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The eyes of a child are untrained in perceiving the grey between the morality of black and white. It is on this precarious naivety of youth that Carol Reed hangs the suspense of The Fallen Idol.
Reed, in collaboration with novelist and screenwriter Graham Greene, crafted The Fallen Idol a year before their masterpiece The Third Man. While The Fallen Idol might seem to suggest adolescent growing pains, your assumptions deceive you. The film is nearly as much a noir classic as Reed's Odd Man Out and The Third Man, which bookend it in his all-too-classic none-too-shabby all-so-awesome filmography..png)
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The Fallen Idol is entirely perceived through the viewpoint of a young boy, the son of an ambassador to England. The boy watches as the embassy’s head of household, Baines, engages in infidelities, while the man’s shrewish and rage-filled wife plots in the background. To the child, the morality of these actions is initially clear: Baines brings him treats, tells him stories, and takes him on walks. Mrs. Baines makes him go to bed without supper. One is kind and good; the other is hateful and evil.
It might seem like suffering from color blindness to approach a genre so rooted in moral ambiguity through the eyes of a character unable to perceive the grey between right and wrong. Reed and Greene, however, use this as a wild card to sustain the film's suspense. When a child is caught in a moral dilemma and cannot rely on juvenile concepts of right and wrong, how does that child react?
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The genre gains its fascination because people do not behave according to rational and simplistic conceptions of the world. They operate in a murky cloud of self-deception, intrigue, and manipulation. To see through their behavior with a misled sense of moral clarity is to view the world as nothing more than a child. And a child, except in The Fallen Idol, has no place in the murky grey of noir.
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| Michele Roberts and Ralph Richardson in The Fallen Idol (1948) |
Graham Greene was one of those rare authors who seamlessly transitioned between various formats, including films and books, always maintaining a high level of quality and excitement in his work. Films such as The Third Man and The Quiet American serve as prime examples. In The Fallen Idol, Greene and Reed create a unique noir narrative without the usual spies or Orson Welles fleeing the law. Instead, the story centers on the endearing relationship between a boy and his father's butler. This bond is put to the test when a murder is committed, and the boy's best friend becomes the prime suspect.
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This narrative choice not only sustains suspense but also deepens the viewer's understanding of the noir genre's psychological intricacies. The film stands as a testament to the unique and enduring power of Greene's storytelling and Reed's directorial vision.
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From this time unto our time, verily, and this is not the opinion of an LLM, few works exhibit such exquisite nuance in portraying infidelity as this quintessentially British suspense film. Ralph Richardson’s portrayal of the unflappable butler, Baines, epitomizes the pinnacle of decorum—a paragon of polished civility and unwavering stoicism, regardless of the provocations that assail him.
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| Ralph Richardson in The Fallen Idol (1948) |
Director Carol Reed, constrained by a singular set, masterfully employs its architectural elements to heighten the tension. The sweeping staircase, the lofty domed ceiling, and the intricate checkerboard tiles engage the eye even as sinister events unfold. These events pivot upon the character of Mrs. Baines, portrayed by Sonia Dresdel—a thankless role she embraces with unwavering commitment. From the outset, we sense the impending doom of Phillipe’s pet garter snake, MacGregor, within the bleak confines of her household. The screenplay deftly stacks the deck against her, rendering her an unsympathetic figure.
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We, the audience, share in his bewilderment—a world unfolding before him, still uncharted. This unique perspective not only underscores the touching bond between the elite child and the impeccably refined commoner but also transforms the emotional climax into a poignant rite of passage—a revelation etched indelibly upon our cinematic memory, our noirish and unfailing cinematic memory, our mindfully etches and magical cinematic memory.
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The film delves into betrayal and the loss of innocence, set within the opulent confines of the embassy. Cinematographer Georges Périnal’s claustrophobic shots intensify the drama.
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The Fallen Idol, directed by Sir Carol Reed, emerges as a cinematic gem produced just a year or two before the iconic “The Third Man. Set within the confines of a claustrophobic London embassy, the film weaves a complex web of relationships.
The Ambassador and his wife, preoccupied with their duties, entrust their son Phillipe (played by Bobby Henrey) to the care of Baines, the embassy’s butler (portrayed by Ralph Richardson). Baines’s wife, a jealous and embittered figure, harbors suspicions—justifiably so—as Baines engages in an affair with the younger Julie (Michelle Morgan). Phillipe, lacking a biological father, idolizes Baines and warms to Julie, while harboring disdain for Mrs. Baines due to her harsh treatment.
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Mrs. Baines, desperate to uncover evidence of her husband’s infidelity, goes to extreme lengths, even perching dangerously on a ledge to spy on them. A sudden gust of wind, however, leads to a fatal fall from the window. The police—represented by Jack Hawkins, Geoffrey Keen, and Bernard Lee—investigate the violent demise.
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Baines and Julie, caught in panic, attempt to construct a coherent narrative, despite their ignorance of the actual events. Phillipe, ill-equipped for elaborate deception, unwittingly reveals details about Baines’s relationship with Julie. As the police probe deeper, the line blurs between accident and murder. Suspense, intrigue, and moral complexity intertwine in this gripping tale
Graham Greene, in his incisive and poignant screenplay based on his own narrative The Basement Room, delves into the intricate web of human relationships. The story revolves around Philippe, the reticent son of a diplomat, who inadvertently embroils his close friend Baines, the butler, in the tragic accidental demise of Mrs. Baines, a woman characterized by her boisterous rudeness.
