Father Brown aka The Detective (1954)

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.

Following his outstanding work at Ealing, Father Brown is a surprisingly lightweight addition to Alec Guinness' resume. Yet he 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. With the potential to be a masterpiece it is merely a diversion, as entertaining a diversion as that may be. Everyone involved has made better movies, but Father Brown 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.