Happy St. Patrick’s Day. I did my celebrating on Saturday and paid for it on Sunday. So it goes.

This week’s entry qualifies as literary fiction, but pulpy covers and lurid taglines sell books. The Informer is Gypo Nolan who rats out the original IRA. Liam O’Flaherty tells the story of his final days before payback arrives.

The Informer became well-known in the US because of John Ford’s 1935 film version for which he won his first Oscar as best director. It’s a beautifully shot film that takes place mostly after dark on the mean streets of Dublin. It’s a sinister world full of shadows and violence. Call it Ford Noir.

Victor McLaglen was really more of a character actor, but he won the best actor Oscar for his blustery, defiant performance as the doomed informer Gypo Nolan. McLaglen was featured prominently on the film poster seen below. He was *not* leading man handsome.

It’s trailer time: