Set in the span of 12 hours in 1922 during the Irish War of Independence, the film follows a disgraced IRA officer who decides to inform on his best friend to the British in the hopes he can use the reward to take himself and his girlfriend to America only for the IRA to become suspicious over what had happened. It is a film that explores a man’s decision to inform his friend to the British so he can take his girlfriend to America where he would spend the reward money getting drunk and lavish his spendings on the people who are unaware of how he got the money. Dudley Nichols’ screenplay is straightforward in its narrative as it follows Gypo Nolan (Victor McLaglen) who had just been ousted by the IRA for refusing to kill a British soldier as his girlfriend Katie (Margot Grahame) is hoping to go to America but a ticket for both costs 20 pounds.
Seeing a bounty for his friend Frankie McPhillip (Wallace Ford) for 20 pounds, Nolan rats out to the British army where they succeed in finding him as Nolan gets his reward where he would spend the rest of the night spending his money on getting drunk and entertaining the locals while IRA leader Dan Gallagher (Preston Foster) wants to know what happened to McPhillip where he asks Nolan only to later suspect Nolan. Even as the night becomes more chaotic when Gallagher realizes something is up, he is also personally involved since he is in a relationship with McPhillip’s sister (Heather Angel).
John Ford’s direction is atmospheric for the overall setting of the film as it is shot at the RKO Studios lot in Hollywood which plays as this small Irish town at night filled with fog and light. While there are some wide shots to establish the locations, much of Ford’s direction emphasizes on medium shots and close-ups with the latter playing into some of the emotional reactions that Nolan is dealing with. Even as he would get drunk throughout where the medium and wide shots have Ford highlight the space of a room or a pub where Nolan is the center of attention. Ford also maintains this air of intrigue as it relates to what Nolan has done and how it would affect the IRA, with Gallagher being a commandant who runs a local faction of the IRA as he is also a friend of McPhillip. Even as there are scenes of IRA members carrying pistols but also having to hide from the British soldiers who would often march in the streets as it adds to the sense of danger that is happening in Ireland at that time.
Ford also plays into this exploration of guilt in Nolan where he would hide his shame through drink and partying where he would even crash into a high-society party where he buys drinks a British woman for Kate. It is one of the few moments of humor that occurs in the film that involves Nolan and a friend of his in Terry (J.M. Kerrigan) though the film would remain serious and intense during its third act when a kangaroo court occurs where Nolan tries to accuse someone of being the informer. Ford would maintain this sense of dread while its climax is about Gallagher realizing the truth and what is at stake with Nolan’s act of selfishness would also come into play once Katie finds out what he did. Overall, Ford crafts a thrilling and compelling film about a man who informed on his friend during the Irish War of Independence.
Cinematographer Joseph H. August does incredible work with the film’s black-and-white photography with its usage of fog and shadow to help maintain a chilling atmosphere for the exteriors while using low-key lights for some interior scenes at the homes for a few characters. Editor George Hively does excellent work with the editing as it features some rhythmic cuts to play into the drama and suspense while most of it is straightforward. Art director Van Nest Polglase and set decorator Julia Heron do brilliant work with the look of the interior of the pubs as well as the secret places where IRA hold their meetings and the exterior of some of the buildings that Nolan goes into. Costume designer Walter Plunkett does terrific work with the costumes with some of the posh clothing the women wear along with more rugged look of the men including lots of trench coats the IRA wears.
Makeup artist Robert J. Schiffer does nice work with the makeup in the look of the women at the posh party scene. The special effects work of Harry Redmond Sr. and Harry Redmond Jr. is fantastic for some of the scenes involving gunplay as it plays into the chaos and conflict between the IRA and the British. The sound work of Hugh McDowell Jr. and Robert Wise is superb for the sound in the way a fight would sound in and out of a pub as well as the chaos that goes on in the pub and in the streets. The film’s music by Max Steiner is wonderful for its sweeping orchestral score that features elements of Irish woodwinds and melodies that play into the land of Ireland along with layers of drum cadences and soaring strings as well as a soundtrack that is filled with traditional Irish folk songs as the music is a highlight of the film.
