The Fallen Idol (film)

Philippe, the young son of a French diplomat living in London, idolises his father's butler, Baines. Baines has invented a heroic persona to keep Phillipe entertained during his father's absences, telling him stories of his daring adventures in Africa and elsewhere, where he claims to have single-handedly killed men in self-defence, and conquered lions.

In reality, Baines has never been to Africa, is in a loveless marriage with his wife (who is also employed as the family's housekeeper), and is carrying on an affair with a young secretary, Julie. One day, when Philippe's father departs for several days, Philippe follows Baines to a cafe, where he is meeting with Julie to discuss their relationship—Julie urges Baines to separate from his wife so they can be together, but Philippe is impervious to the details of their conversation. Afterward, Baines tells Philippe that Julie is his niece, and asks that he not mention the incident to Mrs. Baines. That afternoon, Philippe is chastised by Mrs. Baines for playing on a window ledge on the staircase landing. Later, she attempts to glean information about her husband from Philippe, suspicious he is cheating on her.

The next morning, Baines takes Philippe on a trip to the London Zoo, where Julie meets with them, and accompanies them back home for dinner in Mrs. Baines's absence. The three return home, where Philippe finds a telegram from Mrs. Baines, notifying her husband she will return in two days. The three have dinner, and afterward play a game of hide-and-seek. Later that night, Mrs. Baines returns to the house unexpectedly, finding her husband in bed with Julie. She awakens Philippe before attacking Baines, and slapping Phillipe in the process. The two get into an argument on a staircase landing, which Philippe partially witnesses. When Baines locks himself in the guest bedroom with Julie, Mrs. Baines walks onto an unguarded ledge on the landing, where a window faces directly into the bedroom. In the process, she slips and falls to her death, landing at the foot of the staircase. Philippe does not witness the accident, and presumes that Baines pushed her to her death.

Philippe flees the house in terror, and is captured by a police officer in the streets. He is returned home, where Baines then recounts the evening to police, though he eliminates Julia from his version of events in order to protect her, instead claiming that he, Mrs. Baines, and Philippe had dinner together. During the interrogation, Philippe attempts to gather the telegram Mrs. Baines sent, but it is confiscated by police, who use it as evidence against Baines.

Julie visits the house the following morning. Soon after, Inspector Crowe and Detective Ames arrive to further question Baines. Julie attempts to leave, but, upon being introduced as Baines's secretary, the police ask that she stay to transcribe his interview. Crow and Ames first interview Philippe alone, and he lies about Mrs. Baines slapping him, and denies that Julie ever visited the house. Julie overhears Philippe concealing the truth, and, speaking French, implores him to be honest. Baines interjects, and proceeds to recount to police what actually happened the night before. They continue to disbelieve him, and suggest he make a formal statement.

Fearing he cannot prove his innocence, Baines heads to his basement bedroom to retrieve a pistol and commit suicide. He is followed by Philippe, who tearfully questions whether his many stories are true. Baines admits they were merely games, and also denies killing his wife, before proceeding downstairs. Simultaneously, two other officers notice a footprint in the spilt dirt from a potted plant on the window ledge, and discern it came from a women's shoe. Crow and Ames swiftly renege their accusation against Baines, and Julie is able to stop him from carrying out his suicide in time. Philippe, compelled to be truthful, insists he left the footprint two days before, but Crowe disbelieves him. As the police depart, Philippe runs to the ledge, where he sweeps away the dirt with Mrs. Baines's footprint. As he does this, his mother, from whom he has long been separated, arrives.

Bobby Henrey, Ralph Richardson and Michèle Morgan in The Fallen Idol

The cameras began turning on the film on the bright, sunny morning of Wednesday, 17 September 1947, with the first location scene to be filmed being that of Philippe running across Belgrave Square in London.

The Fallen Idol marks the first notable film Carol Reed made at Grosvenor Crescent, Belgravia, in London as a filming location — the other being Reed's acclaimed movie Oliver!, filmed 20 years later at the same site. Coincidentally, it was a film featuring a similar seven-year-old precocious boy.

• Hammer, Tad Bantley (1991). International Film Prizes: An Encyclopedia. Chicago, Illinois: St. James Press. OCLC 489910723.
• Vermilye, Jerry (1978). The Great British Films. New York City, New York: Citadel Press. pp. 125–177. ISBN 0-8065-0661-X.

• The Fallen Idol at IMDb
• The Fallen Idol at BFI Screenonline
• The Fallen Idol at Rotten Tomatoes
• The Fallen Idol at Metacritic
• The Fallen Idol at AllMovie
• The Fallen Idol: Through a Child’s Eye, Darkly an essay by Geoffrey O’Brien at the Criterion Collection
• Interview with child actor Robert (Bobby) Henrey later in life, interview begins at 18:05