I will start out by admitting that I have not read any of G. K. Chesterton‘s Father Brown mystery books. So I cannot compare between the two media, nor can I tell you how similar the shows are to the mystery books.
The Father Brown television episodes star Kenneth More as the curate sleuth. He reminds me a lot of Joan Hickson’s Miss Marple. He is extremely observant, seems to fade into the background, and also is very inquisitive. Because of this Catholic priest’s ability to be over-looked, he is able to garner a lot of information which would normally not be shared by people – especially the culprits!
The Father Brown series takes place during the 1920s, and I found the production sets to be very believable. (Of course, I don’t know the era personally!) But, I must warn you, if you’re looking for the razzle-dazzle of today’s television productions, you will not be impressed. These shows seem to have been filmed using video tape rather than film. (I could be wrong about this, though.) I, on the other hand, am more interested in the acting and the actual mysteries… and this show does not fall short on either of these things.
Kenneth More makes these Father Brown mysteries a delight to watch. He portrays the curate as a slightly out-of-touch-with-reality individual, which of course makes people underestimate him. Father Brown’s sidekick is Hercule Flambeau (Dennis Burgess). Hercule isn’t involved in every case, but their paths seem to overlap quite a bit. Hercule is the more serious of the two and lacks the mischievousness playfulness and wink-at-the-audience attitude of Father Brown.
My husband and I have enjoyed the Father Brown television episodes… but, again, if you’re looking for today’s film productions, pass on these really good, Cozy Mystery shows.
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A few weeks ago, Alfred posted a great comment that I thought would be ideal to post during the week before Christmas. (Thanks, Alfred!) Here is Alfred’s comment: