The Informer

the Informer ( To inform ) is an American film carried out by John Ford, according to a novel of the republican writer Irish Liam O' Flaherty left the September 6th 1935.

In 1929, Arthur Robison had already carried out a preceding adaptation of the novel: To inform in a production of the International British Pictures. Jules Dassin will turn a remake, Point black (Up Tight) in 1968.

Synopsis

The Ireland of the Années 1920… Gypo Nolan is poor. Good guy, drunkard and catholic, it is in love with Katie, a woman who male prostitute to survive. Deploring their fate, Katie notices a publicity in a window which promises America for 10 £, according to it the world would belong to them if they had this money. But Gypo, shot down, takes again its night and solitary walk. After having torn off a poster offering 20 £ of reward with which will denounce Frankie McPhillip, his/her best friend, militant of the WILL GO pursued by the police force, it ends up yielding to the lure of gain and informs the police force of the return of Frankie near his. This one is cut down at the time of the attempt at arrest. Gypo, which awaited the result of the operation to the police station, empoche money under the scorning glances of the police force. To cover itself it goes, after being stopped in a bar, to the residence of the killed friend, where already family members and WILL GO take care the body. Its arrival is not very discrete, and while seeking to clear itself of what nobody shows it, it ends up waking up the suspicions. To leave itself there, he shows the tailor to be the informer. The members of WILL GO let it leave and spin it discreetly. Gypo, starts has to make the round of the bars to dissipate its remorse in alcohol and wastes its money in general rounds…

Distribution

Comments

forward of film, a paperboard quotes the Bible, an extract of the Évangile according to Matthieu:

Then Judas repented himself - and cast down the thirty parts off silver - and departed.

That is to say a simplified version of the text thus translated on Wikisource:

Then Judas, which had delivered it, indicator which he was condemned, repented, and brought back the thirty silver coins to the principal sacrificateurs and to old, while saying: I sinned, by delivering innocent blood. They answered: What imports us? That looks at you. Judas threw the silver coins in the temple, was withdrawn, and gone to be hung.

The large rough one in the large Gypo heart is presented like a character lout and unhappy because of his poverty. The denunciation of which it is made guilty was only one average rapid to arrive to its ends, the 20 £ of reward being equivalent precisely to the sum required for an one-way ticket towards America for its in love and him. Anchylosed of remorse, it empties this sum in drink, initially for its own use then for the others. A companion of intoxication calls it Crésus and Gypo often speaks about him with the third anybody. But it is only at the last minute of film that it finds the redemption when the proper mother of the victim forgives the simpleton: " You didn' T know what you were doing" , she repeats. The very last plan shows Christ out of starter, the mother sitting in the forefront of the church and Gypo raising the arms with the sky by shouting " Frankie, your mother forgives me! " before collapsing on the ground.

the very catholic Martin Scorsese could only raise this biblical reference. It briefly evokes film of Ford in a voyage with Martin Scorsese through the American cinema but especially it shows an extract in of it Infiltrated the when Billy, the police officer infiltrated among the underworld Irish, looks at this film on television. It is thus the role of Judas which one brings up to date all while questioning oneself on the motivations and the remorses of the human heart.

Around film

It quasi totality of the majors refused film considered to be too black and by fear of a possible boycott of the British market. It is finally Joe Kennedy, the father of John, which will agree to produce it by the means of RKO.
Ford had to be subjected to very tight requirements of production: limited budget and fast turning. Turning was carried out in three weeks, from February 11th to March 14th 1935, with a budget of 220.000-243 000 dollars. One placed at the disposal of the realizer a naked plate and salts, normally used for the sound. It employed it to blacken the matter of film more and accentuated the effects of fog to mask it. The film was made without repetitions and definite dialogs. Preston Foster was charged to cut the word to Victor McLaglen and to make it react.
Ford does not take party in the question of independence, it is satisfied to describe a country controlled by the Britanniques. It restores in a talented way the world of the night and, in that, the film evokes Mr. Cursed the of Fritz Lang. the Informer also makes it possible Victor McLaglen to break with the roles of good giant whom he usually interprets.
the preview of film was a failure, but it gained a triumph in province. It will be finally encensé by the criticism which devotes it better film of the year. the Informer however does not count among preferred works of Ford which judges it with a certain severity: “ I think that the film misses humor, which however was always my force ”.
the film has a soundtrack who underlines almost all the events of film. He is regarded by certain as the paroxysm of the style Mickeymousing.

Rewards

Oscars:

Better actor
Better realizer
Better scenario
Better music
Nominated for the best film

New York Film Critics Circle Awards:

Better film
Better relisator

National Board off Review, the USA:

Better film

External bond

'' the Informer '' on Internet Movie Database

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