[LastFilmIWatched]TheFallenIdol(1948)7.7/10

Thisisanimmemorialconundrumforamiddle-agedmarriedmaninourmonogamoussociety:whereashiswifebecomesmoreandmoreembitteredandinsufferable,outofastrokeofluck(ordesperation),hefindsapossiblenewleaseonlifewithayounger,beautifulwoman,thestrategyofbailingoutfromadead-endmarriageoftengoesawrywhenrunningafoulofamisery-needs-companyretaliationfromthedesertedandbegrudged.ThisiswhathappensinCarolReedx27;sTHEFALLENIDOL,adaptedbyGrahamGreenefromhisshortstoryTHEBASEMENTSTORY.InLondon,Mr.Baines(Richardson)isthebutleroftheambassadorofanunspecifiedfrancophonecountry,whosewife(Dresdel,snarky,fierceanduncompromisinglyobnoxious)alsoworksintheembassy,butheischastelyenamoredwithayoungercolleagueJulie(Morgan),whenthelattergentlyhandshimherultimatum,Mr.Bainesdecidestoreclaimhisfreedom,onlyMs.Baineisanythingbutasofttouch,shewillfighthercorneruntilherlastbreath,butisherfallingtoherdeathisanaccidentalwindfallforMr.Bainesorhiscrimeofpassion?Intheeyesofanaudience,thewholeactisplainasday,butthroughthelensofourmainsubject,ayoungboyPhilippe(Henrey),thesonoftheambassadorwhoisleftaloneinthepalatialresidence,Greene’smordanttalepointsupachild’sinnocencegettingembroideredwiththefalsehoodoftheadultlife,andwhoisthetitular“thefallenidol”?ItisMr.Baines,anavuncularfatherfiguretoPhilippeandentertainshimwithhistall-taleadventuresinAfrica,whichdoesn’tnecessarilymeanitistrue.AfterincidentallydiscoveringMr.Baines’assignationwithJulie,whomhereferstoPhilippeashisniece(thejumping-offplaceofaconcatenationoflieswhichwouldperniciouslycompoundPhilippe’sinchoateworldview),Philippeissubjectedtoanuntappedterritoryofkeepingsecrets,firstlyfromtheidolizedMr.Baines,thenfromaharpyMs.Baines,untilhehasbeencaughtbetweendefendingamurderer(atleastfromhisperspective,noonewouldblamehimforhisconviction)andgrapplingwiththehorrifichappenstance,although,thefilmdramaticallyblursthemorallinebydepictingMs.Bainesasanutterlyunpleasantcreature(sheistheonedispatchesPhilippe’spetsnake,anaptsymbolofthereptiliantreacheryamongadults),somuchsothatnooneissupposedtofeelsorryforherupshot,abroadstrokeemanatesaghostofmisogynyalbeitconvenientlyenhancingthecredibilityofPhilippe’sditheredreaction.Yetbyandlarge,thefilmisacrackingallegorytapsintoagreyareaandusheredbyaconvincinglyelicitedchildperformanceasourundividedfocalpointfromayoungHenrey,whoisnotexactlyanactingprodigyandtheendresultshouldbeequallyattributedtoMr.Reed’spatientguidanceaswellastothisboyx27;sexpressivereactionshots.RalphRichardson,establishinganimpermeableveneerofdecorousnessandpresenceofmindnonetheless,carefullycarriesanundertowofcravenlyhelplessnesswritslargeinthelatterpartbeforearushedrevelationsavingtheday.AsforMichèleMorgan,assvelteasanindubitableattention-grabber,herpartisthinlywrittenandlargelysidelined.AgainstthegrainofanarrestingBildungsroman,THEFALLENIDOLpotentlyaccentuatesReed’sdirectionalprowessandhisimpeccableknackofframecompositionandhandsomechiaroscuro,theshotsofanocturnalstreet-scapetellinglyanticipateshisdefiningpièce-de-résistanceTHETHIRDMAN(1949).Forallitsaestheticinclinationandprofoundperspicacity,whenPhilippeexasperatedlyhollersthatitishimwhoupsetthevase,onefeelsunabletorefrainfromthinkingthathereisasteptoofarofReed’sindoctrination,aconspiratorialcontemplationinsilencemighthaveworkedbetterunderthiscircumstance.referentialpoint:CarolReed’sTHETHIRDMAN(1949,8.3/10).本文版权归作者他他所有，任何形式转载请联系作者。