THE INFORMER (1935)

Living in 1920s Ireland, flat-broke Gypo Nolan (Victor McLaglen) is part of an underground rebellion against the oppressive Brits. His childhood friend, a fellow rebel wanted by the English for murder, arrives back into town secretly. He thinks he can trust his friend Gypo, but to the latter, the £20 reward proves too tempting. Gypo gets his friend killed and sinks into despair and drunkenness. Meanwhile, the other Irish rebels are searching for the informer. Gypo, spending money left and right, is their main suspect, but they, who are his friends, don't want to believe it. The story is simple in plot, but complex in moral and emotional issues. What Gypo did was wrong, but we can understand his motives. We also understand his sorry character, and we feel sympathy – up the point. We're pretty sure how everything will end up, so all we can do is 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). THE INFORMER is one of John Ford's most expressionistic films and well worth look. (Trivia note: The day before shooting Gypo's trial scene, Ford told McLaglen that he wouldn't be needed the next day so he could take a break, enjoy himself, not worry about his lines. McLaglen proceeded to go on a bender, which the director knew he would do, and the next day was forced to film the scene with a terrible hangover - precisely the effect Ford wanted.)