The Detective (1954) User Reviews

An Underrated Guinness Gem

[PolitiCom · 7/10 · 14 January 2003]

This is another of the often ignored 'small' Guinness films from the early and mid-50's that rarely get the attention they deserve. While it had a brief revival last fall at Britain's National Film Theatre, it doesn't seem to show up that often in Guinness retrospectives.

A number of elements in this gently comic film that are worthy of notice: Sir AlecÕs performance is deft, subtle and delightfully wry whether he is playing the sleuth or spouting philosophy to the villain Flambeau.

An added treat is a cast that includes Peter Finch, who won an Oscar for Network, Joan Greenwood, who was Lady Balleston in Tom Jones and Bernard Lee who portrayed M in the James Bond series. Guinness, Greenwood and Cecil Parker (The Bishop) also appeared together in the Ealing Studio comedy, The Man in the White Suit.

Another interesting aspect is that a large part of the film was shot on location in Paris and rural France, apparently a rarity for the British films of that era.

Finally a bit of trivia: After his portrayal of Father Brown, Guinness converted to Catholicism

Mr. C. - Champion of Paradox

[theowinthrop · 6/10 · 21 February 2005]

Gilbert Keith Chesterton has never been ignored or forgotten since his death in 1936. Yet his contemporary, Rudyard Kipling, was as controversial as he was and is better remembered and read to this day. I am not sure if the reason is that Chesterton's twin attractions, his love of paradox (almost to a questionable mania) and his vigorous championing of Catholicism are the reasons for this. He is, in the latter aspect, a strong predecessor of Evelyn Waugh and Graham Greene, but both of those writers seem to have more of a readership today. But then they didn't adopt paradox.

In his novel "Manalive" there is a moment when the appeal of his paradox reaches a point that is both understandable and questionable. The hero explains that the phrase "All that glitters is not gold" is false - all that glitters is gold. He starts pontificating on how many rarer elements (platinum?) exist that don't glitter as much, so that it is the attraction of the glitter of gold that makes it matter. One reads this discussion hoping that Chesterton is pulling our leg (a hope I still have, but it is very faint). The point of the phrase is that there are more valuable things in the universe than wealth producing items like gold - things like kindness, generosity, love. If Mr. C. was fooling us, I congratulate him on the still hit-on-the-head blow of the paradox. But if he meant it I really pity him.

I leave it to his fans to explain it to me (if they wish). "The Detective" is one of the few movies based on Chesterton's huge output. It is based on the first story of his tales of the Roman Catholic priest and detective, Father Brown: "The Blue Cross". The story is a good one (the first of the first series of "Father Brown" tales), and introduces us to Flambeau, the master thief that Brown eventually saves. But for it to be done properly (not the way the movie quite does it) several of the stories have to be put together. The first three stories of the series deal with Brown, Flambeau, and the head of the Paris police. The last commits a murder in the second story, and commits suicide before Brown exposes him. So much for a guardian of the law. Flambeau is stopped by Brown reasoning with him that he is not a bad man but a man who is on the verge of becoming one if he lets an innocent man take the blame for a theft he committed. Flambeau does repent, and subsequently becomes a detective (and an assistant to Brown).

This is a film which could have been reduced in length. Parts of the movie are quite amusing (the scene of Ernst Theisinger and Guiness breaking each other's eyeglasses is cute). The acting is also good (especially Guiness and Peter Finch as Flambeau). But the moments that move the viewer (and approach Chesterton's Catholicism) are when Guiness gives parables to explain behavior and human weakness. Witness his tale of the bad woman who fails to get pulled out of hell.

I wish the film was not so dull in so many spots, but it is definitely worth a look.

Father Brown

[henry8-3 · 6/10 · 12 January 2022]

A cross is stolen from Father Brown's (Alec Guinness) church by master of disguise criminal genius Flambeau (Peter Finch) so amateur detective Brown seeks him out to try and get it back and save Flambeau's soul at the same time.

Jolly little piece of whimsical fluff from the Ealing school with Guinness perhaps a little more indulgent in his characterisation than usual. This doesn't distract though and it all makes for a pleasant enough bit of afternoon matinee viewing including a few solid laughs. Finch impresses as the worldly wise but rather sadly misguided thief with English stalwarts Sid James, Joan Greenwood and Bernard Lee providing solid support.

