The Fallen Idol
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Film
The Fallen Idol
1948United Kingdom
Selznick Releasing Organization [U.S. only]
Distribution company
Selznick Releasing Organization [U.S. only]
Distribution company
35mm nitrate master positive
Gift of Selznick Properties, Ltd.
2001.0038.0001
TextAbout the print
This print is part of the donation made to George Eastman House in 1999 by Daniel Selznick, son of David O. Selznick. It is complete, with very few splices and minimal scratches at the heads and tails of the reels. When this nitrate print arrived at the museum, it comprised six double reels. Due to our storage standards, it was returned to the original eleven 1,000-foot cans. Shrinkage: 0.75%.
About the film
“‘The Fallen Idol’ comes as close to completely satisfying entertainment as we have had, or are likely to have, this season. This British thriller, produced and directed by Carol Reed from Graham Greene’s short story, ‘The Basement Room,’ is a work of elegant watchmaking. It has style and perfect taste; it is admirably cast and impeccably directed; it never falters until just at the end, and by then you have been more richly diverted than you had any reason to expect from a movie.”
—Robert Hatch, The New Republic, November 21, 1949
“For not only has he got excitement of a most sharp and urbane sort in this film, but he has also got in it one of the keenest revelations of a child that we have ever seen on the screen. . . . It shrewdly and wittily reveals not only the deep charm of the youngster but the disconcertion of the elders whom he gulls. It is freighted with sly and salient humors, very tender understandings of humankind and some truly blood-tingling surprises that Mr. Reed has directed in brilliant style. Everyone knows that his camera is one of the most fluent in use today. In this film, it is also one of the smartest in the revelation of personality.”
—Bosley Crowther, The New York Times, November 16, 1949
Nitrate Picture Show program notes, May 2015
This print is part of the donation made to George Eastman House in 1999 by Daniel Selznick, son of David O. Selznick. It is complete, with very few splices and minimal scratches at the heads and tails of the reels. When this nitrate print arrived at the museum, it comprised six double reels. Due to our storage standards, it was returned to the original eleven 1,000-foot cans. Shrinkage: 0.75%.
About the film
“‘The Fallen Idol’ comes as close to completely satisfying entertainment as we have had, or are likely to have, this season. This British thriller, produced and directed by Carol Reed from Graham Greene’s short story, ‘The Basement Room,’ is a work of elegant watchmaking. It has style and perfect taste; it is admirably cast and impeccably directed; it never falters until just at the end, and by then you have been more richly diverted than you had any reason to expect from a movie.”
—Robert Hatch, The New Republic, November 21, 1949
“For not only has he got excitement of a most sharp and urbane sort in this film, but he has also got in it one of the keenest revelations of a child that we have ever seen on the screen. . . . It shrewdly and wittily reveals not only the deep charm of the youngster but the disconcertion of the elders whom he gulls. It is freighted with sly and salient humors, very tender understandings of humankind and some truly blood-tingling surprises that Mr. Reed has directed in brilliant style. Everyone knows that his camera is one of the most fluent in use today. In this film, it is also one of the smartest in the revelation of personality.”
—Bosley Crowther, The New York Times, November 16, 1949
Nitrate Picture Show program notes, May 2015
