In The Informer (1935) Gypo Nolan (Victor McLaglen) is hungry, drunk, and dismayed that his girlfriend Katie (Margot Grahame) has to prostitute herself on the streets of Dublin in order to survive, and he can do nothing to help her. A former member of an Irish rebel group that ousted him when he didn't follow orders, Nolan sees a wanted poster for one of their members, Frankie McPhillip (Wallace Ford), and betrays his friend and former comrade to the British police for 20 pounds.

When Frankie is gunned down by the police in front of his sister Mary (Heather Angel) and mother and dies. His mother's anguish pierces the viewer right through the heart and clauses Nolan to drown his guilt feelings in drink. He swaggers through the dark, foggy streets getting drunker and drunker, throwing his money around, picking fights, and basking in the admiration his new-found wealth gets him from the locals. No one seems to wonder where this money came from. They're just happy to be on the receiving end of Nolan's generosity.

When the rebels bring Nolan in for questioning about the betrayal, he's quick to accuse someone else. Dan Gallagher (Preston Foster), the rebel leader and also the boyfriend of Frankie's sister Mary, questions Nolan's veracity. The rebels meet to try the man Nolan accused, but soon Nolan's guilt becomes apparent to all.

McLaglen received a much-deserved Oscar for his performance as the guilt-ridden, tormented informer, and director John Ford created an atmospheric film that earned him his first of the coveted awards. In addition to Ford and McLaglen, screenwriter Dudley Nichols and composer Max Steiner also received Academy Awards for this innovative achievement of filmmaking.

The Informer is a period piece, set in 1922 Dublin, but the theme of guilt and retribution is universal and enduring. Unrated, this is not a family film due to some violence and the overall theme.

Special Features

The Informer: Out of the Fog is an interesting, informative featurette with comments by author Joseph BcBride, Directors of Photography Allen Daviau (Van Helsing) and Robert Elswit (There Will Be Blood). The film has been called groundbreaking and "a visual masterpiece with bold photography, dramatic lighting and innovated effects." The Informer was the first "art house" film released by a major studio. The featurette explains how the film was made. For example, one of the reasons for all the darkness and smoke was the fact that the low budget called for minimal sets so tricks of photography were used to disguise the flaw.

Director: John Ford

Screenplay: Dudley Nichols form a story by Liam O'Flaherty

Cast: Victor McLaglen, Heather Angel, Preston Foster

Rating: Not Rated. Not for youngsters

Classic Movie Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

DVD Release Date:

Run Time: 92 minutes

Studio: Warner Brothers Home Video

Format: Black & White, standard version