Taking place in 1920's Dublin, The Informer tells the story of Gypo Nolan, a man who has been ousted by the Irish rebellion and is starving on the streets. Torn between his allegiances and his need for money due mostly to a woman, Gypo rats out his friend to the authorities, setting off a chain of events that sees the Rebels desperately trying to find the Informant. John Ford's The Informer is an absolutely beautiful film -the fog soaked nights which swallow the streets of Dublin, the piercing beams of light creating this great atmosphere of mystery, intrigue, and danger, this film is a beautiful sight to see. I found the events of this film to be particularly compelling because of Victor McLaglen's performance as Gypo Nolan. Gypo is a brutish man whose not the brightest person in the world. He's a tragic character in that even after his betrayal we see the overwhelming sense of guilt that instantly begins to take him over. The film has some exceptional scenes centered around Gypo's guilt- the scene at the Wake probably being the standout. I think the biggest fault of the film is that Gypo's drunk, happy spending ways, though amusing, take up too much of the film and really are the least interesting parts. I get that it's sorta showcases Gypo's limited mental capacity and is needed to help drive the Rebels suspicion but I thought it took away somewhat from my sympathy for Gypo. That being said, this is still a powerful film about guilt and forgiveness. Definitely more on the top tier of the John Ford films I have seen..
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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