Good Job of Filming a Creative & Interesting Story

[Snow Leopard · 8 September 2004]

This enjoyable feature does a good job of filming a creative, interesting story using G.K. Chesterton's "Father Brown" character. Alec Guinness is a very good realization of Father Brown, and Peter Finch provides him with a worthy foil. The story uses a good variety of interesting settings, with numerous interesting turns in the plot, and some good moments from the supporting cast.

What makes it more intriguing than the average crime/mystery movie is that from the start Father Brown is more interested in reforming the criminal than in punishing him. It leads to a story that has some of the same elements as a conventional crime film, but it also adds a creative dimension that makes it so much more interesting than the dreary, excessive spectacles of the present time that drown out any substance with undue amounts of violence and crudity.

The story could, of course, have easily become implausible and/or annoyingly moralistic, but thanks to Guinness's usual fine performance, and good direction from Robert Hamer, that is not at all the case. While there's nothing flashy here, it's an interesting and enjoyable little feature, and a nice change of pace.

Better of the first two Father Brown adaptations

[dbborroughs · 7/10 · 27 June 2009]

Second screen adaption of GK Chesterton's classic story that has Father Brown taking on Flambeau a notorious thief. In the original Walter Connelly took on Paul Lukas. Here its Alec Guinness taking on Peter Finch and for my money its the better of the two versions I've seen. In th original I found everything stilted and Brown came across as very annoying with an attitude that he was some how better than everyone else. Here Guinness is clearly in charge of the situation, however he never lets anyone think anything other than that they are in control, which he manages to twist so that he comes up on top. Its a winning performance. I think the fact that this film originated in England helps give it the right feel. The film makers clearly understand Chesterton and their film is an enjoyable representation of his story. Very recommended

ATONEMENT AS AN INDUCEMENT...!

[masonfisk · 6/10 · 21 April 2019]

Alec Guinness plays Father Brown, a priest out to retrieve a stolen cross taken by a thief, played by Peter Finch, in this 1954 crime caper. Similar in tone to the pair of Miss Marple adventures I recently watched, this priest, who has no training apparently in the investigative arts, really gets his blood boiling when the game is afoot (sorry Sherlock!) but being a man of God, there is an added element of redemption which gets as much footing as the object being pursued which I guess is fine but as a trope in this genre it really begs the question 'why bother?.' Also starring future James Bond boss M, Bernard Lee, as a British constable on the good father's heels.

Alec Guinness great as Father Brown

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 5 July 2015]

The police find a man dressed as a priest with his hands in a safe. They arrest him but he turns out to be Father Brown (Alec Guinness) who was returning the money stolen by a parishioner. The church is sending the Holy Cross of Saint Augustine to the Eucharistic Congress in Rome. The police tell them that elusive thief Flambeau is after the priceless artifact like the many treasures he has stolen in the last 10 years. Nobody knows what the master of disguise actually looks like. Father Brown determines that the police would be easy targets for Flambeau and transports the Cross himself. Eventually he is alone with Flambeau as intended and he tries to reform him. Flambeau refuses and escapes with the Cross. Despite the disappointment, he tries to entice Flambeau again with the help of Lady Warren.

Alec Guinness is great as Father Brown. It's a great character and Guinness is magnificent playing him. It's a fun mystery for awhile until Flambeau is revealed. Then it repeats again and again for Father Brown. It's fun to watch him in a caper to catch Flambeau. It's less fun to watch him try to convert Flambeau. Guinness always tries to keep his character light and fun.

Father Brown gets cross

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 11 February 2019]

This is an idealistic whimsical clerical thriller. It suffers from having too much comedy.

Father Brown (Alec Guinness) wants to save lost souls.

When the Bishop tells Father Brown that he is to escort an important and valuable cross to a congress in Rome. Father Brown is pleased, but the police tell him that the notorious criminal Flambeau is looking to steal it.

Father Brown eschews police plans for the protection of the cross. The police are worried as no one knows what Flambeau (Peter Finch) looks like as he is the master of disguise.

