Love and war

The Informer

(1935)

Dublin, 1922, and Gypo Nolan (Victor McLaglen)--strong as an ox and half as smart--sells out his best buddy to the occupying Brits for the £20 that will get his girl Katie off the streets and onto a boat with him to America. Except that within a few hours he has spent a big chunk on booze and a bigger chunk on generosity, while his onetime IRA mates watch, and count.

I wanted to like this more than I did--I expected to like it more than I did--but the heavy-handed comic elements don't work as counterpoint to the tragic Judas story, they just sort of muddle the tone. It was one of John Ford's favorites, though, dear to the proud Irish American's heart.