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The Informer (1935) - 8,5
After many years I finally re-watch one of my most cherished films while I was studying in university and I'm happy to see it didn't lose any appeal. The plot takes us back to the backstage of Irish War of Independence pitting the Irish Republican Army (IRA) against the authorities of the United Kingdom around 1922. Gypo Nolan is the star of the show, expelled from IRA, he informs the enemy forces about the whereabouts of his friend and former IRA comrade, Frankie McPhillip, in exchange for a monetary reward. McPhillip is killed by the British as a result. Following Nolan after he committed an act of treason, this film is a powerful illustration of the devastating effects that the overwhelming feeling of guilt can stir on a man and it's particularly interesting to see it on a character like Gypo Nolan. A man endowed with imposing physique and superlative strength made all the more intimidating (but also potentially pathetic) by his strange naiveness and volatile temper. I very much enjoy the more or less accomplished interpretation that Victor McLaglen carves of this crude character who ostensibly resorts to alcohol to relieve the weight on his shoulders, he displays good range and even becomes the epicenter of some pretty hilarious situations I can hardly resist. The Informer is a balancing act between sin and redemption, love and patriotism.
Seen through today's eyes, the plot might seem slightly naive, but I am easily taken away by this film because it thrives with that sort of enchantment I worship in Classic B&W Cinema and it is a very well crafted work all around. The Informer was directed by John Ford and it demonstrates just how much cinematic and technical skill this North-American filmmaker possessed with black-and-white pictures, the cinematography and camera work are beautiful and highly expressive, the fog in the outer night scenery adds a layer of surreal claustrophobia to the atmosphere further reinforcing the perception that Nolan is living through a tenebrous situation, there are numerous memorable scenes and images where the contrast between light and dark reveals obvious influence of German Expressionism, the perfect chemistry between moving picture and music effectively builds up the movie's tone and emotional charge. The theatrical and exaggerated acting, typical of this time, fits perfectly in the fabric of this work and is very catchy. Moments of drama, action, romance and even comedy alternate fluently under the insightful conduct of Ford, never hindering the pace. In short, this is a very complete and coherent film where little or nothing distracts me from the wonderful cinematic experience at hand, one of my favorite movies from the 30s, though I still have much to see. The current silence and neglect around this John Ford masterpiece is disgraceful, it deserves much more attention in my opinion. I love it, highly recommended!
After many years I finally re-watch one of my most cherished films while I was studying in university and I'm happy to see it didn't lose any appeal. The plot takes us back to the backstage of Irish War of Independence pitting the Irish Republican Army (IRA) against the authorities of the United Kingdom around 1922. Gypo Nolan is the star of the show, expelled from IRA, he informs the enemy forces about the whereabouts of his friend and former IRA comrade, Frankie McPhillip, in exchange for a monetary reward. McPhillip is killed by the British as a result. Following Nolan after he committed an act of treason, this film is a powerful illustration of the devastating effects that the overwhelming feeling of guilt can stir on a man and it's particularly interesting to see it on a character like Gypo Nolan. A man endowed with imposing physique and superlative strength made all the more intimidating (but also potentially pathetic) by his strange naiveness and volatile temper. I very much enjoy the more or less accomplished interpretation that Victor McLaglen carves of this crude character who ostensibly resorts to alcohol to relieve the weight on his shoulders, he displays good range and even becomes the epicenter of some pretty hilarious situations I can hardly resist. The Informer is a balancing act between sin and redemption, love and patriotism.
Seen through today's eyes, the plot might seem slightly naive, but I am easily taken away by this film because it thrives with that sort of enchantment I worship in Classic B&W Cinema and it is a very well crafted work all around. The Informer was directed by John Ford and it demonstrates just how much cinematic and technical skill this North-American filmmaker possessed with black-and-white pictures, the cinematography and camera work are beautiful and highly expressive, the fog in the outer night scenery adds a layer of surreal claustrophobia to the atmosphere further reinforcing the perception that Nolan is living through a tenebrous situation, there are numerous memorable scenes and images where the contrast between light and dark reveals obvious influence of German Expressionism, the perfect chemistry between moving picture and music effectively builds up the movie's tone and emotional charge. The theatrical and exaggerated acting, typical of this time, fits perfectly in the fabric of this work and is very catchy. Moments of drama, action, romance and even comedy alternate fluently under the insightful conduct of Ford, never hindering the pace. In short, this is a very complete and coherent film where little or nothing distracts me from the wonderful cinematic experience at hand, one of my favorite movies from the 30s, though I still have much to see. The current silence and neglect around this John Ford masterpiece is disgraceful, it deserves much more attention in my opinion. I love it, highly recommended!