FILM · 1948 · UK
The Fallen Idol
20 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (20)
- #001
Despite Phillipe's (Bobby Henrey) hatred of Mrs. Baines, the person Henrey liked most on set was Sonia Dresdel, the actress who played her.
- #002
Sir Carol Reed used every trick to get the results he wanted. In the opening scene, where Phillipe (Bobby Henrey) is meant to look with love and concern over the scarecrow at Baines (Sir Ralph Richardson), Reed had a magician perform off-camera for Henrey to get the facial expression he needed.
- #003
Because Bobby Henrey was not used to working with other actors, Sir Carol Reed had to shoot him first in reaction shots. He also had to keep the boy's dialogue in small pieces, so the film was planned with very heavy cutting. Its total running time of one hour and thirty-five minutes contains more than a thousand edits.
- #004
Bobby Henrey's mother, Madeleine Gal Henrey, eventually appeared briefly as Phillipe's mother.
- #005
To protect Bobby Henrey from the adult themes and plot, including adultery and a violent death, much of the story was hidden from him. Initially Sir Carol Reed had Bobby perform only the basic actions required for each scene. Gradually he told him more about what was happening, and halfway through Bobby was given the script to read.
- #006
As an adult, Bobby Henrey could offer no explanation for his much-praised performance, saying only that he remembered it as a magical experience.
- #007
Sir Carol Reed worked closely with the sound team to pay particular attention to what was heard on screen. They managed to stay close to the child's point of view by muting some of what the adults said, as if it had been barely heard (and therefore misinterpreted) by the child.
- #008
Between constantly observing and coaching Bobby Henrey and all his other directing duties, Sir Carol Reed worked sixteen hours a day and talked so much that he developed laryngitis.
- #009
Although producer and director Sir Carol Reed had an outstanding record of working with young actors, he found Bobby Henrey's short attention span very difficult to handle. Many of his scenes were shot with the boy looking at his favorite grip or at the electrician, and his performance was assembled in the editing room.
- #010
In the scenes where Phillipe (Bobby Henrey) is shown in close-up beside Baines (Sir Ralph Richardson), whose face is not seen in the shot, the man walking or standing next to him was producer and director Sir Carol Reed.
- #011
Filming took place at Shepperton Studios, which executive producer Alexander Korda had recently bought, and in a large house at 13 Belgrave Square owned by the British Red Cross and St. John Ambulance, which was pleased that the company painted the exterior and repaired all the windows. Apart from the scenes shot at London Zoo, the other locations used were in the same neighborhood.
- #012
Sir Ralph Richardson was producer and director Sir Carol Reed's only choice for the role of Baines.
- #013
Although Bobby Henrey had no experience, Sir Carol Reed was pleased with his screen test and felt he could work well with him. Bobby was intelligent and had a French accent that suited the role very well. He was also an only child, which meant he could get along well with adults. The only problem Reed saw was that the boy had a black fingernail from using a hammer. Reed told Mrs. Henrey not to let the boy play with hammers, and also to encourage him to keep his accent and, above all, not to grow any more until shooting was finished. A nanny was assigned to look after Henrey.
- #014
Bobby Henrey received one thousand pounds for his work, on the condition that he would get an extra hundred pounds a week if filming was not completed within ten weeks.
- #015
Screenwriter Graham Greene was not on set during the production. Two writers, Lesley Storm and William Templeton, were hired for additional dialogue when needed.
- #016
In 1949 it was the only film nominated for the Oscar for Best Director rather than Best Picture.
- #017
This film is part of spine number 357 of the Criterion Collection.
- #018
The pub where Phillipe goes to look for Baines and is quickly warned not to go in because of his age (how times have changed) is The Star Tavern in Belgravia.
- #019
This film has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 35 critics' reviews.
- #020
Ralph Richardson and Dandy Nichols were set to appear together in the London production of David Storey's play Home and in its television adaptation, Home (1972).
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