Special Collections
Fallen Idol press book cover
The BFI's Special Collections department acquired scripts, scrapbooks and other papers relating to Carol Reed following his death in 1976. We would like to gratefully acknowledge the generosity of Lady Reed (formerly the actress Penelope Ward, who died in 1982) for making this donation.
The collection is held at the J. Paul Getty Conservation Centre in Berkhamsted and may be consulted for research purposes, upon request.
More information on our Special Collections.
Here are just some of items from the Carol Reed Collection that may be consulted on appointment with BFI Special Collections:
- A draft of an interview with Carol Reed conducted by E.G. Cousins in 1948, focusing on Reed's opinions on the future of British films.
- A 1957 memorandum from Carol Reed in which he gives his opinion of various film projects that had been proposed to him.
- Reed's handwritten notes for the story outline of Judy and Peter, one of his unrealised projects.
- Graham Greene's first treatment for The Fallen Idol, which was based on Greene's own novel The Basement Room.
- The Order of Service for Carol Reed's funeral on 3 rd May 1976, which opened with the Anton Karas' iconic zither music from The Third Man (1949).
- The complete original pressbook for The Fallen Idol (1948). [Cover pictured]
- The complete original pressbook for The Third Man (1949). [Cover]
