis O'Dea (as plainclothes policemen!)
Synopsis:
The son of the French ambassador in London spends much of his play time with the butler, Baines, while living in dread of Mrs Baines, the housekeeper. When she dies accidentally in a fall, the child associates it with a row over his idol's lady friend, or 'niece', and, believing him responsible for a killing of which he approves, confounds the police investigation by lying about it.
Review:
A warm-up for the The Third Man, one might say, in that it is a Greene adaptation and involves a hero-friend with feet of clay, a death almost witnessed from an elevated position, and those famous canted shots. There is also some fine deep-focus staging of characters within the frame, which it is possible the reduced light conditions of the Viennese film rendered more problematic. The picture works well thanks to one of those understated performances by Richardson, the rather curiously accented and awkward little boy, and its unusual setting, the ambassador away, the house all but empty. It captures one of those moments of childhood when the smallest thing can have enormous significance, and when feelings of loyalty and fear run very high. It also has one of the most splendidly overcast team of detectives ever to have graced the screen!
Country: GB
Technical: bw 94m
Director: Carol Reed
Cast: Ralph Richardson, Michèle Morgan, Bobby Henrey, Jack Hawkins, Bernard Lee, Geoffrey Keen, Denis O'Dea (as plainclothes policemen!)
Synopsis:
The son of the French ambassador in London spends much of his play time with the butler, Baines, while living in dread of Mrs Baines, the housekeeper. When she dies accidentally in a fall, the child associates it with a row over his idol's lady friend, or 'niece', and, believing him responsible for a killing of which he approves, confounds the police investigation by lying about it.
Review:
A warm-up for the The Third Man, one might say, in that it is a Greene adaptation and involves a hero-friend with feet of clay, a death almost witnessed from an elevated position, and those famous canted shots. There is also some fine deep-focus staging of characters within the frame, which it is possible the reduced light conditions of the Viennese film rendered more problematic. The picture works well thanks to one of those understated performances by Richardson, the rather curiously accented and awkward little boy, and its unusual setting, the ambassador away, the house all but empty. It captures one of those moments of childhood when the smallest thing can have enormous significance, and when feelings of loyalty and fear run very high. It also has one of the most splendidly overcast team of detectives ever to have graced the screen!
Country: GB
Technical: bw 94m
Director: Carol Reed
Cast: Ralph Richardson, Michèle Morgan, Bobby Henrey, Jack Hawkins, Bernard Lee, Geoffrey Keen, Denis O'Dea (as plainclothes policemen!)
Synopsis:
The son of the French ambassador in London spends much of his play time with the butler, Baines, while living in dread of Mrs Baines, the housekeeper. When she dies accidentally in a fall, the child associates it with a row over his idol's lady friend, or 'niece', and, believing him responsible for a killing of which he approves, confounds the police investigation by lying about it.
Review:
A warm-up for the The Third Man, one might say, in that it is a Greene adaptation and involves a hero-friend with feet of clay, a death almost witnessed from an elevated position, and those famous canted shots. There is also some fine deep-focus staging of characters within the frame, which it is possible the reduced light conditions of the Viennese film rendered more problematic. The picture works well thanks to one of those understated performances by Richardson, the rather curiously accented and awkward little boy, and its unusual setting, the ambassador away, the house all but empty. It captures one of those moments of childhood when the smallest thing can have enormous significance, and when feelings of loyalty and fear run very high. It also has one of the most splendidly overcast team of detectives ever to have graced the screen!