The Fallen Idol (film)
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| The Fallen Idol | |
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 |
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| Directed by | Carol Reed |
| Produced by | Carol Reed |
| Written by | Graham Greene |
| Starring | Ralph Richardson Bobby Henrey Michèle Morgan Denis O'Dea |
| Music by | William Alwyn |
| Cinematography | Georges Périnal |
| Distributed by | London Films |
| Release date(s) |  30 September 1948 15 November 1949 (NYC only) |
| Running time | 95 min |
| Country | English |
| Language | United Kingdom |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
The Fallen Idol is a 1948 film directed by Carol Reed and based on the short story The Basement Room, by Graham Greene.
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[edit] Plot
The film is told through the naive eyes of a diplomat's young son, Phillipe, who idolises his best friend, the diplomat's butler Baines. Baines has constructed a heroic persona, full of exotic adventures, that fascinates the boy. In reality, the servant is stuck in a loveless marriage, while dreaming of happiness with a younger woman (whom he describes to Phillipe as his niece). When Baines has an argument with his jealous wife, she falls from a landing to her death. Although her fall was in fact an accident, Phillipe believes that he has seen Baines deliberately murder her, and the boy's attempts to protect Baines when the police investigate almost lead to the butler's arrest.
[edit] Cast
- Ralph Richardson (Baines)
- Michèle Morgan (Julie)
- Sonia Dresdel (Mrs. Baines)
- Bobby Henrey (Phillipe)
- Denis O'Dea (Inspector Crowe)
- Jack Hawkins (Detective Ames)
- Walter Fitzgerald (Dr. Fenton)
- Dandy Nichols (Mrs. Patterson)
- Joan Young (Mrs. Barrow)
- Karel Stepanek (First Secretary)
- Gerard Heinz (Ambassador)
- Torin Thatcher (Police Officer)
- James Hayter (Perry)
- Geoffrey Keen (Detective Davis)
- Bernard Lee (Detective Hart)
[edit] Awards
The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Direction and Best Adapted Screenplay, and won the BAFTA Award for Best British Film.
[edit] Reference to colonialism
While entertaining the boy with various made-up stories, Mr. Baines tells the boy of having supposedly lived at a colony in Africa, been confronted with mutinous Blacks and killed their leader "in self-defence" - a story which might be considered racist by present-day standards and which takes colonial rule in Africa - which was nearing its end - very much for granted.
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
[edit] Bibliography
- The Great British Films, pp 125-127, Jerry Vermilye, 1978, Citadel Press, ISBN 080650661X
- A Film Star in Belgrave Square, a book about the making of the film by Mrs. Robert Henrey, mother of Bobby Henrey.
[edit] External links
- Criterion Collection essay by Geoffrey O'Brien
- The Fallen Idol (film) at the Internet Movie Database
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Odd Man Out |
BAFTA Award for Best British Film 1949 |
Succeeded by The Third Man |
