The Detective

I really enjoyed this film, "Father Brown" or "The Detective" from 1954 starring Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood, Peter Finch, and Cecil Parker.

Based on the G. K. Chesterton character, Guinness playss Father Brown as somewhat dotty, the owner of a St. Augustine cross which is traveling to a religious convention. However, there are fears that the great criminal Flambeau (Finch) will try to steal it.

Brown wraps up several packages to bring along so no one will know which is the cross. Alas, the cross is stolen by Flambeau, whom Brown spots although he is in disguise. He decides that he wants the cross back but that he also wants to save Flambeau's soul and encourage him to return everything he's stolen.

He enlists the help of lovely Joan Greenwood to put a beautiful chess set for auction, hoping to entice Flambeau to steal it. Things take a turn from there.

Very enjoyable, with a very sweet ending.

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

A cross is stolen from Father Brown's (Alec Guinness) church by master of disguise criminal genius Flambeau (Peter Finch) so amateur detective Brown seeks him out to try and get it back and save Flambeau's soul at the same time.

Jolly little piece of whimsical fluff from the Ealing school with Guinness perhaps a little more indulgent in his characterisation than usual. This doesn't distract though and it all makes for a pleasant enough bit of afternoon matinee viewing including a few solid laughs. Finch impresses as the worldly wise but rather sadly misguided thief with English stalwarts Sid James, Joan Greenwood and Bernard Lee providing solid support.

The police find a man dressed as a priest with his hands in a safe. They arrest him but he turns out to be Father Brown (Alec Guinness) who was returning the money stolen by a parishioner. The church is sending the Holy Cross of Saint Augustine to the Eucharistic Congress in Rome. The police tell them that elusive thief Flambeau is after the priceless artifact like the many treasures he has stolen in the last 10 years. Nobody knows what the master of disguise actually looks like. Father Brown determines that the police would be easy targets for Flambeau and transports the Cross himself. Eventually he is alone with Flambeau as intended and he tries to reform him. Flambeau refuses and escapes with the Cross. Despite the disappointment, he tries to entice Flambeau again with the help of Lady Warren.

Alec Guinness is great as Father Brown. It's a great character and Guinness is magnificent playing him. It's a fun mystery for awhile until Flambeau is revealed. Then it repeats again and again for Father Brown. It's fun to watch him in a caper to catch Flambeau. It's less fun to watch him try to convert Flambeau. Guinness always tries to keep his character light and fun.

I'm old enough to have seen this film on its release in the cinemas, and, whilst it's not easy to think of a film these days being a success unless millions have been spent on it, this film hung on two superlative performances from Alec Guinness and Peter Finch and the screenplay was worth two of anything you'd hear today. So why, I ask, has it not been released on DVD for a new generation to enjoy? Is it thought too dated? Not exciting enough? Too cerebral? Not a bit of it. It's a thoroughly enjoyable film with moments of high tension and a supporting cast rich in character (including Bernard Lee who was the first M in the Bond films)