There is an enjoyable cat and mouse game between Father Brown and the various people who join him in the carriage. The film loses impeteus when Father Brown becomes more interested in trying to reform Flambeau and hinders the police in their job.

The film contains enjoyable performances from Guinness, Finch and Bernard Lee.

FATHER BROWN (Robert Hamer, 1954) ***1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 9/10 · 8 April 2007]

I had always wanted to catch this classic British film, but it hasn't been shown in my neck of the woods since the early 1980s! As a matter of fact, some time ago I purchased "The Complete Father Brown" volume - collecting all the stories of the sleuthing cleric by G.K. Chesterton, just because I didn't think I was ever going to watch it! Though the character has been featured in at least one other film (in 1934) and several TV adaptations (one starring Kenneth More and another, made in Italy, directed by Vittorio Cottafavi and featuring Renato Rascel), Hamer's version remains the most substantial outing of Chesterton's creation.

The film itself, featuring a superbly witty script and deft direction, is a thoroughly delightful and occasionally hilarious gem - made by and with several exponents of the famed Ealing style, it's admirably served by a splendid cast. Alec Guinness is at somewhere near his best in the title role (unassuming, accident-prone but uncommonly shrewd and entirely amiable, his influence on future Peter Sellers characterizations - such as the priest in HEAVENS ABOVE! (1963) and Inspector Clouseau - is very evident); Joan Greenwood is somewhat underused here, but she's quite good as an aristocratic widow and Father Brown's confidante; a young Peter Finch impresses as the gentleman thief Flambeau, engaged in a battle-of-wits with Guinness throughout in which the two clearly respect and admire one another - but the rogue is averse to the priest's attempts to redeem him! Other familiar - and welcome - British faces grace the supporting line-up: Bernard Lee as a cop; Sid James as a ne'er-do-well small-time crook; Cecil Parker as Guinness' flustered superior, a bishop; and Ernest Thesiger as a dotty ancient librarian who appears in only one scene, but it turns out to be one of the film's comic highlights. Other memorable moments involve the various disguises Flambeau adopts in his attempts to outwit Guinness, such as in the lengthy catacombs and auction sequences.

Despite Hamer's reputation, this particular film seems to have been somewhat neglected - or, at least, has had its importance downplayed - over the years; in my opinion, along with KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS (1949; undeniably his masterpiece) and IT ALWAYS RAINS ON Sunday (1947; which I only first watched a couple of months back), it stands as the director's finest work. At the time, it was deemed worthy of representing Britain at that year's Venice Film Festival, where it competed against such cinematic heavyweights as Federico Fellini's LA STRADA, Elia Kazan's ON THE WATERFRONT, Akira Kurosawa's SEVEN SAMURAI, Kenji Mizoguchi's SANSHO THE BAILIFF and Luchino Visconti's SENSO - except that Renato Castellani's little-seen version of ROMEO AND JULIET (featuring Laurence Harvey) emerged the overall winner!!

FATHER BROWN was also Robert Hamer's second of four collaborations with star Alec Guinness: I own THE SCAPEGOAT (1959), an interesting film co-starring Bette Davis, on VHS and had watched it many years ago; however, I missed out on TO Paris, WITH LOVE (1954) - which, by all accounts, is a disappointing trifle and easily the least of their films together. A side-note regarding Guinness: according to the IMDb, he actually converted to Roman Catholicism soon after the release of FATHER BROWN!

Beautifully Crafted, Strangely Amoral

[richardchatten · 7/10 · 25 January 2018]

Anyone settling down to watch this under its US release title of 'The Detective' is likely to be perplexed, as 'Father Brown' is as unlike a conventional detective film as Father Brown is unlike a conventional priest.

Alec Guinness - who at times seems to be doing an impression of Stan Laurel - appears as unconcerned with his parishioners as with actually fighting crime, and actively obstructs the police the better to pursue his egocentric battle of wits with international art thief Flambeau (Peter Finch); who turns out to be fabulously wealthy, with his own family crest, and commits crimes on a whim the way Father Brown solves them on a whim.

The plot ambles along, with occasional slapstick digressions such the Father being afflicted with seasickness and Guinness and Ernest Thesiger treading on each others glasses, to the accompaniment of a rather noisy score by Georges Auric. Joan Greenwood is her usual fascinating self in a role surprisingly peripheral to the action.

