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The Informer (1935) Directed by John Ford

Genre: Drama

John Ford's The Informer is a mid-thirties drama that takes its look and tone from the silent period, especially the late-twenties expressionist films by Murnau and Pabst. The opening is practically a clone of an ending scene from Pabst's Pandora's Box: The hero's girlfriend is caught on the foggy sidewalk, trying to sell herself to keep from starving. The remainder of the story tells of the grim downfall of Gypo Nolan, an ox of a man too brainless to follow through on a dirty plan -- but just sharp enough to betray a friend. There's no greater Irish tragedy.

This wasn't John Ford's first 30s attempt at screen art. His 1933 Pilgrimage was a moody downer about the grief of a mother who sends her boy to war to get him away from an "unworthy" girlfriend. Until WW2 he'd be repeatedly pulled back to non-escapist artsy filmmaking, often with very liberal themes. His social conscience would eventually work its way into his westerns, but with only an exception or two (most notably 1947's The Fugitive) Ford's post-war producers did their best to steer him away from downbeat material.

The Informer is a very Catholic story that makes strong use of church iconography. The "troubles" of rebellious Ireland in 1922 are presented as a mix of religious and political grief. The story is an obvious parallel of the betrayal of Christ. Gypo's body forms a silhouetted cross behind the main titles, contemptuous English soldiers pay Gypo his blood money and the mother of his victim is presented as a suffering, forgiving Madonna. Gypo is almost an absolute sinner -- a coward, a bully, an alcoholic. He's vain, stupid and infantile, but also a brute innocent. His actions alienate him from the rest of humanity. When he's found out, all he has left is the redemptive mercy of his faith. He calls out not to God but to Frankie, his only friend who he betrayed.

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