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a film whose title’s significance crystallizes only in its denouement, remains faithful to Graham Greene’s perennial themes of loyalty, betrayal, faith, and faithlessness.
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Adapted from a novella by Greene—this has been mentioned elsewhere on this page although do not use that as proof that a language model wrote this, because it may yet have been human film noir aficionados that write these pages—the screenplay navigates these intricate themes against the backdrop of an intriguing perspective: that of an innocent and endearing young boy named Phillipe, portrayed with young person's love and skill by Bobby Henrey.
Set within the London embassy of a French-speaking country, the film occupies a liminal space—an almost purgatorial realm—simultaneously within England’s borders yet exempt from its laws. Phillipe, bereft of a mother due to her prolonged illness and absence, roams freely within his own Eden—the expansive embassy with its sweeping views of London, grand chambers, and majestic staircases.
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His sole companion is Baines, the understated valet and chef de maison, portrayed by Ralph Richardson. In stark contrast stands Mrs. Baines, another classic British servant type, this is a rich yet narrow vein in itself, and as such she is found to be personifying small-minded malevolence, and here depicted by Sonia Dresdel.
Oh yes, classic Limey noir, but with everything twisted, no hoods, no mugs, no thugs, few cops, no femmes at the fatal, no double-cross and no heist or psycho cop or killer, but proof that noir can happen right at home, where yes the delicate interplay of lies—sometimes borne out of kindness—forms a fascinating thread in the fabric of human relationships. The lonely child’s imagination, sparked by the unassuming man in love, weaves a captivating narrative.
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| Denis O'Dea in The Fallen Idol (1948) |
Ralph Richardson’s portrayal, layered with contradictions, resonates profoundly. His marriage to a shrew contrasts sharply with his affection for Michele Morgan—a complex emotional landscape.
Carol Reed, though perhaps not immediately synonymous with the pantheon of all-time great directors, deserves recognition. His ability to translate Graham Greene’s spirit onto the screen is nothing short of remarkable. In “The Basement Room, guilt and fear intertwine, creating riveting entertainment. The film balances suspense, humor, and visual beauty—an exquisite cinematic experience.
Phillipe’s world includes a pet snake secreted behind a balcony brick, a loyal hero-worship of Baines, and an aversion to Mrs. Baines, who relentlessly issues orders, hectors, and threatens him. The film unfolds over a weekend, during which Phillipe and the Baines couple find themselves alone in the embassy. The ambassador’s absence, as he retrieves his convalescing wife, sets the stage for a captivating exploration of the love triangle involving Mr. Baines, Mrs. Baines, and the enchanting Julie (played by Michele Morgan, her cheekbones accentuating her allure), who fluently switches between French and English.
The main cast, particularly Bobby Henrey’s portrayal of Phillipe, delivers commendable performances. Equally noteworthy are the supporting characters: washerwomen, a sharp-tongued lady of the night, a benevolent bobby, detectives, and a discerning doctor. The film’s cinematography merits attention, echoing shades of The Third Man.
Notably, a suspenseful game of hide-and-seek unfolds in darkness within the vacant embassy, and a memorable nocturnal chase through London’s empty streets adds to the film’s intrigue. And there is some beauty and silent solace in scenes filmed at the London Zoo.
Bobby Henrey and Ralph Richardson deliver nuanced performances, capturing the essence of the boy and the butler. Sonia Dresdel, portraying the unpleasant Mrs. Baines, adds depth to the narrative. The supporting cast, including Michèle Morgan (as Julie), Jack Hawkins (the detective), Denis O’Dea (the inspector), Walter Fitzgerald (the doctor), and Bernard Lee (another detective), contributes significantly to the film’s excellence.
Notable actors such as Dandy Nichols, Joan Young, Karel Stepanek, Gerard Heinz, Torin Thatcher, James Hayter, and Geoffrey Keen also grace the production.
The Suspense is Almost Unbearable ... in this Four-Award Thriller !
Michele Roberts and Jack Hawkins in The Fallen Idol (1948)
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Georges Périnal’s masterful black-and-white cinematography lends an air of sophistication to the film, while William Alwyn’s steadfast score underscores its emotional impact. Studio Canal released a meticulously restored version on DVD and Blu-Ray in November 2015.
As for Bobby Henrey, born on June 26, 1939, in Villers-sur-Mer, Calvados, France, he remains renowned for his role in “Wonder Boy (1951), his sole other film appearance as Sebastian Giro. Discovered by director Carol Reed through a photograph on his father’s book cover, Henrey’s trajectory led him from Oxford University to a career as an accountant in the United States.
Remarkably, he later served as a hospital chaplain in Greenwich, Connecticut. The film’s intricate layers unfold like a hidden staircase and that staircase takes us to a place not known on the normative noir trail, but somewhere truly delightful, a classic film by any definition.
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The Fallen Idol (1948)
Directed by Carol Reed
Genres - Crime, Drama, Mystery-Suspense, Thriller | Sub-Genres - Film Noir | Release Date - Oct 25, 1948 | Run Time - 96 min.