Gently comic?

[lucy-19 · 5/10 · 6 August 2007]

It's odd that "gently comic" (as another reviewer put in) usually means "quite unfunny". Or rather, it means "we laugh at a harmless, good character". This film could have done with trying less hard to make us laugh. I can't stand seasickness jokes (tho I rather liked Flambeau's line when disguised as a priest "I must partake of the suffering of others"). And the bit where Brown and the librarian keep dropping/stepping on spectacles - I watched it stone-faced. Brown is quite bumbling enough without being "blind as a bat without my glasses" as well. The film opens well with Brown apparently robbing a safe (of course he's putting the money back). Sid James and Cecil Parker give sterling support, and the friendship between Brown and Lady Warren is touching, and I love the garage man who whisks the priest into the dance. This could have been a good film. Occasionally Guinness becomes entirely serious about saving Flambeau's soul and we glimpse what it might have been. It's based on the first Father Brown story in which Flambeau appears, and some of the plot is retained - the chase across town/country, the swapping of parcels, the wrestling holds, the man who's unmasked because he gives the wrong answer about... in the original story it's sin, not drive shafts. Read the story, it's one of the best (also read the one about the silver forks and the extra waiter). And it whisks you through a wild vision of Victorian London (Camden Town is as benighted as Darkest Africa, and they end up on Hampstead Heath - standing in for the high place where the Devil tempted Christ).

A delight

[Tony-647 · 10/10 · 25 September 2006]

I'm old enough to have seen this film on its release in the cinemas, and, whilst it's not easy to think of a film these days being a success unless millions have been spent on it, this film hung on two superlative performances from Alec Guinness and Peter Finch and the screenplay was worth two of anything you'd hear today. So why, I ask, has it not been released on DVD for a new generation to enjoy? Is it thought too dated? Not exciting enough? Too cerebral? Not a bit of it. It's a thoroughly enjoyable film with moments of high tension and a supporting cast rich in character (including Bernard Lee who was the first M in the Bond films)

Father Brown

[jboothmillard · 6/10 · 7 April 2022]

I'd seen clips of the Mark Williams teatime drama show Father Brown on TV, so I was interested to see this film (alternatively titled The Detective) featuring the popular character from the G. K. Chesterton books, directed by Robert Hamer (Dead of Night, Kind Hearts and Coronets). Basically, one night a priest, Father Ignatius Brown (Alec Guinness), is arrested for seemingly stealing from an open safe, he explains he is replacing the money for a parishioner and proving how easy it was to break into. He is released when The Bishop (Cecil Parker) confirms who he is, and his side career as an amateur detective. After being released, Father Brown meets the parishioner in question, Bert Parkinson (Sid James) who drives get-away cars, the priest convinces him to become a chauffeur and work for Lady Warren (Joan Greenwood). Sometime later, Father Brown is asked to go to Rome carrying a 1,200-year-old priceless crucifix; he is sure that his rival, established criminal Gustav Flambeau (Peter Finch), may try to steal the holy relic. He crosses the channel to France then catches a train, first stopping in Paris. He is accompanied by a priest he met on the ship, and they become aware that police inspectors are watching them, but they manage to evade them. The excursion goes to the catacombs. Father Brown realises that the priest with him is Flambeau in disguise, nevertheless, the criminal overpowers him and steals the cross, leaving Brown tied up. Flambeau changes disguise and manages to avoid the two police officers waiting at the entrance to the catacombs. Father Brown convinces his friend, Lady Warren, to auction an important gold chess as bate to lure Flambeau into stealing it. They expect him to appear in disguise at the auction. Flambeau does appear at the auction, but not as a bidder, but as a porter, and he steals the chess set as the bidding concludes. But Flambeau returns the set to Lady Warren to prove a point. Police arrive at the venue, but Flambeau and Brown questionably work together to sneak onto a milk van and create a diversion to escape together before the criminal gets away again. Brown starts researching Flambeau in the library. He is unfortunate to break his glasses, he cannot see anything without them, but he eventually gets a new pair from an optician. In his research, Brown finds a link Fleurency in the Burgundy region of France and travels there. He finds Flambeau at a wine festival, but the criminal again manages to slip away. The next day he finds the old chateau and is looking for "the duke" but is told he is not home. He slips into the inner courtyard disguised as an old woman. Entering the dilapidated chateau, he sees signs of habitation, and discovers a secret door in the back of the big kitchen fireplace. Flambeau asks him to enter and reveals a priceless art collection. He gives Brown the stolen cross. The police arrive and Flambeau flees through the window. The art collection is recovered by the police and displayed in the Louvre. Back in England, Father Brown gives a sermon, with Flambeau entering and sitting next to Lady Warren. Also starring Bernard Lee as Inspector Valentine, Gérard Oury as Inspector Dubois, Bride of Frankenstein's Ernest Thesiger as The Vicomte, Ernest Clark as the Bishop's Secretary, Austin Trevor as The Herald, John Horsley as Inspector Wilkins, Noel Howlett as Auctioneer, and The Man with the Golden Gun's Marne Maitland as Maharajah. Guinness is really likeable as the eccentric sermonising sleuth who sets traps for the crooks he wants to catch in the act, Finch is alright as the villain, Greenwood as the huskily seductive Lady is fine, and there is memorable support from Parker and Thesiger. I will be honest and say that I possibly didn't pay the fullest attention to the film when I was watching it, apparently the time period the story was supposed to be set was slightly changed, I wouldn't know. Anyway, what I did pay attention to was amusing and intriguing enough, the religious stuff is only slight, for me it was all about Guinness's charming performance, all in all, it is a reasonable comedy thriller. Good!

