Father Brown - Tumblr Posts
Question for the Knitting Circle and adjacent literature fiends, via a writing group friend: is there an established/canon chronology for Father Brown? She's asking specifically about book chronology and not the movie. Is Father Brown's age the same as Rev. John O'Connor off of whom the character is based? Is there an established period in which the books are set?
(I have no idea who to tag so feel free to do so if you wish.)
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.
Father Brown as memes and cursed images, part six because why not
Book Review: The Innocence of Father Brown, G. K. Chesterton
“I am a man,” answered Father Brown gravely; “and therefore have all devils in my heart."
Full Review:
I was pleasently surprised by both the style of the narration and the nature of this book: rather than a single, spread out mystery across many chapters, Chesterton writes a bit-sized crime for each one, all of them easily laid out apart by the gentle Father Brown.
Our main "detective" in these short stories is a humble man of faith, who sometimes lets himself poke fun at the skepticism of the non-believers when the crime seems unsolvable at first glance, making the kind of satyrical comments only someone ingratiated with God would make, with only a hint of a blush.
He's often accompanied by Flambeau, former criminal mastermind, now reformed detective, who consults the Father for advice and perspective on the most complex mysteries he comes across.
"Something has fallen on us that falls very seldom on men; perhaps the worst thing that can fall on them. [...] We have found the truth; and the truth makes no sense.”
Given the quick and fast paced nature of the mysteries, one ends up reading them to find out the extravagant solution the Father Brown stumbles upon by grace of rationality and divine inspiration rather than trying to solve them themselves.
The narration is adorned simultaneously by the religious reflexions of the Father Brown and the constant exhaltation of rational thinking as a valid and necessary way to navigate the world.
My Other 2024 Readings.
Made a new blog for a fresh start! Looking for new blogs to follow. Pls like/reblog if you post:
Sherlock and Co
Cold tapes
The West Wing
Doctor Who
Psych
Any British crime shows (midsomer murders, sister boniface, father brown)
Psych
The Rookie
still think it’s the sweetest thing that father brown was willing to back sid in a bet against an actual military man