O Padre Brown Detective (1954)

Works of art are disappearing, stolen by a master thief, a master of disguise. Father Brown has two goals: to catch the thief and to save his soul.

Director:

Robert Hamer

Writers:

G.K. Chesterton (stories), Thelma Schnee (adaptation)

Stars:

Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood, Peter Finch

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alec Guinness	...	Father Brown
Joan Greenwood	...	Lady Warren
Peter Finch	...	Flambeau
Cecil Parker	...	The Bishop
Bernard Lee	...	Inspector Valentine
Sidney James	...	Parkinson
Gérard Oury	...	Inspector Dubois (as Gerard Oury)
Ernest Clark	...	Bishop's Secretary
Aubrey Woods	...	Charlie
John Salew	...	Station Sergeant
Sam Kydd	...	Scotland Yard Sergeant
John Horsley	...	Inspector Wilkins
Jack McNaughton	...	Railway Guard
Hugh Dempster	...	Man in Bowler Hat
Eugene Deckers	...	French Cavalry Officer

Storyline

Amateur detective Father Ignatius Brown defies his Bishop and decides to transport to Rome a holy relic from his church, a cross that once belonged to St. Augustin, rather than allow the more elaborate plans to proceed. On the channel crossing, he becomes suspicious of a fellow traveller, a Mr. Dobson, who Brown quickly determines is not the automobile salesman he claims to be. He does befriend another priest who he takes into his confidence, but soon realizes that his suspicions should have been reversed. The fake priest is in fact Gustave Flambeau, a professional art thief and an expert at disguise. After he gets away with the cross, Brown refuses to work with the police, insisting that he wants to save the man's soul, not put him in prison. With the assistance of his friend Lady Warren, Father Brown sets a trap for Flambeau, but Brown realizes that his work is only just beginning.

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Plot Keywords:

thief | bishop | channel crossing | master of disguise | detective | 

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Taglines:

Based on the FATHER BROWN Stories by G.K. Chesterton

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English French

Release Date:

10 June 1955 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

O Padre Brown Detective

Filming Locations:

Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Facet Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

St. Augustine, referred to in this movie, is not the famous Saint Augustine of Hippo, a bishop and theologian who lived in 4-5 century A.D. in the Roman province of Numidia, Africa, and of whom many viewers may have heard. This movie refers to St. Augustine of Canterbury, no less famous in England, who is known as "Apostle of the English". He was an abbot in Rome, and was commissioned by Pope Gregory the Great in 596 A.D. to lead a perilous mission to England with his monks to baptize the Anglo-Saxon tribes where the Church had lost its ground many years before that followed the withdrawal of Roman legions from Britain. After the first failed attempt to reach the channel, St. Augustine returned to Rome, and on the second attempt he and his monks finally reached England in 597 A.D. St. Augustine established his mission in Canterbury, Kent and became the first Bishop there, and the head of the local church.

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Goofs

In the stained-glass window behind the (catholic) bishop, there is a portrait of Henry VIII (second from left). Given that Henry was the first king to oppose the pope and separate the Church of England from the catholic church, his face would never be tolerated in this place.

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Quotes

Father Brown: I gambled the cross for the soul of Flambeau. I like to think St Augustine would agree with me.

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Connections

Version of Pater Brown (1966)

User Reviews

Respectful, funny religious comedy

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