The Informer
Seen it?1935 | 91 min | Crime, Drama
Saturday Specialearly ratingWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It won 4 Oscars and it earned strong reviews (89% on Rotten Tomatoes). A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime-drama fans. If you loved The Public Enemy or A Perfect World, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Dark and gritty.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 31 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1935: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Gypo Nolan is a former Irish Republican Army man who drowns his sorrows in the bottle. He's desperate to escape his bleak Dublin life and start over in America with his girlfriend. So when British authorities advertise a reward for information about his best friend, current IRA member Frankie, Gypo cooperates. Now Gypo can buy two tickets on a boat bound for the States, but can he escape the overwhelming guilt he feels for betraying his buddy?
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
89% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
6.8 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 4 Oscars: Best Director, Best Actor, Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay, Best Score, Adaptation or Treatment. Also nominated for 2 more Oscars. Plus 1 other award.
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$950K worldwide on a $243K budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 39K people sought it out in the past year
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Cast & crew
Directed by John Ford
- Victor McLaglenGypo Nolan
- Heather AngelMary McPhillip
- Preston FosterDan Gallagher
- Margot GrahameKatie Madden
- Wallace FordFrankie McPhillip
- Una O'ConnorMrs. McPhillip
- J.M. KerriganTerry
- Joe SawyerBartly Mulholland
- Neil FitzgeraldTommy Connor
- Donald MeekPeter Mulligan