Before Columbo cocked his head and Poirot polished his mustache, there was Father Brown — the mild-mannered priest whose cassock concealed a razor-sharp intellect. Walter Connolly embodied G.K. Chesterton‘s beloved character in this brisk Paramount production. Father Brown, Detective remains an underseen gem, a 68-minute mystery that punches above its B-picture weight through efficient direction, elegant cinematography, and Connolly’s wonderfully droll performance. Released in 1934 as the Production Code tightened its grip, the film represents Hollywood’s transitional moment—one foot in Pre-Code looseness, one in the sanitized era ahead. 

When notorious jewel thief Flambeau (Paul Lukas, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea) announces his intention to steal diamonds from a cross in Father Brown’s church, the crime-solving cleric doesn’t summon Scotland Yard—he engages in a battle for Flambeau’s soul. After a staged automobile accident brings Flambeau to the parish, Father Brown must outwit the charming rogue while saving both the Flying Stars diamonds and Flambeau’s redemption. As the thief’s feelings for the lovely Evelyn Fischer (Gertrude Michael, I’m No Angel) complicate his plans, Brown uses his understanding of human nature to achieve what the law cannot, walking toward it like a man who knows grace comes after understanding.

Edward Sedgwick directs with surprising visual flair for a B-programmer. Having honed his craft in comedy and mystery, Sedgwick captures Chesterton’s wry humor while criminally underrated cinematographer Theodor Sparkuhl and art directors Hans Dreier and Robert Usher give the production a fluid, expressive quality rare for 1934 mysteries. The camera moves with purpose, compositions breathe, and the visual storytelling elevates Henry Myers and C. Gardner Sullivan‘s tight adaptation of “The Blue Cross.”

Connolly seizes his rare leading role with both hands, delivering one of his finest performances as the intuitive priest. Character actors rarely got such opportunities to step into the spotlight, making this showcase especially valuable. Lukas radiates roguish charm as Flambeau, demonstrating why he’d upset Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca at the Oscars for his performance in Watch on the Rhine. Michael, fresh from singing “Sweet Marijuana” in Murder at the Vanities, brings decent depth to Evelyn despite the role’s limitations. Robert Loraine, Halliwell Hobbes, and Una O’Connor round out a solid supporting cast.

Kino’s Blu-ray presents the film in its original 1.37:1 aspect ratio with remarkable care. Gray scale, fine details, and film grain appear faithfully represented despite minor instances of scratches and dirt—inherent to source materials this old. The original NRA tag and MPAA seal remain intact. The dual mono 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio track similarly impresses, clearly presenting dialogue and the brief score (including Franz Schubert and George Frideric Handel) with only minor period-appropriate distortion. This is likely the best the film will ever look or sound on home video.

Professor Jason A. Ney’s commentary enriches the experience, exploring production history, differences from Chesterton’s source, and the fascinating conjunction between the Production Code’s implementation and the New Deal that frames this release.

Father Brown, Detective has languished too long in obscurity, overshadowed by more famous adaptations.  A 1954 adaptation starred Alec Guinness, in 1979 he was played by Barnard Hughes, and by 2013 Mark Williams was holding the role. This elegant, efficient mystery deserves reappraisal as an underrated Paramount production showcasing fine craftsmanship and Connolly’s understated brilliance.