The Informer is a John Ford film that suffers in comparison with his later works. This 1935 dramatic film, released by RKO was a painful episode for him and he, in later years was quite dismissive about it. (After a dismal preview–Ford was so devastated he left the theater and threw up–it looked as if the film would be consigned to a limited release and then forgotten). THE INFORMER was the surprise hit of the season for the struggling studio. This film was emotional in tone that gave way for a fine austere style Ford later cultivated. But THE INFORMER warrants our attention as one of Ford’s most emphatic and personal works (He came of Irish stock.) dealing with a painful subject: the Troubles following Easter Uprising of 1916 in Dublin.
The Informer is set in 1922, the period of the Black and Tans, when murder gangs from both sides went on with murders that were called ‘reprisals.’ The year Michael Collins would be waylaid and eliminated by one of his own people. The film works against this backdrop, on a much smaller canvas where an individual gets his comeuppance. It stars Victor McLaglen, Heather Angel, Preston Foster, Margot Grahame, Wallace Ford, Una O’Connor and J.M. Kerrigan.
The screenplay was written by Dudley Nichols from the novel of the same name by Liam O’Flaherty. It is about an oaf, but well-meaning Irishman, Gypo Nolan (Victor McLaglen), who informs on his best friend Frankie McPhillip (Wallace Ford) who is a member of the Irish Republican Army. At a time when lives of ordinary citizens in Dublin were not worth the bullet that could get them in the dark, Gypo must have been tempted. He has been ousted from the rebel organization and is starving. When he finds that his equally destitute sweetheart Katie has been reduced to prostitution, he takes his chance and betrays his former comrade, in order to collect the reward of £20. He hopes to sail to America with his girlfriend Katie Madden (Margot Grahame). The film traces his conscience-stricken emotional disintegration that eventually leads him to give himself away. That final act of retribution does come on a gloomy, foggy night. (Owing to the film’s low budget–shot in three weeks at $250,000, Ford had his scene designers, Van Nest Polgalse and Charles Kirk, “fog in” the set to mask the cheap painted backdrops and structures. So thickly does the fog blanket this cinematic Dublin that the film becomes a murky, atmospheric maze, perfectly symbolizing the state of mind of the ordinary blokes, rebels, politicians alike. An individual like Gypo Nolan could not equate ethics for his individual case. But when a politician like Eamon de Valera confuse over ethics and politics the loser would be Michael Collins and IRA. (No retribution did visit Eamon for his role or for his politics.)
‘As the lumbering Gypo Nolan, Ford cast the action star Victor McLaglen in a performance that used McLaglen’s own bulk and hamminess to create one of the sound cinema’s first authentic anti-heros. A one-time vaudeville and circus performer as well as a lesser prizefighter, McLaglen had also been one of the ‘Great White Hopes’ sent in to stop Black champion Jack Johnson. McLaglen lost in six rounds. As Gypo, McLaglen is a winner. His improvised dialogue in the trial sequence is high-key, and well-tuned to the desperation and suspense of the moment. McLaglen’s Oscar for best actor that year was well-earned. By the end of the shoot he was jittery and exhausted from the emotional demands an uncompromising Ford had placed on him’. — Kevin Hagopian, Penn State University
Trivia: Joseph P. Kennedy, a major investor in RKO’s parent company, had urged the project on Ford. In the middle of shooting, Kennedy left and the film was suddenly in a dilemma. What to do with a film that didn’t seem right? The film was briefly shut down, and then moved to a virtually abandoned sound stage. It was largely due to Richard Watts, critic, of the New York Herald Tribune who convinced the studio boss Merian C. Cooper that the film was worth the money. With a new campaign strategy it was shown the film was adapted from a serious novel, and it worked.
Perhaps the story is apocryphal but worth repeating here: when the studio boss faulted Ford for being behind the schedule the filmmaker in full view of cast and crew tore out 8 pages of the script, saying quietly, “There. We’re back on schedule now”.
The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. McLaglen won the Academy Award for Best Leading Actor for his portrayal of Gypo Nolan, beating out Charles Laughton and Clark Gable for the better-remembered Mutiny on the Bounty, and Ford won for Best Director. Dudley Nichols won the Oscar for Best Writing, but turned it down because of Union disagreements. It was the first time an Oscar was declined.
The film’s other awards & nominations;
* NBR – Best Picture
* New York Film Critics Circle Awards – Best Film and Best Director
* Venice Film Festival – John Ford nominated for Mussolini Cup
A presentation copy of the script was recently found in a garbage pile in Madison, Wisconsin, and brought on to the show Antiques Roadshow. It was appraised for about $4,000.
Cast
* Victor McLaglen – Gypo Nolan
* Heather Angel – Mary McPhillip
* Preston Foster – Dan Gallagher
* Margot Grahame – Katie Madden
* Wallace Ford – Frankie McPhillip
* Una O’Connor – Mrs. McPhillip
* J. M. Kerrigan – Terry
* Joe Sawyer – Bartly Mulholland (as Joseph Sauers)
* Neil Fitzgerald – Tommy Connor
* Donald Meek – Peter Mulligan
* D’Arcy Corrigan – The Blind Man
* Leo McCabe – Donahue
* Steve Pendleton – Dennis Daly (as Gaylord Pendleton)
* Francis Ford – “Judge” Flynn
* May Boley – Madame Betty
Directed by John Ford
Produced by John Ford
Written by Dudley Nichols
Music by Max Steiner
Cinematography Joseph H. August
Editing by George Hively
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
Running time 91 min.
Memorable Quotes:
Terry: [realizing Gypo's stuck him with the bill as an angry bouncer glowers at him] Oh dear, oh dear. I have a queer feelin’ there’s going to be a strange face in heaven in the mornin’.
Katie Madden: Ah, Gypo, what’s the use? I’m hungry, and I can’t pay my room rent. Have you the price of a flop on you?
Gypo Nolan: No.
Katie Madden: What’s the use? Ah. don’t look at me like that, Gypo! You’re all I got! You’re the only one. You know that. But what chance do we have to escape? Money! Some people have all the luck!
[Indicating the ad in the travel agency window]
Katie Madden: Look at that thing handing us the ha-ha! Ten pounds to America! Twenty pounds and the world is ours?
Gypo Nolan: What are you saying that for?
Gypo Nolan: And now the British think I’m with the Irish, and the Irish think I’m with the British. The long and short of it is I’m walkin’ around without a dog to lick my trousers!
Frankie McPhillip: Up the rebels!
Katie Madden: Gypo, where did you get that money? Look at it, and not an hour ago you hadn’t a penny to warm your pocket. Did someone die and leave you a pot of gold?
Gypo Nolan: Why are you sayin’ that for?
Katie Madden: Well, did you rob a church or what?
Gypo Nolan: [loudly at Frankie's wake] I’m sorry for your trouble, Mrs. McPhillip!
Bartly Mulholland: What are you shoutin’ for? Don’t you know there’s a wake goin’ on? (ack: allmovie,wikipedia)
compiler:benny
