The Informer (1935)

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

Dudley Nichols (screen play)
Liam O'Flaherty (from the story by)

Release Date:

10 July 1935 (Argentina)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In 1922, an Irish rebel informs on his friend, then feels doom closing in.

Plot Keywords:

Comrades | Reward | Whiskey | Black And Tan | Remake

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 3 nominations

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
Grizelda Harvey	...	English Girl
Denis O'Dea	...	Street Singer (as Dennis O'Dea)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Baker	...	Small Role (uncredited)
Barlowe Borland	...	Man at Wake (uncredited)
Eddy Chandler	...	House Patron (uncredited)
Clyde Cook	...	Flash Patron (uncredited)
Earle Foxe	...	British Officer (uncredited)
Frank Hagney	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	British Officer (uncredited)
Robert Homans	...	Detractor (uncredited)
Cornelius Keefe	...	House Patron (uncredited)
Frank Marlowe	...	Admirer (uncredited)
Arthur McLaglen	...	Man (uncredited)
Frank Moran	...	McCabe - Bouncer (uncredited)
Pat Moriarity	...	Admirer (uncredited)
Jack Mulhall	...	Man at Wake (uncredited)
James Murray	...	Bit (uncredited)
Anne O'Neal	...	Singer (uncredited)
Robert Parrish	...	Young Soldier (uncredited)
Bob Perry	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Pat Somerset	...	British Officer (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook	...	Admirer (uncredited)

Directed by
John Ford

Writing credits
Dudley Nichols		(screen play)
Liam O'Flaherty		(from the story by)

Produced by
Cliff Reid	....	associate producer
John Ford	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Max Steiner		(music by)

Cinematography by
Joseph H. August		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
George Hively		(edited by)

Art Direction by
Van Nest Polglase

Set Decoration by
Julia Heron		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Walter Plunkett		(costumes by)

Makeup Department
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Edward Donahue	....	first assistant director (uncredited)
Edward O'Fearna	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Charles M. Kirk	....	associate art director (as Charles Kirk)

Sound Department
Hugh McDowell Jr.	....	recordist
Robert Wise	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Harry Redmond Jr.	....	special effects (uncredited)
Harry Redmond Sr.	....	special effects supervisor (uncredited)

Stunts
Gil Perkins	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Burnett Guffey	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Robert Parrish	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Maurice De Packh	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Bernhard Kaun	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
S. Barret McCormick	....	press agent (uncredited)
Elizabeth McGaffey	....	research (uncredited)

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures (present: A John Ford Production) (as Radio Pictures)

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1935) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Radio Picture)
• RKO Radio Films (1935) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures Argentina (1935) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1936) (France) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1947) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Express Film (1954) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (re-release)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1955) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• Fox Hills Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Nostalgia Merchant, The (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Turner Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Emerald (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Emerald (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• RKO Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Silver Screen (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• UCLA Film and Television Archive  preserved by: in cooperation with Turner Entertainment Co.
• YCA Laboratories  laboratory services (as YCA)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (original rating) (1935) | Finland:K-16 (re-rating) (1935) | West Germany:12 (f) | Australia:PG | Netherlands:18 (re-rating) (1954) | Netherlands:18 (original rating) (1935) | Argentina:Atp (re-rating) (2006) | USA:Approved (PCA #734) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Argentina:16 (original rating) (1935) | Sweden:15

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on July 10, 1944 with Wallace Ford reprising his film role.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Frankie McPhillip tells his mother he travelled to her house via O'Connell Street. In 1922, the year the movie is set, O'Connell Street was still offically called Sackville Street, but the Irish Home Rule Party had unsuccessfully attempted to change it to "O'Connell Street" prior to this and this name was commonly used by nationalist Dubliners.

Quotes:

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?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Black Mirror (2004) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms

Masterpiece; one of John Ford's best films

Gypo Nolan (Victor McLaglen) is as poor as anyone on Earth. Living in 1920s Ireland, Gypo and his fellow Irishmen are part of an underground rebellion against the oppressive Brits. One particular rebel, wanted for murder by the English, arrives back into town secretly. He thinks he can trust his friend Gypo, but the £20 reward proves too tempting. Gypo gets his friend killed and sinks into a pit of despair and drunkenness. Meanwhile, the other Irish rebels are searching for the informer. Right away, Gypo, with money burning a hole in his pocket, is their main suspect, but they, who are his friends, don't want to believe it. The story of The Informer is simple in its plot, but complex in its moral and emotional issues. It's easily one of John Ford's most emotionally involving films. What Gypo did was wrong, but we can certainly understand his motives. We also understand his sorry character, and there's a lot of sympathy that arises for him. The script is very suspenseful, as well. It's the kind of suspense where we are pretty sure we know how everything will end up, so we have to grit our teeth and bear along with it. The acting is remarkable. Victor McLaglen, who acted in many of Ford's films, probably gave his best performance here (and won an Oscar for it). Every other performer in the film deserves his or her kudos. In addition to an amazing script and acting, The Informer is one of John Ford's most expressionistic films. I love the darker side of Ford. In its mood, as well as in its themes, The Informer reminds me of two of my other favorite Ford films, The Long Voyage Home (1940) and The Fugitive (1948); it's also a bit similar to The Grapes of Wrath (1940) in these respects. 10/10.