The Fallen Idol (1948)
Directed by Carol Reed

Film Review

Immediately before working together on the legendary noir thriller The Third Man (1949), director Carol Reed and writer Graham Greene pooled their artistic resources on this lesser known, but equally stylish, suspense thriller.  It was the third of three collaborations between Reed and Greene - the last being the classic comedy thriller Our Man In Havana (1959).

What sets The Fallen idol apart from other films of its kind is that most of the narrative is seen from the perspective of a young child, achieved mainly through some very ingenious camerawork.  It is the violent collision between the worlds of the child and the adult which creates a torrent of conflict and tension, resulting in a very effective mix of poignant childhood drama and suspenseful thriller (with a delectable smattering of comedy).

The film was adapted from a short story entitled The Basement Room, written by Graham Greene in 1935.  Its stars are the distinguished English actor Ralph Richardson and iconic French film actress Michèle Morgan, both of whom were at the highpoint of their careers.  The part of the boy Philippe was played superbly by the eight-year old Bobby Henrey, his first of just two film appearances (the second being in The Wonder Kid in 1951).

The performances are perfectly judged - the understated contributions from Richardson and Morgan allowing the focus to stay with Henrey, whose presence dominates the film and gives it most of its charm.  The lighting, staging and choice of camera angles effectively evoke a dark and menacing world of childhood vulnerability, which becomes more disturbing and confused as the film progresses towards its dramatic conclusion.   The mood that Reed and his technical crew create brilliantly conveys the turmoil that besets Philippe as he struggles to reconcile his conflicting feelings with a terrifying barrage of new experiences.  It is undoubtedly one of cinema's most effective child's eye views of the adult world. 

The Fallen Idol won great acclaim for its director.  Reed received the Best British Film BAFTA in 1949 and the New York Film Critics Circle Best Director Award in 1949.  The film also garnered two Oscar nominations (Best Director and Best Screenplay).

Film Synopsis

Eight-year old Philippe is the only child of a London-based ambassador.  With his parents away from home, Philippe is looked after by the kindly butler Baines, whom he comes to idolise.  One day, the boy finds Baines having an intimate conversation with an attractive young woman, Julie, who works at the Embassy.  Baines tells Philippe that Julie is his niece and gets him to promise not to mention the meeting to anyone.  But the shrewish Mrs Baines already knows about her husband's infidelity and intends to confront him with it.  Believing his wife to be away on holiday, Baines invites Julie to spend a day with him.  That evening, Mrs Baines makes a sudden re-appearance.  As a row flares up, Mrs Baines falls down a staircase and is killed.  Philippe witnesses the accident, but believing Baines pushed his wife to her death, he is unsure what to say when the police arrive...