Keeping Secrets

Carol Reed’s rendition of Graham Greene’s The Basement Room keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. In The Fallen Idol, the young Phillipe wishes to enjoy his weekend with his friend and butler, Mr. Baines, while his diplomat parents are away on business. We immediately see that Phillipe completely trusts Baines and their relationship transcends that of a butler and a young boy. Baines tells Phile about his exotic adventures in Africa and the stories clearly have a big influence on Phile, indicated by his obsession with snakes and other wild animals. However, the fabricated tales from Africa almost land Baines in jail when his wife falls to her death. Phile, trying to protect Baines from the police, keeps on lying during questioning and the detectives suspect Baines of murder. Baines was the one that said a few lies never hurt anyone and his dishonest character nearly brings about his own downfall.

We see a dramatic change in character in Baines when he is with his lover, Julie. Typically, Baines would be tending to all of Phillipe’s needs and constantly entertaining him. But when he takes the young boy to the zoo to rendezvous with Julie, he seems to forget about his duty to Phillipe. Phillipe cries out for Baines several times during his time at the zoo, but when the camera shows a shot of the butler, he is always engaged in a conversation with Julie, paying no attention to Phile’s exclamations. Right before leaving, Baines is suddenly startled because he does not know where Phillipe went. He jerks his head and starts frantically looking around but Julie calms him down by simply pointing to Phillipe who is sitting on a bench and feeding birds. Undoubtedly, Phile is upset when his best friend neglects him in the zoo. Perhaps Phile switches his allegiance to Mrs. Baines and keeps her secret because he notices the difference in Baines’ behavior when he is with Julie and does not approve of the impact she has on him.

The most obvious theme in The Fallen Idol is that of loyalty and betrayal. Baines’ loves affair is the most apparent betrayal in the film. But the essence of story revolves around Phillipe’s struggle to understand loyalty and betrayal. His attempts at loyalty to Baines backfire and rouse suspicion in the police investigators. Baines teaches Phile that it is imperative to keep secrets even when they are from someone he does not like (Mrs. Baines). During the interrogations, the truth gets muddled because both Baines and Phile are lying to the police and further incriminating Baines. The imagery of snakes is prevalent throughout the film to emphasize the idea of deception and betrayal. By the end of the film, Phillipe sees the world for what is, full of lies and secrets, and loses much of his innocence. He realizes that the Baines he knew was only a façade, a story built on deceit and falsehoods. Phile witnesses Baines being stripped of that façade and the man that is left is no longer a role model, hence the title: The Fallen Idol.