Father Brown, on La7 the series on the investigator in cassock, like Don Matteo

Father Brownthe series

Produced by BBC One, Father Brown (which in Italian has become Father Brown), aired for the first time at the beginning of 2013. The first two seasons, gradually, were added others. The latest is the ninth, which aired in the UK last January and is still unreleased in Italy.

The tenth and final episode of this last season, entitled The red deathis the 100th in the series: a special set during the New Year celebrations.

“It’s an incredible achievement to get to 100 episodes,” said series executive producer Will Trotter with all his satisfaction. Satisfaction more than justified because the series has been sold by the BBC in over 150 countries around the world, including Italy.

A magician in a cassock

Mark Williams has played Father Brown since the first season of the series. Even if they weren’t used to seeing him in a cassock, fans of the saga of Harry Potter they did not struggle to recognize one of their favorites. Behind the features of the priest capable of astute observations put at the service of his investigative acumen, in fact, lies the same actor who was Arthur Weasley, employee of the Ministry of Magic and father of Ron, the best friend of the famous wizard.

From paper to screen

The character of Father Brown was born from the pen of Gilbert Keith Chesterton who in 1911 began to tell the stories of this Roman Catholic priest in The blue cross, story published in a magazine. In the same year Chesterton collects The blue cross and 11 other stories in the collection Father Brown’s innocencethe first of 5 published from 1911 to 1935.

What makes Father Brown a well-rounded character is not only his intuition refined through years of listening inside the confessional, but also his humanity and the propensity to redeem the murderer on duty. A bit like he did “ours” for 13 seasons Don Matteo.

A free transposition

The stories transposed onto the screen, however, are loosely drawn from Chesterston’s tales. First of all, because they have been moved forward in time: from the early twentieth century to the 1950s, immediately after the Second World War. Then because characters move around him who have a different weight than those in the stories. He does not have the same centrality, for example, Hercule Flambeau (who in the series has the face of John Light), the Gascon thief who, redeemed by Father Brown, becomes a private investigator.

The characters of the series Father Brown

In the small world of Father Brown there are so many characters. Starting with Bridget McCarthy who is the secretary and superfine cook of the parish priest. Her propensity for gossip is useful to Father Brown in learning about everything that happens in Kembleford. To help the priest in the investigation (at least until the fifth season) is Lady Felicia Montague. Acting as a driver for the latter, on the recommendation of Father Brown, is the former swindler Sid Carter whom the prelate wants to keep out of trouble.

And then there are the various cops whose Father Brown steals the show in the various seasons: Inspector Valentine in the first, Inspector Sullivan in the second and third (now on air), and Inspector Mallory who debuts in the fourth.

The interpretation of Renato Rascel

The BBC series by Rachel Flowerday and Tahsin Guner is not the first and probably will not be the last product for the small screen based on Chesterton’s short stories. As early as 1974 there was a television adaptation starring Kenneth More. Even earlier, in 1970, to give Father Brown’s face was Renato Rascel in the drama (at the time the series were called that), The tales of Father Brown. In the 6 episodes, you start with The blue crossthe role of Flambeau was by Arnoldo Foà.

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