A diplomat's young son has the run of the entire embassy, with only a jovial butler and his shrewish, maid wife to keep an eye on him. When the maid has a fatal accident shortly after discovering her husband's liaison with a younger woman, the boy has confused feelings towards his seemingly guilty hero during the course of the police inquest. Just before collaborating together on the singular masterpiece The Third Man, Carol Reed directed an adaptation of Graham Greene's short story The Basement Room known as The Fallen Idol, both an erudite take on childhood and a top shelf thriller that makes excellent use of point of view. The film features an excellent performance from Ralph Richardson, a nicely tuned juvenile one from Bobby Henrey, and more great high angle photography from Reed.
