john ford be one of the most influential and best remembered american filmmaker in the history of film and his name usually associate with the western film genre . however and john ford arguably best film be not a western at all but a seedy drama set in the irish fight for independence in the early 1920s represent 1935 the informer . time be tough on many in ireland and the burnt out gypo nolan be catch in a web of poverty and desperation and the wall be close in . gypo be big but he be not the bright bulb on the tree and have a warm heart but a short fuse and and never seem to really think thing all the way through but he be not a criminal or a self center pig . walk the street starve with no where to live and the hulking gypo nolan find the prime lady in his life and katie madden and on the street solicit herself because of her own desperate situation and start to dream about take her to the united state if he only have the 20 pound to pay for it . a luck would have it and his friend frankie be back in town with a 20 pound price over his head and gypo be desperate enough to inform the police of frankie whereabouts . gypo and with the new 20 pound of blood money earn and find this foggy night particularly foggier a guilt swell all over him and the ira invests all their resource to find frankie informer . victor mclaglen portray the fall gypo nolan and definitely deserve the best actor oscar he be award for this film . his brutish and stupid and and tender turn give the character dimension and mclaglen be only second to dudley moore character arthur bach from the 1981 film arthur a the most entertaining cinematic drunk . margot grahame performance a katie madden be also excellent but she and mclaglen be the only member of the cast who truly impress . preston foster be especially miscast a an ira head and mainly because he be most obviously not irish and and j. m. kerrigan border on irritate throughout his role in the film but this disappointing support cast be the film only poor point . often overshadow by some of ford good know western like the searcher or the man who shoot liberty valance and the informer be easily one of john ford best film if not his very best . begin what would be a long career of oscar nomination and win for john ford and the informer win four oscar include one for him for best director in 1936. ford and company use of shadow and light in the film be particularly engaging and vital to tell the story . gypo walk through the street be narrate by the gloomy state of the town and the glaring accusation of the street lamp and each shadow constantly remind him of his dark deed . ford command of this technique be amaze to watch while if the informer be make 10 year later ( thus make the genre requirement ) it would probably be consider one of the best film noir of all time but that do not hinder it from be remember a an excellent classic film .