This movie, based on a short story by Graham Greene, was produced and directed by Carol Reed in 1948. It earned the British Film Academy award in the Best Film category in 1949.
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The French Ambassador in London leaves the embassy for the weekend and consigns his son Philipe to the care of his butler Baines. If Philippe likes Baines very much, he does not appreciate Mrs. Baines whose main task seems to be after him and to search out his small snake MacGregor that the young boy must carefully hide every night. When, in the afternoon, Philipe sees Baines leaving the house, he follows him and joins up with him in a coffee shop. Baines is in the company of Julie, an employee of the embassy, whom he presents to Philipe as his niece. Julie came to bid farewell to Baines because she does not see any future in their love affair. Back in the embassy, Baines requires of Philipe not to say anything to Mrs. Baines. However, Mrs. Baines skilfully questions Philipe and learns soon the infidelity of her husband. Then, she says to Mr. Baines that she must visit her sister and leaves the house.
Baines invites Julie to pass the evening and the night in the Embassy. In the company of Philipe, the two lovers pass one marvellous evening. However, Mrs. Baines had never left the house, waiting for the right moment to creep up on her husband. At midnight, she awakes Philipe and asks him to tell her where the two lovers are. Philipe refuses and Mrs. Baines hits him. After a quarrel with her husband, Mrs. Baines accidentally falls in the staircase and dies. Philipe, who believes that Mr. Baines killed his wife, runs away from the house and is picked by the police. Mr. Baines who does not want to imply Julie in the police investigation lies to the investigators and is soon suspected of having pushed his wife into the staircases.
The review of this Movie prepared by Daniel Staebler