The film’s remarkable cast feature some notable small roles and appearances from Dennis O’Dea as the street singer, Grizelda Harvey as the English lady living in a posh house who looks like Katie, May Boley as the owner of the posh house in Madame Betty, D’Arcy Corrigan as a blind man who was given a one-pound note from Nolan, Francis Ford as a judge in the kangaroo court, Joseph Sauers and Neil Fitzgerald as a couple of IRA officers respectively in Bartly Mulholland and Tommy Connor with the former being suspicious of Nolan, and Donald Meek as the local tailor Peter Mulligan whom Nolan accuses of being the informer. Una O’Connor is fantastic in her small role as McPhillips’ mother who is shocked over what has happened while J.M. Kerrigan is superb as Terry as a friend of Nolan who helps him spend the money and party where he unfortunately enables his actions. Wallace Ford is excellent as Frankie McPhillip as an IRA officer who was Nolan’s best friend as well as a target for the British for killing a British soldier where he hopes to see his mother and sister while still doing things for the IRA.
Margot Grahame is brilliant as Katie Madden as Nolan’s girlfriend who hopes to go to America as she becomes surprised by the idea becoming a reality until she learns about what Nolan did to get the money. Preston Foster is amazing as Dan Gallagher as an IRA commander who runs his own local faction where he becomes suspicious on what happened to McPhillip as he is also in love with McPhillip’s sister where he becomes suspicious towards Nolan as he knows that Nolan has become a liability to the IRA. Heather Angel is incredible as McPhillip’s sister Mary who is troubled by what had happened as well as becoming tired of the violence as she hopes Gallagher would smooth things out only to realize that Nolan is the one that has been making a mess. Finally, there’s Victor McLaglen in a phenomenal performance as Gypo Nolan as a former IRA officer who had been ousted for letting go a British soldier as he decides to rat out McPhillip to the British for money where he tries to not feel guilty by imagining him and Katie going to America as well as drinking a lot and accusing someone else as it is this chilling performance that requires a lot of physicality as it is one of McLaglen’s finest performances.
The Informer is an incredible film from John Ford that features a tremendous leading performance from Victor McLaglen. Along with its ensemble cast, intoxicating visuals, Max Steiner’s riveting music score, and a compelling story of guilt and greed during the Irish War of Independence. It is a suspense drama that explores a man’s willingness to get something good going in his life only to do something awful as it would cost him everything as well as the plight of the people who know him. In the end, The Informer is a phenomenal film from John Ford.
© thevoid99 2024
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock and screenplay by Jo Swerling from a story by John Steinbeck, Lifeboat is the story of a group of passengers stranded on a lifeboat after a passenger vessel had been struck down during World War II. It’s a film that is set entirely in the sea where a group of people cope with trying to survive as well as wonder if help will arrive. Starring Tallulah Bankhead, William Bendix, Walter Slezak, Mary Anderson, John Hodiak, Henry Hull, Heather Angel, Hume Cronyn, and Canada Lee. Lifeboat is a riveting and intense film from Alfred Hitchcock.
Set in World War II in the Atlantic Ocean, the film revolve around eight different passengers who are stuck on a lifeboat trying to survive as they deal with limited resources, injuries, hunger, thirst, and each other. It’s a film that takes place entirely on a lifeboat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean where a mixture of British and American passengers and crew are on this lifeboat. Jo Swerling’s screenplay doesn’t just explore the tension among the people on this lifeboat but also the many differences of these people who come from different backgrounds. At the same time, there would be passengers who are either injured, traumatized, or just secretive like this German man named Willi (Walter Slezak) who is a German U-boat crew member many of other survivors are suspicious about. Even as the drama is heightened early on when a survivor is too distraught over the loss of her baby as it adds a lot of tension to the eight survivors trapped in this small lifeboat.
Alfred Hitchcock’s direction is definitely engaging for the fact that is set entirely on a lifeboat in the middle of the sea though it’s really shot inside a soundstage with lots of water. While Hitchcock would use some wide shots to capture the scope of being in the middle of the sea. He would emphasize more on medium shots and close-ups to play into the danger of these eight people on this small lifeboat as they have to adjust to their situation. There are bits of humor in the film as well as lighthearted moments where everyone gets to know each other but there is still that air of tension and suspense that looms throughout. Especially as there are moments that are intense including a scene where a man named Gus Smith (William Bendix) has an injured leg that’s become infected forcing Willi to be the one to cut though nothing is shown. By the time the film would reach its climax as they endure a storm, lack of food, and lack of drinking water, the drama and suspense is at its peak where no one can be trusted as well as what happens if help will never arrive. Overall, Hitchcock crafts a gripping and rapturous film about a group people stuck on a lifeboat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Cinematographer Glen MacWilliams, with additional work from Arthur C. Miller, does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white cinematography in the way it captures everything that the exteriors would look in day and night in the middle of the sea. Editor Dorothy Spencer does excellent work with the editing as it help play into the suspense with its usage of rhythmic cuts as well as in capturing the close-up of objects crucial to the film. Art directors James Basvesi and Maurice Ransford, with set decorator Thomas Little, do amazing work with the look of the exteriors of the way everything looks on the outside as well as the size and shape of the lifeboat which is a character itself.