Kind of outddated despite great cast

[jordondave-28085 · 4/10 · 31 July 2023]

(1954) The Detective/ Father Brown THRILLER

Alec Guiness as a priest, Father Brown who is part time detective, attempting to outsmart and to attempt to reform a master thief Flambeau (Peter Finch) upon him transporting an exclusive cross.

Not much of a mystery as a movie about redemption of a single character, is like trying to change a leopard his spots. It's just completely nonsense and out of touch in terms of reality despite it being an early Father Brown character that invoke years of syndicated TV series and future movies. As I thought "The Detective" was a little misleading since there was no mystery that needs to be solved to begin with.

Underfilmed Sleuth

[BaronBl00d · 11 August 2001]

Of all the names in the pantheon of great literary detectives, G. K. Chesterton's Father Brown is easily the most overlooked. The character has appeared in only a handful of films and a 13 episode television series in the early seventies. Of the films, The Detective(US title) is the best. Alec Guinness plays the affable cleric with an insatiable appetite for puzzles very nicely. Guinness shows us the heart and dedication Father Brown has to his calling spiritually over any temporal considerations. He also shows us that Father Brown is a character with depth as he takes lessons in karate and truly learns what the lives of his less than well-off parishioners are like. The heart of this film is Gunness's subtle comedic performance as a man challenging himself to catch a thief named Flambeau in the act of stealing his own church's cross that belonged to St. Augustine. Father Brown wants to save the soul of this man as well as the cross. The cat and mouse game between the two is fun fluff, and is vastly entertaining as that rather than a true mystery. Flambeau is played by a very young Peter Finch with class and style.The film boasts a fine array of British character actors with the likes of Bernard Lee(M from James Bond fame), Cecil Parker(King Roderick from The Court Jester and more), Joan Greenwood(Kind Hearts and Coronets), and my personal favourite, Ernest Thesiger from The Bride of Frankenstein. Thesiger has little screen time yet is very amusing in his role. A nice little mystery once again showcasing the comedic talent of one of our century's best actors...Sir Alec Guinness.

Two Challenges -- Quietly Amusing.

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 30 November 2013]

Alec Guiness is Father Brown, an English priest transporting an historic cross of St. Augustine to an exhibit in Paris. He's outwitted by the famous and thoroughly civilized thief Gustave Flambeau (Peter Finch). Guiness is on the track of Finch, just as the police and the church are now on the track of Guiness for obstruction of justice or something. He won't cooperate with the cops because he's as interested in Finch as he is in the cross. He's intent on convincing Finch that there's more to life than wallowing in a private art collection that no one else will ever see.

