''The Informer'' is a 1929 British

part-talkie A part-talkie is a partly, and most often primarily, silent film which includes one or more synchronous sound sequences with audible dialog or singing. During the silent portions, lines of dialog are presented as "titles"—printed text briefly ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super- ...

directed by

Arthur Robison Arthur Robison (June 25, 1883 – October 20, 1935) was a German film director and screenwriter of the silent era. He directed 20 films between 1916 and 1935. Selected filmography * '' A Night of Horror'' (1916) * ''What Belongs to Darkness ...

and starring Lya De Putti,

Lars Hanson Lars Mauritz Hanson (26 July 1886 – 8 April 1965) was a Swedish film and stage actor, internationally mostly remembered for his motion picture roles during the silent film era. Biography Born in Göteborg, Sweden, Hanson began his career on t ...

Warwick Ward Warwick Ward (3 December 1891 – 9 December 1967) was an English actor of the stage and screen, and a film producer. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1919 and 1933. He also produced 19 films between 1931 and 1958. He was born in ...

and

Carl Harbord Carl Harbord (26 January 1908 – 18 October 1958) was an English stage, film and television actor. Stage When he was 19, Harbord appeared in the play '' The Happy Husband'', which was presented at the Criterion Theatre in London, England. ...

. The picture was based on the 1925 novel '' The Informer'' by

Liam O'Flaherty Liam O'Flaherty ( ; 28 August 1896 – 7 September 1984) was an Irish novelist and short-story writer, and one of the foremost socialist writers in the first part of the 20th century, writing about the common people's experience and from their ...

. In the film, a man betrays his best friend, a member of the outlawed

Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a name used by various paramilitary organisations in Ireland throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Organisations by this name have been dedicated to irredentism through Irish republicanism, the belief th ...

, to the authorities and is then pursued by the other members of the organisation. The later better-known adaptation '' The Informer'' (1935) was directed by

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

Cast

* Lya De Putti as Katie Fox *

as Gypo Nolan *

as Dan Gallagher *

as Francis McPhilip *

Dennis Wyndham Dennis Wyndham (15 January 1887 – 19 August 1973) was a South African born stage and film actor. Long based in Britain, he appeared in more than 40 films between 1920 and 1956. He was born in Natal, South Africa. On 23 May 1917, he marrie ...

as Murphy *

Janice Adair Janice Adair (25 May 1905 – 11 November 1996) was a British film actress of the early sound era. She was married to the film editor Alfred Roome. Biography Janice Adair was born Beatrice Mary Duffy in Morpeth, Northumberland in 1905 to Tho ...

as Bessie *

Daisy Campbell Daisy Campbell was a British film actress of the silent era. At the beginning of her career was popular on the London stage. Noted for playing aristocratic white-haired ladies and duchesses. Appeared in more than 20 British silent films. Made ...

as Mrs McPhillip *

Craighall Sherry Craighall Sherry (April 8, 1869; Glasgow, Scotland, UK - 1943 (age 73); Uxbridge, Middlesex, UK) was a British stage and film actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh ...

as Mulholland *

Ray Milland Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 – 10 March 1986) was a Welsh-American actor and film director. His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985. He is remembered for his Academy Award and Cannes Film Festival Award-winning ...

as Sharpshooter *

Ellen Pollock Ellen Pollock (29 June 1902 – 29 March 1997) was a British character actress who mainly appeared on stage in London's West End. She also appeared in several films and TV productions. A devotee of Bernard Shaw, she was president of the Shaw S ...

as Prostitute *

Johnny Butt John William H. Butt (1870–1931) was an English film actor of the silent era. He was born in Bradford and died in North Bierley, West Yorkshire. Selected filmography * ''The Chimes'' (1914) * ''Far from the Madding Crowd'' (1915) * '' The Gr ...

as Publican

Production

The film was made at

Elstree Studios Elstree Studios is a generic term which can refer to several current and demolished British film studios and television studios based in or around the town of Borehamwood and village of Elstree in Hertfordshire, England. Production studios ha ...

by British International Pictures as the sound revolution was taking place. The film was made with a

soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrac ...

sound effects A sound effect (or audio effect) is an artificially created or enhanced sound, or sound process used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media. Traditi ...

and talking scenes. A fully silent version was also released. Robison was one of a number of Germans engaged to work in the British Film Industry following the

Film Act of 1927 The Cinematograph Films Act of 1927 ('' 17 & 18 Geo. V'') was an act of the United Kingdom Parliament designed to stimulate the declining British film industry. It received Royal Assent on 20 December 1927 and came into force on 1 April 1928. D ...

, which stimulated the British film industry by requiring exhibitors to show a minimum percentage of British films.

References

External links

* 1929 films 1929 drama films British drama films Films shot at British International Pictures Studios Films directed by Arthur Robison Irish War of Independence films Films set in Ireland Films about the Irish Republican Army Films about terrorism Films set in the 1920s Films based on Liam O'Flaherty's works 1920s English-language films 1920s British films {{1920s-UK-film-stub