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Author
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Topic: Odd Man Out / James Mason two full 800ft spools
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Tom Photiou
Film God
Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003
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posted December 07, 2017 03:22 PM
It’s a little while since we watched a Thursday night movie so tonight we both decided we will watch a true British Classic from 1947, Carol Reed’s Odd Man Out.
What a movie, we last viewed this one in 2010, during an early interview with James Mason he commented on how this was one of his favourite movies of his career. Now mounted onto two very full 800 foots spools it was originally supplied on 5 x 400ft spools from DCR, the print in excellent with very good contrast which on this film is very important, especially the last reel set mostly at night and with the snow falling the photography is stunning, and of course it’s on b/w stock. Sound is very good, excellent tone/bass with absolute clarity. I love all the 80’s stuff but when you project something like this on to the big screen you realise just how good these classic movies really are. One thing you do notice about the classic actors such as these is how they can act using facial expressions, a great cast and a great British classic.
If you enjoy a good drama this one will never disappoint.
We will soon be viewing, and reviewing our other classic’s including The Third Man, and the 39 steps and also Gone with the wind.
The plot, (with internet help and edited to this slightly abridged version, the movie opens with the original BBFC "A" rating board,
The film's opening intertitle reads:
"This story is told against a background of political unrest in a city of Northern Ireland. It is not concerned with the struggle between the law and an illegal organisation, but only with the conflict in the hearts of the people when they become unexpectedly involved."
The city and the organisation are never explicitly named, but the protagonist, Johnny McQueen (James Mason), is the IRA-like group's leader in the city. Johnny has been hiding the past six months since his escape from prison in a house occupied by Kathleen Sullivan (Kathleen Ryan) who loves him and her granny.
Johnny has been ordered to rob a mill to obtain funds. His men, however, are a bit uneasy about his fitness for the task, having noticed a change in him since his escape; he has expressed his new belief that negotiation might achieve their goals more effectively than violence. Dennis (Robert Beatty) offers to take his place, but Johnny turns him down.
Johnny, Nolan (Dan O'Herlihy) and Murphy get the money. As they leave, Johnny is confronted by an armed cashier. Johnny is shot in the left arm before he kills the cashier. Pat (Cyril Cusack) drives off at high speed before Johnny is fully inside the getaway car. Johnny falls off. While his confederates argue about what to do, Johnny gets up and dashes away.
Dennis orders the others to report to headquarters. Along the way, however, the trio arouse the suspicion of the police, out in force on a manhunt for the robbers. They are pursued, but get away. Pat and Nolan stop off at Theresa O'Brien's place; Murphy does not trust her and goes elsewhere. She betrays the pair to the authorities. As they leave, they are gunned down after they start shooting.
Dennis finds Johnny, but the police show up nearby. Dennis is captured after drawing them away.
Johnny makes his way toward Kathleen's place, but collapses in the street. Passersby Maureen and Maudie take him home, thinking he has been struck by a passing lorry. When they discover who he is, Johnny departs and gets into a parked hansom cab. "Gin" Jimmy (Joseph Tomelty), the cabdriver, comes out and starts looking for a fare, unaware he already has a wanted man for a passenger. When he finds out, he drops Johnny off as quickly as he can.
Shell (F. J. McCormick) spots him dumping the now nearly unconscious fugitive. A poor man, he goes to Catholic priest Father Tom (W. G. Fay), hoping for a financial reward. By chance, Kathleen arrives shortly afterward, looking for help. Father Tom persuades Shell to fetch Johnny. Shell, while dropping off his pet bird at home, has to fend off another resident, (the possibly mentally unstable) painter Lukey (Robert Newton), who wants him to pose some more for him. Meanwhile, Johnny revives and stumbles into a private booth in a crowded bar. Proprietor Fencie (William Hartnell the original Dr Who) recognises him; wanting no trouble, he closes his establishment a bit early. He then recruits Shell and the persistent Lukey, who have separately converged on the bar, to take Johnny away in a cab. Over Shell's protests, Lukey takes Johnny back to his studio to paint his portrait. Failed medical student Tober (Elwyn Brook-Jones) tends to Johnny's wound as best he can. Johnny hallucinates, thinking Father Tom is talking to him.
When a sympathetic police inspector (Denis O'Dea), who had earlier led a search of Kathleen’s home and warned her against getting involved, shows up to try to get information from Father Tom, Kathleen slips away. She arranges passage on a ship for Johnny and goes searching for him. Shell starts Johnny toward Father Tom's, then goes ahead and encounters Kathleen. She takes Johnny to the ship, but finds the police closing in. Johnny is too far gone to see them. When he asks, "Is it far?” Kathleen replies, "It's a long way, Johnny, but I'm coming with you." She then draws a gun and fires two shots forcing the policemen to shoot back, killing them both.
James Mason as Johnny McQueen
Robert Newton as Lukey
Cyril Cusack as Pat
F. J. McCormick as Shell
William Hartnell as Fencie
Fay Compton as Rosie
Denis O'Dea as Inspector
W. G. Fay as Father Tom
Maureen Delaney as Theresa O’Brien
Elwyn Brook-Jones as Tober
Robert Beatty as Dennis
Dan O'Herlihy as Nolan
Kitty Kirwan as Grannie
Beryl Measor as Maudie
Roy Irving as Murphy
Joseph Tomelty as ‘Gin’ Jimmy, the cabbie
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