It isn't really a comedy in any strict sense. There are two genuinely funny scenes. One is a farcical auction at which Finch makes off with a chess set attributed to Benvenuto Cellini. The other is set in an ancient library of heraldry with Brown and the decrepit caretaker stepping on each other's eye glasses. And they really ARE funny.

The challenges facing Father Brown are (1) how to recover the cross and (2) how to ignite the spiritual side of Peter Finch.

There is some banter about number two and although it's not exactly a laff riot or a theological disquisition it does carry a bit of weight because of the understated way that Guiness's role is written and the way it's played. I'll give one example. In his private gallery, Finch has been bragging about his collection, while Guiness has expressed not much more than pity for him for not sharing his El Grecos with the rest of the world. As a disappointed Guiness is leaving, Finch says something like: "Here, you forgot your cross." "It isn't mine," replies a glum Guiness. No particular point is made of the exchange. It just encapsulates the two conflicting points of view that the pair have just been discussing.

Guiness doesn't go overboard with the role of the priest. He wears a Barry Fitzgerald smile without quite turning the character into a cartoon.

The story itself does a good job of evoking G. K. Chesterton, to the extent that that counts. Chesterton's Father Brown was a recedent figure. Chesterton was an ardent Catholic convert and an aesthete. Some of his stories practically dispense with the mystery entirely and turn into rather long criticisms of barbaric art in the form of an Algerian dagger or something. If Chesterton were alive today and an animist, he might be an avid reader of somebody like Joseph Campbell.

Worth the wait

[johnwinn · 7/10 · 9 February 2021]

Like another reviewer I too am old enough to have seen this at the cinema but I didn't and nearly 70 years passed before it came my way on Sony movies. Thoroughly enjoyable with a splendid cast as disparate as Alec Guinness and the ubiquitous Sam Kydd.

Guiness provides a delightful portrayal...

[dwpollar · 8/10 · 22 March 2001]

1st watched 10/26/1997 - 8 out of 10(Dir-Robert Hamer): Guiness provides a delightful portrayal of a whimsical Father Brown who plays detective on the side. Despite slow spots in the story, the portrayal and determination of Father Brown to get his man soul and all keeps us watching.

kind of like a longer episode of MURDER SHE WROTE

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 29 January 2006]

This was a completely mediocre film--and that's a real shame, as I usually LOVE Alec Guinness movies. This movie lacks so much of the imagination and energy of his other movies from this same era (such as THE LADY KILLERS or THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT) and overall is just a standard amateur detective flick in the guise of a rather unbelievable priest. Guinness plays Father Brown--a very idealistic, and at times bumbling, clergy man. Peter Finch plays an international thief who loves to steal one-of-a-kind relics--the type that really can't be re-sold--so he's obviously some kind of nutter (that's British for "loony"). Despite ample opportunities to turn in Finch to the coppers, Guinness actually hinders the police and lies repeatedly (oh well, since he's a priest I guess he can always give himself absolution for these sins). Why? Well, because Guinness knows that it's more important to save the man's soul than find the booty. While this is true in a spiritual sense, it was awfully idealistic (not to mention stupid), but since this is a rather predictable film, in the end Finch somehow sees the light (though I really wasn't sure why). The film earns a 5 simply because I like watching Alec Guinness and Finch does a pretty good job, though the material is awfully lame.

Alec Guinness has a go at Father Brown

[blanche-2 · 8/10 · 29 December 2021]

I really enjoyed this film, "Father Brown" or "The Detective" from 1954 starring Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood, Peter Finch, and Cecil Parker.

Based on the G. K. Chesterton character, Guinness playss Father Brown as somewhat dotty, the owner of a St. Augustine cross which is traveling to a religious convention. However, there are fears that the great criminal Flambeau (Finch) will try to steal it.

Brown wraps up several packages to bring along so no one will know which is the cross. Alas, the cross is stolen by Flambeau, whom Brown spots although he is in disguise. He decides that he wants the cross back but that he also wants to save Flambeau's soul and encourage him to return everything he's stolen.

He enlists the help of lovely Joan Greenwood to put a beautiful chess set for auction, hoping to entice Flambeau to steal it. Things take a turn from there.

