Overview
A tale of betrayal and desperation unfolds in the shadows of Dublin's streets.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- bleak
- oppressive
- tragic
- classic cinema viewing
- historical drama night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a memorable, atmospheric crime drama elevated by Victor McLaglen’s powerful performance and John Ford’s direction.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Gypo Nolan accepts a reward for informing on Frankie and is pursued by guilt and retribution.
The story unfolds across one gloomy, fog-filled Dublin night, linking the city’s atmosphere to Gypo’s guilt.
The betrayal and its aftermath unfold over a single night as pursuit and retribution close in.
The Dublin setting and IRA conflict frame Gypo’s hunger, Katie’s exploitation, and the consequences of informing to British authorities.
Films like The Informer, and why
The Public Enemy
shared themes of political betrayal, moral guilt, and oppressive historical atmosphere
Scarface
shared expressionistic crime melodrama, doomed protagonist, and fatalistic tension
The Wind That Shakes the Barley
shared Irish political conflict, tragic divided loyalties, and intimate historical drama
The Searchers
shared John Ford authorship, historical conflict, masculine codes, and tragic moral stakes
Movie Details
- Director
- John Ford
- Release Date
- 1935-05-09
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (131)
Cast
- Victor McLaglen
- Heather Angel
- Preston Foster
- Margot Grahame
- Wallace Ford
- Una O'Connor
- J.M. Kerrigan
- Joe Sawyer
- Neil Fitzgerald
- Donald Meek
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Informer about?
- A starving Dublin rebel’s desperate betrayal unleashes a single night of guilt, pursuit, and inexorable retribution.
- What is The Informer like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Informer as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Informer violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Informer as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Informer?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a memorable, atmospheric crime drama elevated by Victor McLaglen’s powerful performance and John Ford’s direction.
- Which films are like The Informer?
- Films with a similar feel include The Public Enemy, Scarface, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, and The Searchers.
- How long is The Informer?
- The Informer runs 91 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Informer?
- In United States, The Informer is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
