Father Brown [The Detective] **** (1954, Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood, Peter Finch, Sidney James, Cecil Parker, Bernard Lee, Ernest Thesiger) – Classic Movie Review 2,825

Alec Guinness is on delightful form as G K Chesterton’s priest and amateur detective, who is in Rome on the trail of master crook Flambeau (Peter Finch), in the 1954 British comedy mystery thriller film Father Brown [The Detective]. 

Alec Guinness is on delightful form as G K Chesterton’s priest and amateur detective Father Brown, who is in Rome on the trail of master crook and disguise expert Flambeau (Peter Finch, also ideal), in director Robert Hamer’s 1954 British comedy mystery thriller film Father Brown [The Detective].

Apparently, Flambeau has pinched The Blue Cross, an ultra-valuable religious relic. Father Brown persuades Lady Warren (Joan Greenwood) to flaunt a chess set as a lure for Flambeau, but again he escapes with the goods. The antagonists meet up for a showdown in a French chateau…

Perhaps the Ealing studios-style comedy mystery film is a slight disappointment from this dream cast plus director Hamer (Kind Hearts and Coronets), thanks to a lack of voltage in Thelma Schnee and blacklisted Maurice Rapf’s writing of the screenplay and Hamer’s rather tepid handling.

Nevertheless, Schnee’s and Rapf’s screenplay, loosely based on Chesterton’s 1910 tale The Blue Cross, his first Father Brown short story, is gently witty. And, because of the characters, situations, mystery, air of geniality and above all the superb performances, the film is a real civilised pleasure anyway. It may be mild, but it is quite charming.

Guinness settles in nicely as Father Brown, twinkling away perspicaciously, and Peter Finch is very effective as the arch criminal Gustav Flambeau. These are the standout performances, but there are several other treasurable turns: especially Joan Greenwood as Lady Warren, Cecil Parker as The Bishop, Bernard Lee as Inspector Valentine, and Sid James as Bert Parkinson.

Also in the vintage cast are Sidney James, Cecil Parker, Bernard Lee, Ernest Thesiger, Ernest Clark, Everley Gregg, Austin Trevor, Sam Kydd, Marne Maitland, Eugene Deckers, Noel Howlett, John Salew, John Horsley and Hugh Dempster.

The screenplay is credited to Thelma Schnee and Robert Hamer, but it was written by Schnee and blacklisted Maurice Rapf.

The film is a remake of a 1934 Paramount film Father Brown, Detective with Walter Connolly and Paul Lukas.

It is shot by Facet Productions at the Riverside Studios in London on sets designed by art director John Hawkesworth, and distributed by Columbia Pictures in the UK and the US (as The Detective). It was also screened at the 1954 Venice Film Festival.

Release date: 8 June 1954.

Running time: 91 minutes.

Father Brown (1954) US Title: The Detective.

The cast are Alec Guinness as Father Brown, Joan Greenwood as Lady Warren, Peter Finch as Gustav Flambeau, Cecil Parker as The Bishop, Bernard Lee as Inspector Valentine, Sid James as Bert Parkinson, Gérard Oury as Inspector Dubois, Ernest Clark as Bishop’s Secretary, Aubrey Woods as Charlie, John Salew as Station sergeant, Sam Kydd as Scotland Yard sergeant, John Horsley as Inspector Wilkins, Ernest Thesiger as Vicomte de Verdigris, Jack McNaughton as Railway Guard, Noel Howlett as Auctioneer, Marne Maitland as Maharajah, Austin Trevor as The Herald, Hugh Dempster as Man in bowler hat, Eugene Deckers as French Cavalry Officer, Betty Baskcomb as French Widow, Diana Van Proosdy as Waitress, Dino Galvani as Italian Professor, Launce Maraschal as Texan Millionaire, Hugo Schuster as Optician, Guido Lorraine as Café Patron, Jim Gérald as French Stationmaster, Daniel Clérice as Garagiste, Everley Gregg as Governess, Fanny Carby as French Prostitute in Police Van, and Jack May as Church Congregation Member.

Kenneth More played the crime-solving Roman Catholic priest in British TV series Father Brown, which aired on ITV in 1974.

Mark Williams stars as the crime-solving Roman Catholic priest in British TV’s Father Brown, which began on BBC One on 14 January 2013, with an 11th series for broadcast in January 2024.

Edward Hibbert plays Gil Chesterton in TV’s Frasier.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2,825

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