Costume designer Rene Hubert does nice work with the costumes from some of the stylish clothes of the women to the casual look of the men. The sound work of Bernard Freericks and Roger Heman Sr. is superb for some of the sound effects that is created for the sea as well as other bits that is happening on the boat. The film’s music by Hugo W. Friedhofer is fantastic for its usage of orchestral music to play into some of the drama without overdoing the arrangements as well as creating pieces for the suspense.
The film’s marvelous cast include a couple of notable small roles from William Yetter Jr. as a German sailor and Heather Angel as a woman named Mrs. Higley who was carrying a baby upon her rescue in which she would lose her mind. Canada Lee is terrific as the steward Joe Spencer as an African-American man who can do a lot while try not to be involved with any kind of serious discussions while Hume Cronyn is superb as the radioman Stanley “Sparks” Garrett as a surviving crew member who tries to handle things on the ship as he falls for Army nurse Alice. Mary Anderson is wonderful as Alice MacKenzie as this U.S. Army nurse that tries to help the injured Gus as well as cope with surviving and being on the ship. Henry Hull is fantastic as the wealthy industrialist Charles J. “Ritt” Rittenhouse who organizes everything that is salvaged as well as try to make sense of everything while being at odds with some of the passengers who resents his wealth.
John Hodiak is excellent as John Kovac as an engine crewman who isn’t fond of having Willi on board as he dislikes German while takes a liking towards the columnist Connie Porter. William Bendix is brilliant as Gus Smith who works on the ship as a man that deals with a serious injury in his leg that becomes infected as he copes with thirst and returning to his old life. Walter Sleazak is amazing as Willi as a German U-boat crew member who doesn’t speak any English prompting Connie to translate for him as he observes everything around him while keeping a few secrets of his own as it’s a very cool and low-key performance. Finally, there’s Tallulah Bankhead in an incredible performance as the revered columnist Connie Porter as a woman who is the first on the lifeboat as she struggles with losing some things as well as dealing with the chaos on the boat as she provides a sense of wit and humility to a woman who deals with losing everything but also gain some perspective of what is happening on the boat.
Lifeboat is a tremendous film from Alfred Hitchcock. Featuring a great ensemble cast, a simple premise, and a minimalist setting, the film is definitely one of Hitchcock’s finest films in terms of its suspense and study of characters in a precarious situation. In the end, Lifeboat is a spectacular film from Alfred Hitchcock.
Alfred Hitchcock Films: (Number 13) - (The Pleasure Garden) - (The Blackguard) - (The Mountain Eagle) - (The Lodger) - (A Story of the London Fog) - (The Ring) - (Downhill) - (The Farmer’s Wife) - (Easy Virtue) - (Champagne) - (The Manxman) - (Blackmail) - (Juno and the Paycock) - (Murder!) - (The Skin Game) - (Mary) - (Lord Camber’s Ladies) - (Rich and Strange) - (Number Seventeen) - (Waltzes from Vienna) - (The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934 film)) - The 39 Steps - (Secret Agent) - (Sabotage) - (Young and Innocent) – The Lady Vanishes - (Jamaica Inn) – (Rebecca) – (Foreign Correspondent) – (Mr. & Mrs. Smith) – Suspicion - (Saboteur) – (Shadow of a Doubt) – Bon Voyage - (Spellbound) – Notorious – (The Paradine Cage) – Rope – (Under Capricorn) – (Stage Fright) – Strangers on a Train - I Confess - Dial M for Murder - Rear Window – To Catch a Thief - (The Trouble with Harry) – The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956 film) – (The Wrong Man) – Vertigo - North by Northwest - Psycho - The Birds - Marnie - (Torn Curtain) – (Topaz) – (Frenzy) – (Family Plot)
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