British Network Television
‘Father Brown’: S01.E08. “The Face of Death”
When Clarence Clifton is murdered at a charity treasure hunt, Professor Galloway believes he was the intended victim.
Lady Margaret Galloway (Stella Gonet) accidentally kills Daniel Walsh’s (Peter McNeil O’Connor) father in a road traffic accident. Daniel, angered that nothing is done to bring his father’s killer to justice, vows revenge on her and Professor Patrick Galloway (Stephen Boxer). People like Lady Margaret and her husband are in societal positions where they are seemingly untouchable by the long arm of the law.
When Captain Clarence Clifton (Mark Dexter) is found dead, because he was wearing the same mask as Professor Galloway, it is immediately suggested the killer might have struck the wrong target. Did Daniel mistake Captain Clifton for the professor?
The masks were employed as part of a treasure hunt the Galloways held on their estate. It was all fun and games until a dead body was discovered. Whilst Father Brown (Mark Williams) wasn’t initially interested in attending, when he learned from Lady Felicia Montague (Nancy Carroll) that Inspector Valentine (Hugo Speer) would be there, his attitude quickly changed. There is a friendly rivalry between Father Brown and Inspector Valentine that has been present on and off throughout this first series.
There is much going on throughout the episode which suggests Daniel is the killer. This is of course what the real killer would have Kembleford residents believe. Mrs Bridgette McCarthy (Sorcha Cusack) never willing to give anyone the benefit of the doubt, immediately jumps on the band wagon when the finger is pointed in Daniel’s direction.
Mrs McCarthy, throughout the first series, is frequently seen expressing her Christian values. Oddly, not that we shouldn’t expect it from someone like the parish secretary, those thoughts seem to ring hollow when her behaviour contradicts expressed beliefs.
Captain Clifton, as we saw before his death, was obviously a womaniser. There was a brief interaction between Captain Clifton and Lady Margaret that indicates there is something untoward going on which the professor might not appreciate.
Noting how he had his sights set on Lucia Galloway (Flora Spencer-Longhurst), recognising how jealous the captain is of Thomas Dillcot (Jack Baggs), Captain Clifton has her love interest fired. It didn’t escape Lady Margaret’s attention that Captain Clifton had an apparent sexual interest in her daughter.
Professor Galloway, fearing his wife could be Daniel’s next target, has Sidney “Sid” Carter (Alex Price) guard the house. Despite Sid standing guard at the front entrance and Father Brown wondering around the grounds looking for clues, Lady Margaret is soon found dead. The number nine, written on the pillow next to Lady Margaret, was in her blood. What could the number nine point towards?
When Father Brown discovers Daniel’s body, the suspected killer had been dead for days. There is no way he could have been responsible for murdering either Captain Clifton or Lady Margaret. Professor Galloway happens upon Father Brown shortly after Daniel’s body was discovered. The Catholic priest is able to put together the puzzle pieces as he sees them.
The real murderer is Professor Galloway. The nine Lady Margaret wrote on the pillow was supposed to have been a “P.” The professor had killed both Captain Clifton and Lady Margaret because of their shared sexual exploits.
In a battle of wills, after Father Brown details how the professor executed the crimes, Professor Galloway comes close to killing the Catholic priest. Lucia, carrying a large boulder, knocks her father out before he can commit a third murder.
It turns out that the road traffic accident Lady Margaret was involved in during the episode’s opening scenes was indeed an accident. Lady Margaret was apparently so uncoordinated that she didn’t know her left from her right. She mistook the accelerator for the break and stepped on the wrong peddle.