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FATHER BROWN aka THE DETECTIVE (Dir: Robert Hamer, 1954).
The second big screen outing for G K Chesterton's fictional detective Father Brown, adapted from his 1910 short story The Blue Cross.
Roman Catholic priest and amateur detective Father Brown (Alec Guinness) pits his wits against elusive master criminal Flambeau (Peter Finch), intent on stealing a priceless cross from the clergyman.
Originally exhibited in the UK as Father Brown, the movie is now more widely available in prints bearing its US title The Detective. A glance at Father Brown’ s cast and crew and one would be forgiven for thinking this Columbia Pictures release was an Ealing Studios production. Director Hamer is reunited with his Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) stars Alec Guinness and Joan Greenwood, whilst Ealing alumni Peter Finch, Bernard Lee, Sidney James and Cecil Parker all feature. However, any similarity between this lightly humorous detective story and an Ealing comedy ends here.
Languishing part way between comedy and mystery, the movie straddles both genres without a firm footing in either. Never reaching the witty heights of Kind Hearts and Coronets and not quite exciting enough to convince as a thriller. It ambles along nicely enough but lacks the narrative twists and turns that would have elevated the story above the mundane. Thelma Schnee and Hamer's screenplay never quite manages to over come the source material's inherent quaintness and at times threatens to become unbearably twee.
Alec Guinness is excellent as ever here, once again immersing himself chameleon like in the role of Brown. He is matched by the equally impressive Finch in a rare comedic performance for the actor, albeit not one especially played for big laughs. The rest of cast are, unfortunately, somewhat underused in what is largely a two-hander between Guinness and Finch.
Father Brown is good movie, but can't help but feel a little bit of a disappointment considering the talent involved. It is still worth a watch, if only for the excellent performances from its leading men. Not quite a classic, but a high quality time passer nonetheless.
Check out my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME for a longer review of Father Brown. Link below.
THE LADYKILLERS (Dir: Alexander Mackendrick, 1955).
Alec Guinness heads an ensemble cast in the last great Ealing comedy.
Seemingly mild mannered Professor Marcus (Guinness) leads a gang of oddball criminals, masquerading as classical musicians, in the planning and execution of a daring bank van raid. When their elderly landlady Mrs Wilberforce learns of the wrongdoings they all agree she must be silenced. However, Mrs Wilberforce is not as easy to do away with and their perfect crime begins to go awry.
Disguised with an oversized set of false teeth, Alec Guinness is excellent in his role as the cardigan wearing criminal. An outstanding ensemble cast makes up the rest of the gang. Cecil Parker as a corrupt retired army major, Herbert Lom as a Soho gangster, a subdued Peter Sellers as a cockney spiv and Danny Green as a dim-witted heavy; all give superlative performances. Upstaging them all, however, is the marvellous Katie Johnson as the seemingly frail Mrs Wilberforce who outsmarts the robbers.
One of a handful of Ealing productions shot in Technicolor, cinematographer Otto Heller's beautiful muted colour palette lends it an oddly surreal, atmosphere. This is complemented by Jim Morahan's excellent art direction; the wonderful tumbledown Victorian house in which much of the movie is set adding to the general off kilter ambience.
Director Alexander Mackendrick fashioned a deliriously dark comedy of the highest order; the only film blacker in the Ealing canon is Kind Hearts and Coronets. He elicits career best performances from his distinguished cast in what is among his greatest films.
William Rose's screenplay balances the light and dark with tightrope precision; neatly offsetting the contrasting worlds of ruthless criminals and twee little old ladies. Some broad farce involving an escaped parrot should sit uneasily with the otherwise subtle humour but, amazingly, the whole thing gels perfectly.
The Ladykillers is a masterpiece among comedy movies. Its mix of humour and thrills is irresistible and as an ambassador for the Ealing legacy it cannot be bettered.
Visit my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME for a longer, more in-depth review of The Ladykillers. Link below.
