The Informer (1935)
Genre: Drama
Duration: 91 minuten
Alternative title: Verraad
Country:
United States
Directed by: John Ford
Stars: Victor McLaglen, Heather Angel and Preston Foster
IMDb score:
7,3 (7.811)
Releasedate: 9 May 1935
The Informer plot
1920. The drunk does everything to get a drink and during the Irish riots he turns in a friend for the money. Can he live with this?
Actors and actresses
Gypo Nolan
Mary McPhillip
Dan Gallagher
Katie Madden
Frankie McPhillip
Mrs. McPhillip
Terry
Bartly Mulholland
Tommy Connor
Peter Mulligan
Reviews & comments
yeyo
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- 6358 messages
- 4629 votes
An odd one out from John Ford, but a masterpiece nonetheless. The Informer while retaining the intimate atmosphere and intense personal relationships of his later work, differs in some significant ways due to the obvious influence of German Expressionism. The compositions and use of shadows are very reminiscent of Pabst, Murnau and especially Fritz Lang's M. In addition to the grim cinematography, the film is also the opposite of Ford's romanticized Ireland stories, How Green Was My Valley and The Quiet Man in terms of space and character development. The setting consists not of picturesque fields, but of misty alleys and the characters are not noble hard workers, but distrustful paupers. This brings us to a final fundamental difference with Ford's oeuvre, namely the choice of the main character. Gypo Nolan is not a heroic idealist à la Abe Lincoln or Wyatt Earp, but a coward with hands like coal shovels and an empty upstairs room. It's baffling how he does everything he can to be loved, but resolves every conflict with muscle power. Yet in the end it is difficult not to feel sorry for this tragic misfit.
A striking similarity with Ford's other work is the use of Christian symbolism. The story clearly runs parallel to the betrayal of Judas and the theme of forgiveness is also central. Especially the scene where Gypo is forgiven by a kind of 'Madonna' is very beautiful and meaningful.
The Informer was clearly a big inspiration for Abel Ferrara, another favorite filmmaker of mine. The last scene, for example, is very similar to The Bad Lieutenant.
Translated from Dutch · View original
clubsport
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- 3890 messages
- 6993 votes
The atmosphere is there, but this film had little interest in me, the stupidity of the character started to irritate me more and more as the film progressed.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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