Very enjoyable, with a very sweet ending.

Will Catholicism solve all of our problems?

[bkoganbing · 4/10 · 8 September 2005]

The thesis of Father Brown is that a good dose of Roman Catholicism will solve all of life's problems. A little proselytizing I don't mind, but this gets a bit ridiculous at times.

Some fine actors have played Father Brown over the years, Kenneth More and Barnard Hughes are two good examples. Alec Guinness plays him in this film and does all right by him, but you didn't see any great demand for future Father Brown films.

I suppose if you are a committed Roman Catholic it all makes perfectly good sense. It's far more important to catch the thief and convert him to your religion than see he's brought to justice.

But that's what were asked to accept here. In fact there is a preliminary story before the main action of the film. Guinness in clerical garb is caught trying to put back stolen articles that one of his parishioners Sidney James had heisted during a robbery.

That's the story he gives the local cops and of course this is something that James has confided in him so he can't break the confessional.

Now on to bigger game. Master thief Flambeau, played by Peter Finch has stolen a cross that is entrusted to Father Brown and was said to belong to St. Augustine back in the day. But Father Brown is more interested in getting Flambeau to go back to his faith than seeing him brought to justice. So he misleads the cops so he can accomplish his mission.

I'm sorry but this whole thing was just too much for me to swallow. Father Brown I'd hate to say it was guilty of obstruction and ought to have been arrested. And he was under no obligation not to reveal anything he knew about Flambeau, the man had not come to him as a penitent seeking absolution and spiritual advice.

Author G.K. Chesterton, a very noted Catholic lay person in his day, finds all this very reasonable. Carried to his logical conclusion we should replace all police forces with an army of priests.

Guinness borrows from his own Reverend Ascoyne D'Ascoyne from Kind Hearts and Coronets and from Barry Fitzgerald in Going My Way to create Father Brown. Granted though Brown is a lot shrewder than the other two. There's also a bit of Colonel Nicholson in this portrayal. In The Bridge on the River Kwai, Guinness also was playing a character who's rather weird interpretation of the rules caused him to lose sight of what was important in the situation Nicholson was in.

Father Brown's an entertaining fellow when he's solving mysteries and making the authorities look foolish. We've enjoyed Brother Cadfael do it in a medieval setting and American audiences liked Father Dowling played by Tom Bosley a few years back.

This film should have stuck to being entertaining.

Respectful, funny religious comedy

[ctyankee1 · 22 April 2014]

Father Brown is an unusual Priest. He tries to get people back on the right track that have sinned and gone a stray.

He does this by undoing the crimes they have committed like stealing. He will return the stolen items.

He has a Cross that is likely to be stolen by a crook no one can identify. Father Brown is out to find that crook and bring him back to Christ.

Some of the story takes place in church to me it is very inspirational. He explains what most people do not know is that he hears the confessions of a lot of different kinds of people and he wants them to repent and come back to God.

It is heart warming to hear Scripture and also the stories of the bad people he meets and then tells them they don't have to be the way they are.

This is one movie where they are not mocking Priest, Catholics or those who believe in God. Funny and inspirational.

You can see it on Youtube. Father Brown The Detective 1954 (Alec Guiness) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gqwXeHI85A

A very enjoyable mystery for Father Brown.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 17 February 2023]

Several priceless works of art have been stolen, it's apparent that that only thief so daring, is Flambeau, Father Brown is on the case, working against the clock, he's intent on recapturing the goods, and saving the great thief's soul.

I watched this for the first time, having watched the 1930's adaptation prior to it, I enjoyed that, I found this version quite superior.

In terms of tone, it put me in mind of the Miss Marple films with Margaret Rutherford, not quite perhaps what the author had in mind, but very entertaining, and lots of fun. Fans who perhaps aren't too well knowledgeable about the original source material may look ok it a little more kindly than die hards, personally I'm a huge Chesterton fan, and I've enjoyed all of the interpretations.

There are several amusing moments throughout it, that scene in The Library was worthy of an Ealing comedy.

