The Fallen Idol

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Feb 17, 2019 Masterful direction is showcased this classic police procedural.  Reed manipulates events to create tension all through the investigation of a mysterious death. Ralph Richardson does the upstanding citizen trying hard to do the right thing but bought down by one flaw. Upstanding yes, but he's also s bit wooden here. What really stands out is the phenomenal performance the director coaxes from the boy. See more

Anakin P Feb 6, 2019 I believe it's my second Carol Reed film, an early big film-noir name. A stricked lady is little Phillipe's most anoying person in the world. She is always nagging on him ."Do not eat before dinner!", "Go to bed!", "Don't to that!". She lives in a big house with, Baines - a butler and a man that Phillipe likes a whole lot. Well, Mrs. Baines is not happy when she find's out that Baines is out dating a younger girl. The little boy finds out and he is twisted into a whole bunch of secrets and lies. This is not easy. When Baines is accused for killing his wife things get even more complicated as the little man is the only witness. Should he lie, and if so, how much? A pretty smart and interesting film with some nerve and suspense. Pretty Hitchcockian and it also looks pretty sweet. A good noir that hasn't aged all that well, but still a solid film that remains pretty unknown. 6.5 out of 10 snakes. See more

Ron S Jan 9, 2019 If ever there was an argument in favor of smacking a kid, I give you Philippe - the most annoying child on film.

Rey L Nov 30, 2018 A wonderful film from the Talking Pics channel. If you think you know how the film will end, then you will be surprised. Ralph Richardson at his understated best. Sonia Dresdel is menacing as Richardson's wife. Bobby Henrey gives a very good performance as the young boy. Great supporting cast including Jack Hawkins, Dandy Nichols, Bernard Lee and Geoffrey Keene. See more

Kylo R Jun 18, 2017 Great thriller that takes its time, that doesn't race from exciting incident to exciting incident. Very intelligent and at times heartfelt. You appreciate Phillipe's undying admiration for Baines but also cringe as their reliance on each other causes pain and turmoil. See more

Draco S May 22, 2017 The story is all about a butler who serves at a foreign embassy in London, watching over the ambassador's child while managing his own grumpy wife and the responsibilities of the household all at the same time. Some bad things happen, lies are told, and then lies are stacked on other lies. The premise of The Fallen Idol is probably one of the most straight and lacking in complexity that I've ever seen in a noir. That's not an inherently bad thing but it did make some of the early scenes, before the plot got in motion, feel boring. Luckily, the story gets considerably better as the film progresses. Ralph Richardson is completely believable as the servant in this home, and I like how his unflappable demeanor is set up and then slowly starts to crack as the film goes on. What I really didn't enjoy was the child actor. Bobby Henry was hard to understand and downright annoying, which is tough because he's basically the star of the film. Like any good film, The Fallen Idol had me invested in what would happen. The butler, Baines, is set up as a likable character so you want to see things work out for him. The movie was also an interesting exploration of all the different kinds of lies and how they can hurt or help us. There were some elements that didn't work for me personally, but overall it's a solid film. See more

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The Fallen Idol

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