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The Fallen Idol

Play trailer Poster for The Fallen Idol Now Playing 1h 34m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 35 Reviews 88% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
The young son of a diplomat, Phillipe (Bobby Henrey), often finds himself alone. To entertain the boy, the household butler, Baines (Ralph Richardson), creates adventurous stories of his past. As a result, Phillipe idolizes the servant, seeing him as a hero. But when Baines' wife (Sonia Dresdel) falls to her death, the police believe Baines was behind it. Phillipe, who witnessed the event, will do anything to protect the butler -- but he only makes things worse by doing so.
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Critics Reviews

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Steven Rea Philadelphia Inquirer 06/10/2016
4/4
The Fallen Idol finds innocence and inquisitiveness at odds with corruption, violence, desire, deceit - all the stuff that grown-ups trade in. Go to Full Review
Alan Scherstuhl Village Voice 05/25/2016
The Fallen Idol stands as one of the great films about looking, about perspective, about the way we watch and interpret not just film plots but each other. Go to Full Review
Michael Wilmington Chicago Tribune 08/25/2006
4/4
As a portrait of the sometime destructiveness of innocence and as a sharp fresco of post-war Britain, this movie is a little masterpiece, an idol that has never fallen. Go to Full Review
Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 02/14/2022
4/4
Although Reed's auteurism has been debated and doubted, The Fallen Idol underscores several recurrent motifs in his career. Go to Full Review
Mike Massie Gone With The Twins 08/05/2020
9/10
It's all quite moving and nerve-wracking - and believable. Go to Full Review
PJ Nabarro Patrick Nabarro 11/24/2018
4/5
One of the movies' great treatises on the projection and (ultimate) limitations of a child's inner-world. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Leo P Oct 13 Spoiled brat holds hostage everyone ,including the viewer, in this thrilling study of infantile universe. By telling lies he nearly manages to incriminate an innocent man, and when he finally reveals the truth, no one believes him anymore. See more J.A. W Jul 16 Most beautiful cinematography, perfect pacing and a brilliant adaptation of Greene's fascinating story. Set in the French embassy in London, it features a stellar performance from little Bobby Henery as the innocent young boy whose parents are both away, leaving him in the care of the English butler, (Ralph Richardson) and his cruel wife. Until recently I was only watching modern movies as I felt the old ones would be too full of outdated attitudes for my taste. I now realise that visual quality and great talent doesn't have a date stamp. See more Lawrence F 12/12/2024 What a terrific movie! The movie begins slowly then storms full speed ahead by the end. The pacing is deliberate and captivating. Initially it seemed like a comedy about a lonely child, but progressed into a suspenseful mode. The acting and dialogue were superb. Unusual story, screen play, and plot/character development. Highly recommend. See more Steve D 04/01/2024 Ok bur not worth the hype. See more Blobbo X @Blobbo 02/23/2023 Not a Hitchcock, but what is? Nicely done, and very well-acted by the young boy. See more charles d 12/28/2022 Carol Reed directed, but you'da thought it was Hitchcock. Terrific photography, top-flight acting. See more Read all reviews
The Fallen Idol

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Movie Info

Synopsis The young son of a diplomat, Phillipe (Bobby Henrey), often finds himself alone. To entertain the boy, the household butler, Baines (Ralph Richardson), creates adventurous stories of his past. As a result, Phillipe idolizes the servant, seeing him as a hero. But when Baines' wife (Sonia Dresdel) falls to her death, the police believe Baines was behind it. Phillipe, who witnessed the event, will do anything to protect the butler -- but he only makes things worse by doing so.
Director
Carol Reed
Producer
Carol Reed
Screenwriter
Graham Greene, Lesley Storm, William Templeton
Distributor
Selznick International Pictures, Criterion Collection
Production Co
London Film Production, British Lion Film Corporation
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 30, 1948, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Feb 10, 2006
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 18, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$58.1K
Runtime
1h 34m
Sound Mix
Mono