It's Alec Guinness, so of course it's a masterclass in acting, he made a wonderful Father Brown, he's charismatic, quirky and eminently positive, but there's a secret strength, I enjoyed his performance, Peter Finch was excellent as Flambeau, I loved his disguises, Joan Greenwood was excellent also. So glamorous, and that voice was incredible.

I'm surprised Guinness didn't reprise the role after this, I'm sure fans really did enjoy his characterisation.

8/10.

Father Brown, Detective (1954)

[sanderson-by-the-sea · 3/10 · 3 February 2019]

The reason this is 'underrated' or 'often ignored' is that it's a poor film. It's awash with some great Brit actors putting in a shift, and it's heart-warming to see them, but it's a very threadbare plot that looks hastily put together despite its GK Chesterton provenance (there are departures from the book). Despite the cast, and despite the occasional excellent nuggets of scriptwriting, this is far from being a glowing example of the film-makers' art circa 1954. It has the feel of a film made 20 years earlier.

I can generally grit my teeth and tolerate one deus ex machina, but it's hard to swallow a succession of them being trotted across the screen just to make the 'plot' keep going... or even happen at all. That priceless St Augustine cross hanging up unsecured in Father Brown's church, nicely-sized to be tucked under your coat; well, rather than wait for it to be closely guarded by the authorities on a journey, why doesn't daring international thief and master of disguise* Flambeau just stroll into the church and take it anytime there's no one around - which, being a church, is virtually all the time? And those amateur-hour 'fight' scenes, the ones that look like they just thought to do them, there and then, without rehearsal (and without actors who can do fights)... dear oh dear. And so on.

Alec Guinness's acting career is justly revered, but I'm always vaguely surprised that at sometime no one ever thought to take him aside and whisper in his ear about giving his 'meek and mild, my-thoughts-are-elsewhere' schtick a rest. They obviously didn't, because there's lots of it on show here from beginning to end.

Yes, I know there are plenty of 1940s, 1950s films that are a bit clunky to our modern sensibilities, balanced by some cracking good ones that still outstrip films produced today, but Father Brown, Detective (UK) / The Detective (USA) really is not worth spending your hard-earned cash on. Watch it on late night telly. Think: "Father Brown: the Boy Scouts' Film Maker's Badge cut".

So this is for completists only... especially if you need to complete your Joan Greenwood collection (and who doesn't?).

* A mastery not apparent in this film.

A priceless gem

[tomsview · 9/10 · 21 February 2016]

I remember seeing this film back in the 1960's on television, but it seemed to disappear for decades - from Australian television at any rate.

Along with the delicious pairing of Alec Guinness as G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown and Peter Finch as master thief Flambeau, I always remembered the great photography shot on location in England and France, which gave the film a rich texture.

This is such a complete movie. It has an interesting story; Father Brown immerses himself in the world of crime in order to save the souls of criminals. He matches wits with Flambeau who steals priceless works of art including a famous crucifix that the good father was guarding. The story builds to a brilliant climax in a village in France.

The film is a joy to look at; Although it was not an Ealing film, it has that same sense of artistry as classics such as "The Lavender Hill Mob" and "The Ladykillers" with sumptuous interiors and classy black and white photography that was so distinctive of British films of the time.

The film is a mystery and although it has an extremely light touch and witty lines, it's not really a comedy. There are also some nice pieces of detection as Father Brown tracks down Flambeau. Although the film is a brilliant two hander between Guinness and Finch it also has some perfect supporting roles, especially Joan Greenwood as Lady Warren.

For soundtrack buffs, the film has a score by Georges Auric. However, although he came up with a fine theme for Father Brown, I think he may have been guilty of a little too much 'Mickey Mousing' in some scenes - it's my only criticism of the film, albeit a slight one.

Recently (2015), Mark Williams starred in a very good series based on the "Father Brown" stories. Of course it's a series in the mould of "Miss Marple" and "Hercule Poirot". Anyone who feels crime movies need screeching tyres; shattered windscreens, arterial blood spray and Jason Stratham are probably not likely to pay too much attention to any manifestation of "Father Brown".

However, the 1954 movie has that touch of indefinable movie magic. It also can't help but generate a feeling of nostalgia in people brought up in the 1950's when values and institutions seemed more straightforward - on the surface at least. It's a gem of a movie worth discovering and rediscovering.