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Timeline

The Informer (1935) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1935 · 91 min · English
Directed by
John Ford
Starring
Donald Meek, Joe Sawyer, Heather Angel, Victor McLaglen, J.M. Kerrigan, Margot Grahame

Haunted by his past, former IRA member Gypo Nolan plans to flee to America with his girlfriend. However, a difficult situation forces him to make a devastating choice between his loyalty and financial gain. He ultimately betrays his closest friend, Frankie, to the British authorities in exchange for passage on a transatlantic ship. This decision leaves him questioning the true cost of his escape and the consequences of his actions.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Informer
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Informer (1935)

Where can you watch The Informer? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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14 events in order · contains spoilers

The Informer Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Informer (1935) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Gypo's Expulsion from the IRA

    In 1922, Gypo Nolan finds himself ostracized from the Irish Republican Army after failing to kill a Black and Tan responsible for a comrade's death. This act of betrayal marks the beginning of Gypo's tumultuous journey as an outcast burdened by guilt and frustration.

    When
    1922
    Where
    Dublin
  2. Katie's Desperate Dream

    Amidst the chaos of Dublin streets, Gypo's streetwalker girlfriend, Katie Madden, confides in him about her urgent desire to escape Ireland. She reveals that she needs £10 to flee to America and start afresh, igniting a spark of desperation in Gypo as he processes their harsh reality.

    Where
    Dublin
  3. Betrayal of Frankie McPhillip

    Gypo reunites with Frankie McPhillip, an old friend and fugitive with a bounty on his head. In a moment of misguided determination, Gypo decides to betray Frankie to the British, believing that the reward money will provide both of them a way out of their current plight.

    Where
    Dublin
  4. Frankie's Death

    Gypo's betrayal leads to a tragic outcome when British forces discover Frankie's hideout. In a violent confrontation, Frankie is killed, and Gypo, instead of facing his guilt, receives the blood money, allowing him to escape the consequences of his actions.

    Where
    Frankie's home
  5. Lying to Katie

    Attempting to cover his treachery, Gypo concocts a story about acquiring money through violence against an American sailor. His deceit weighs heavily on him, and Katie, unaware of his betrayal, is drawn deeper into Gypo's web of lies.

  6. Suspicion Arises at Frankie's Wake

    During Frankie's wake, Gypo's actions raise suspicions among the attendees when coins abruptly spill from his pockets. This incident plants seeds of doubt about his loyalty, leading Gypo to deflect blame onto Mulligan, revealing his desperation to escape scrutiny.

    Where
    Dublin
  7. IRA Investigation Launches

    Mary, Frankie's sister, reports that Gypo was the last person her brother spoke with, prompting the IRA to initiate an investigation. This places Gypo in a precarious situation as he attempts to navigate the mounting pressure from his former comrades.

    Where
    Dublin
  8. Gypo's Public Downfall

    In a moment of reckless abandon, Gypo crashes an upper-class gathering, his drunken behavior drawing attention and raising further suspicions about his allegiance. Soon, he is apprehended by his former comrades who take him before a makeshift tribunal.

    Where
    Upper-class event in Dublin
  9. The Tribunal's Verdict

    During the tribunal, Gypo's accusations against Mulligan are dismissed by his peers, who provide a detailed account of his whereabouts, further isolating him. Gypo's intense guilt spirals as he grapples with the reality of betrayal and his lost honor.

    Where
    Dublin
  10. Gypo's Attempted Confession

    In jail, Gypo is consumed by remorse and realizes the weight of his actions. He attempts to confess his betrayal to his peers, which sets off a chain of events leading to a tragic showdown with his former allies.

    Where
    Dublin Jail
  11. Desperate Reunion with Katie

    Seizing a chance for redemption, Gypo escapes to Katie's apartment where he reveals the truth about his betrayal. However, Katie’s attempts to plead for Gypo's life fall on deaf ears as the authorities remain unmoved by his plight.

    Where
    Katie's Apartment
  12. Final Confrontation

    The situation escalates when IRA members, alerted by Katie’s distress, converge on the apartment. In a harrowing climax, they fatally shoot Gypo, unleashing a torrent of pain and sorrow upon the unsuspecting Katie.

    Where
    Katie's Apartment
  13. Gypo's Moment of Redemption

    In his dying moments, Gypo collapses in a church where he encounters Frankie's heartbroken mother. Seeking forgiveness, he finds solace in her compassionate response, marking a poignant moment of understanding and absolution before he fades away.

    Where
    Church
  14. Gypo's Final Breath

    As life slips away, Gypo calls out joyfully for Frankie in a moment of peace, suggesting repentance for his earlier actions. This final act underscores his desire for redemption amidst the chaos he had caused.

    Where
    Church

Last updated: November 07, 2024 at 23:57

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Timeline questions answered

The Informer Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Informer (1935): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Gypo betray Frankie McPhillip?

Gypo betrays Frankie because he needs money to flee to America with his girlfriend Katie. When he learns that Frankie has a £20 bounty on his head, Gypo sees this as his only opportunity to get the £10 Katie needs for passage to America. Despite their friendship, Gypo convinces himself that betraying Frankie will help them both escape their desperate circumstances in Dublin.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Gypo's expulsion from the IRA for failing to kill a Black and Tan already establishes his pattern of choosing self-preservation over loyalty.

  • Gypo Nolan
  • Frankie McPhillip
  • betrayal
  • IRA
  • bounty
  • money
Q2

How does Gypo betray Frankie to the British?

Gypo directly informs the British authorities about Frankie's location, providing them with information that leads the Black and Tans to Frankie's hideout. This betrayal occurs under cover of night, with Gypo believing the reward money will solve his problems. The British forces then raid Frankie's home, resulting in Frankie's death during the confrontation.

  • betrayal
  • British authorities
  • Frankie McPhillip
  • hideout
  • raid
Q3

What happens to Frankie after Gypo betrays him?

After Gypo provides the British with Frankie's location, Black and Tans surround Frankie's home and engage him in a violent confrontation. Frankie is killed during this shootout. Rather than facing immediate consequences, Gypo collects the £20 blood money from the British and walks free, though the guilt of his betrayal begins to consume him.

  • Frankie McPhillip
  • death
  • Black and Tans
  • blood money
Q4

Why does Gypo lie to Katie about where he got the money?

Gypo lies to Katie because he knows his actions are morally reprehensible. Rather than admitting he betrayed and got his friend killed, Gypofabricates a story that he obtained the money by beating up an American sailor. This lie allows him to maintain some dignity in Katie's eyes while also coping with his own overwhelming guilt.

  • Gypo Nolan
  • Katie
  • lie
  • money
  • guilt
  • American sailor
Q5

What causes the IRA to suspect Gypo?

The IRA becomes suspicious of Gypo after several incidents. At Frankie's wake, coins spill from Gypo's pockets, raising immediate doubts about how he obtained money. More critically, Mary McPhillip reports that Frankie had spoken only with Gypo before his death. These clues, combined with Gypo's erratic behavior and attempts to deflect blame onto Mulligan, lead the IRA to launch an investigation into his betrayal.

  • IRA
  • suspicion
  • Gypo Nolan
  • Frankie wake
  • Mary McPhillip
  • investigation
Q6

Why does the IRA kill Gypo?

The IRA executes Gypo because they consider him a traitor who sold out his own friend for money. After his guilt is confirmed through confession, the IRA views him as a dangerous informant whose actions led to Frankie's death. Even though Katie pleads with Commissioner Gallagher to spare Gypo, the IRA members who have converged on her apartment carry out the execution as justice for his betrayal.

  • IRA
  • execution
  • Gypo Nolan
  • traitor
  • Frankie McPhillip
  • death
Q7

What happens to Gypo at the end of the movie?

After being shot by IRA members at Katie's apartment, Gypo escapes to a church in his dying moments. There, he encounters Frankie's mother and begs for forgiveness. She graciously absolves him, stating he acted without understanding the consequences of his actions. Contented by this forgiveness, Gypo dies peacefully on the church floor, calling out joyfully for Frankie.

  • Gypo Nolan
  • church
  • death
  • Frankie mother
  • forgiveness
  • redemption
Q8

Why does Frankie's mother forgive Gypo?

Frankie's mother forgives Gypo because she recognizes that his betrayal stemmed from weakness and desperation rather than genuine malice. She tells him that he acted without understanding the true consequences of his actions. Her compassion represents the movie's theme of redemption, allowing Gypo to find peace in his final moments despite his terrible sin.

  • Frankie mother
  • forgiveness
  • Gypo Nolan
  • redemption
  • compassion
Q9

Why was Gypo expelled from the IRA?

Gypo was expelled from the IRA because he failed to kill a Black and Tan who was responsible for murdering a fellow IRA member. This failure to carry out a crucial order marked him as unreliable and weak in the eyes of his comrades, setting the stage for his later moral failures and positioning him as an outcast who would later betray his closest friend.

  • Gypo Nolan
  • IRA
  • expelled
  • Black and Tan
  • failure
Q10

Why does Katie want to go to America?

Katie desperately wants to escape Dublin and start a new life in America because she sees no future for herself in Ireland. As a streetwalker, she faces a bleak existence in the turbulent 1922 Dublin. She needs £10 for passage to America and believes this escape represents her only chance at dignity and a better life.

  • Katie Madden
  • America
  • escape
  • Dublin
  • new life
  • £10
Q11

How does the movie show Gypo's guilt after betraying Frankie?

The movie portrays Gypo's guilt through his increasingly erratic behavior. At Frankie's wake, coins accidentally spill from his pockets, revealing his blood money. He attempts to deflect blame onto Mulligan, but his drunken confessions and suspicious actions eventually lead the IRA to investigate him. His guilt becomes so overwhelming that he confesses his betrayal while in jail, and later seeks refuge in a church seeking redemption.

  • Gypo Nolan
  • guilt
  • confession
  • coins
  • wake
  • tribunal
Q12

Why does Commissioner Gallagher refuse to help Gypo?

Commissioner Gallagher refuses to intervene on Gypo's behalf because he considers Gypo too dangerous to be useful as an informant. He fears that if Gypo were released, he might turn the entire IRA organization over to the police in exchange for leniency. This pragmatic assessment means Gypo receives no protection from the authorities, leaving him vulnerable to IRA justice.

  • Commissioner Gallagher
  • Gypo Nolan
  • informant
  • police
  • refusal

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Informer, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Informer tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about guilt and betrayal like The Informer

Stories centered on the agonizing psychological fallout of a single devastating moral failure. If you were captivated by the heavy emotional toll of Gypo's actions in The Informer, these movies explore similar stories of moral collapse. Find other films where characters betray a trust and face the crushing psychological consequences, leading to desperate and often tragic journeys for redemption or escape.

  • guilt-ridden
  • oppressive
  • anxious
  • desperate
  • somber
  • moral conflict
  • Tone: dark, somber, guilt-ridden
  • Pacing: steady, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: This thread groups movies where the central plot catalyst is a significant act of betrayal by the protagonist. The story then focuses not on the action itself, but on the character's subsequent psychological deterioration, paranoia, and desperate attempts to cope or seek redemption, creating a tense and somber atmosphere.

Why they belong together: They are grouped by a shared focus on the emotional and psychological consequences of a single, devastating moral choice. The collective experience is one of high emotional weight, a dark tone, and a steady, oppressive pacing that mirrors the protagonist's inescapable guilt.

Gritty moral dilemma dramas like The Informer

Character-driven tales where poverty and pressure lead to a steady, inevitable moral descent. For viewers who appreciated the gritty setting and steady moral unraveling in The Informer, this list highlights similar character-driven stories. Discover movies where desperate individuals, trapped by poverty or conflict, face impossible choices that lead to a dark and emotionally heavy journey with a bittersweet or bleak resolution.

  • gritty
  • desperate
  • melancholic
  • anxious
  • oppressive
  • poverty
  • Tone: gritty, dark, melancholic
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven build
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives often unfold in a bleak, socially stratified world that pressures the protagonist. The pacing is steady and deliberate, building tension not through action but through the protagonist's gradual ethical decline. The story is a straightforward but powerful examination of how environment and desperation can corrupt an individual.

Why they belong together: They share a cohesive vibe of gritty realism, a dark tone, and a steady pacing that builds anxiety around a central moral dilemma. The combination of a high-stakes personal conflict within a larger oppressive social or political framework creates a specific, intense viewing experience.

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Movies Like The Informer

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Every angle

The Informer (1935) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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