This film is virtually unknown in America, but must be considered one of the greatest films of all time. Its a movie that could not have been made here since the censors and right wing hacks would have cut it up left and right. Aside from the great acting, direction, and cinematography is dialog that is so perceptive, witty, and tinged with sarcasm, yet still fresh and amazing after more than six decades. Some examples: --after being told he cannot go for a walk, the boy whispers to Ms. Baines: "I hate you." Then won't apologize, and when sent to his room states: "I don't care". --when he laments the death of his snake and proposes a tombstone heading: "Maacgregor, killed by Mrs. Baines. (pause) And the date." --the prostitute on finding out that the boy is the son of the ambassador: "Oh, I know your daddy."And the vivid scenes of London then, with little traffic, horse drawn wagons, noir streets; the embassy as a great haunted Gothic symbolic universe. What a film!

'The Fallen Idol' is in theory a good and interesting film. The final result can be disappointing. At least on an early impression. This is a complicated movie to rate and judge. It's not confusing or inconsistent but it's complex and doesn't always make sense. Nevertheless, it can grow on you with time.Visually it is one of the best-looking films in black and white. The plot is interesting although it could be better worked at times. This film is often said to be "hitchcockian" for its film-making and "suspense". There is some suspense but nothing all that "hitchcockian". And that's where lies one of the weaknesses of this film: it definitely could use more true suspense, more darkness, more terrifying moments.The film takes place in London, in a fancy big house with a french little boy named Phillipe, the butler Baines and the butler's wife Mrs Baines. Phillipe idolizes the butler, but can't stand Mrs. Baines. And rightfully so, she's a horrible person. She is mean for Phillipe (she even slaps him) and she hates MacGregor (Phillipe's little pet snake). MacGregor is a cute name for a little snake and, even though I never think of any snake as being cute, I think MacGregor is a cute snake. Phillipe is very fond of his beloved MacGregor and very loving towards him. Mrs. Baines is so cruel that she burns poor innocent MacGregor alive! So it's not like she doesn't deserve her fate, even if accidental.Phillipe witnesses Mrs. Baines's accidental death, but thinks he saw Baines intentionally murder her. Phillipe is a strange little boy. On one hand, he's utterly cute and adorable. On the other hand, he's not annoying but he often has erratic behaviors and seems to be a very confused and immature boy and has the bad habit of stubbornly lying. He doesn't seem to have a stable personality. That may be in part due to the abuse he suffered from Mrs. Baites. Or perhaps he was already born with some kind of personality disorder. He also runs away like crazy after witnessing Mrs. Baines's death as if he was terrified but acts as if he wasn't. He lies to the police and his clumsy attempts to protect his idol almost put Baines in trouble. Phillipe is a complicated character, definitely not an easy one to evaluate. He seems like a child who is losing his innocence and hides his emotions as much as possible.Actors do well in their roles: Ralph Richardson as Baines, Michèle Morgan as Baines's lover Julie, Sonia Dresdel as Mrs. Baines and Bobby Henrey (who really is french) as Phillipe.This should definitely be on Top 250.

Before they made 'The Third Man', director Carol Reed and screenwriter Graham Greene collaborated on this mild-mannered suspense story, in which a precocious young boy's devotion to one of his father's servants is tested after he witnesses what appears to be his long-suffering idol pushing his wicked wife to her death down a flight of stairs. An investigation follows, but the film isn't really a mystery since the audience already knows more about what happened than any of the characters on screen. Truth will prevail, although the outcome is ambiguous: the police set matters straight, but they do so from a clue that has no connection to the suspected crime. If the film appears dated today it's only because they don't often make them of this high caliber anymore.

Graham Greene adapted his short story "The Basement Room" about a youngster in London, the son of the French Ambassador to England, whose friendship with the manor's butler is tested after the butler's wife, the no-nonsense chief housekeeper, dies under suspicious circumstances. Ralph Richardson (resembling a jowly Kevin Spacey) is fine in the lead role, yet his character doesn't allow for a great many dimensions. The rest of the film follows suit: it is straightforward storytelling without mystery. After a lively beginning, it's rather disappointing (and exhausting) to have the proverbial inspectors called in, manipulating the lad into spilling what he knows. One can easily pick up all the nuances the picture has to offer within the first sixty-minutes of its running time--the second and third acts being predictable, obvious, and melodramatic. ** from ****