The Informer is second only to The Grapes of Wrath in the canon of John Ford films. It is a masterpiece and one of the best films of the 30's. Ford had wanted to make the film for years but his studio, RKO, refused to finance it, thinking it uncommercial. After seveal box-office hits, they relented, but granted him only a small budget. The resulting film was a surprise critical and commerical smash, cemeting Ford's reputation as one of Hollywood's greatest.
It is Dublin in 1922, at the height of the first Anglo-Irish conflict. Gypo Nolan (Victor McLaughlan), a large, stupid man, has been expelled from the IRA after he was unable to bring himself to kill a British soldier. Penniless, he wanders the streets, taking solace with his quasi-girlfriend Katie (Margot Grahame), a prostitue. He is surprised when his friend Frankie McPhillip (Wallace Ford) returns to Dublin to visit his mother and sister even though he is wanted by the British. In a moment of temptation, Gypo betrays Frankie to the British for twenty pounds. Consumed with guilt, he begins to drink, enjoying the few hours he has until both his guilt and the IRA catch up to him.
Few movies are this good at developing a sense of location and atmosphere- the movie just plain feels like the downtrodden and political troubled Dublin. The movie is consistantly compelling dispite the fact is has a very simple story- it could have been a silent movie. Gypo is a very believable and well developed character. We feel for him despite his treachery and stupidity, especially as he makes dumb decision after dumb deceion.
Ford also never falls into the trap of Irish stereotypes while at the same time making the movie very, very Irish. The almost all American cast do an examplery job with the accents (except for Preston Foster as the IRA commader, who doesn't even try). McLauglan deservedly won an Oscar for his portrayl of Gypo.
Looking back on this review, it seems like I havn't said very much, and maybe I havn't, but this is one of thise movies like Aguiree that is immune to long descriptions and analisis. It is an experince to felt, not thought, and it was one that every lover of cinema should see.
The Informer (1935)