"The Informer" is a drama set in Dublin in 1922 - the year after the end of the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921). The war was fought between the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and British forces. From 1922 on, the IRA went underground and became an insurgent organization for decades into the future. The movie is based on a 1925 novel of the same title by Liam O'Flaherty.
Victor McLaglen plays Gypo Nolan, who had been kicked out of the IRA. The times are hard with many people out of work. That includes Gypo and his girlfriend, Katie Madden, who can't pay her rent or buy food. Victor sees a travel poster in a store window. It advertises the ship fare to America as only 10-pounds. For 20-pounds, one could go in comfort. And, Gypo also sees and is tempted by a poster offering 20 pounds for information about Frankie McPhillip. He is a friend of Gypo's who is wanted for murder.
Gypo gives in, goes to the police and tells them that they can find Frankie visiting his mother. They raid the house and kill Frankie. Members of the IRA are sure someone informed and they set about to find the informer. Gypo accuses an elderly tailor with a cock and bull story. But then, as he's tormented some for having betrayed his friend, he goes to a pub and starts drinking. Before long, a fair-weather chum, Tommy Connor, latches on to him and Gypo buys drinks for everyone. He then sets out on a spree, goaded on by Tommy, drinking, raising cane and spending most of his 20 pounds.
One would like to sympathize with Gypo, but he falsely fingers another man as the informer. If anything, this film shows that a person who's drunk will often do things he or she wouldn't do sober or otherwise. Gypo is hauled before an underground IRA court and with more denial and attempts to finger Peter Mulligan, he finally confesses.
The film has some dramatic last scenes of Gypo with Katie, Katie with Frankie's sister, Mary, and with Frankie's mother in the church. "The Informer" won four Oscars at the Academy Awards, including best actor for McLaglen and best director for John Ford. In 2018 the Library of Congress picked the film for preservation in the National Film Registry.
McLaglen gives a good performance and beat out three nominees for the best actor Oscar who were in "Mutiny on the Bounty." Two prominent supporting actors of the day have good roles -- Donald Meek and Una O'Connor. But after watching this film again recently, I could see why another film hasn't been made centered around a sot. In about 80 percent of this film, McLaglen's Gypo is drunk. He staggers, swoons, bellows, pounds tables, pushes people, etc. He had the right physique and appearance, and acting ability, to be able to pull that role off. I doubt if anyone else could - then or since then. But I wouldn't be inclined to sit through another film in which the main character is the focus and acts drunk most of the time. Probably, few other people would either - and that's most likely why this film hasn't been made again.
I'm not sure how much this film would appeal to most audiences today. It does give a somewhat historical picture of early 1920s Ireland and the social conditions there.
Victor McLaglen plays Gypo Nolan, who had been kicked out of the IRA. The times are hard with many people out of work. That includes Gypo and his girlfriend, Katie Madden, who can't pay her rent or buy food. Victor sees a travel poster in a store window. It advertises the ship fare to America as only 10-pounds. For 20-pounds, one could go in comfort. And, Gypo also sees and is tempted by a poster offering 20 pounds for information about Frankie McPhillip. He is a friend of Gypo's who is wanted for murder.
Gypo gives in, goes to the police and tells them that they can find Frankie visiting his mother. They raid the house and kill Frankie. Members of the IRA are sure someone informed and they set about to find the informer. Gypo accuses an elderly tailor with a cock and bull story. But then, as he's tormented some for having betrayed his friend, he goes to a pub and starts drinking. Before long, a fair-weather chum, Tommy Connor, latches on to him and Gypo buys drinks for everyone. He then sets out on a spree, goaded on by Tommy, drinking, raising cane and spending most of his 20 pounds.
One would like to sympathize with Gypo, but he falsely fingers another man as the informer. If anything, this film shows that a person who's drunk will often do things he or she wouldn't do sober or otherwise. Gypo is hauled before an underground IRA court and with more denial and attempts to finger Peter Mulligan, he finally confesses.
The film has some dramatic last scenes of Gypo with Katie, Katie with Frankie's sister, Mary, and with Frankie's mother in the church. "The Informer" won four Oscars at the Academy Awards, including best actor for McLaglen and best director for John Ford. In 2018 the Library of Congress picked the film for preservation in the National Film Registry.
McLaglen gives a good performance and beat out three nominees for the best actor Oscar who were in "Mutiny on the Bounty." Two prominent supporting actors of the day have good roles -- Donald Meek and Una O'Connor. But after watching this film again recently, I could see why another film hasn't been made centered around a sot. In about 80 percent of this film, McLaglen's Gypo is drunk. He staggers, swoons, bellows, pounds tables, pushes people, etc. He had the right physique and appearance, and acting ability, to be able to pull that role off. I doubt if anyone else could - then or since then. But I wouldn't be inclined to sit through another film in which the main character is the focus and acts drunk most of the time. Probably, few other people would either - and that's most likely why this film hasn't been made again.
I'm not sure how much this film would appeal to most audiences today. It does give a somewhat historical picture of early 1920s Ireland and the social conditions there.