ODD MAN OUT

UK, 1947, 116 minutes, Black and white.
James Mason, Robert Newton, Cyril Cusack, Kathleen Ryan, F.J. Mc Cormick, William Hartnell, Fay Compton, Dennis O’ Dea, Maureen Delaney, Robert Beatty, Dan O’ Herlihy.
Directed by Carol Reed.

Odd Man Out is considered a masterpiece. While it echoed the Irish Troubles of the time, in post-World War Two Northern Ireland, it is interesting to look at in the light of the history of Northern Ireland during the latter part of the 20th century.

James Mason is at his best – after appearing in a number of melodramas for Gainsborough Studios during the war, like The Wicked Lady and The Seventh Veil, he was soon to move to the United States and an international career. Robert Newton had also made a number of interesting films though his quite idiosyncratic manner of speaking was best suited to his role as Long John Silver in Treasure Island. The film has a very strong supporting cast led by Irishman Cyril Cusack and with a number of British character actors.

The film was directed by Carol Reed who had begun directing in the 1930s and made such significant films as The Stars Looked Down, Kipps, The Way Ahead. Immediately after Odd Man Out he made another two masterpieces both based on Graham Greene stories, The Fallen Idol and The Third Man. He made a number of strong films during the 1950s though not as strong as this work in the late 40s. His work became much more popular in the 1960s including The Agony and the Ecstasy and his unexpected Oscar win for best director of Oliver.

The film shows a perspective on the IRA, its work, its being perceived as a terrorist organisation, the robbing of banks to fund the terrorist activity. James Mason is Johnny Mc Queen, the odd man out, in jail for a long time and now hiding with Kathleen (Kathleen Ryan) and her grandmother. When the robbery goes wrong, he has to escape, there is a cordon around the streets, he tries to survive. Kathleen goes to find him.

The film is famous for its black and white cinematography, by Australian-born Robert Krasker who worked on many significant films from the 1930s and worked until the 1960s even with such spectacles as El Cid, The Fall of the Roman Empire, The Heroes of Telemark. The design of the cinematography, its different perspectives and angles indicate the experience of the man on the run. The film also has a musical score by William Alwyn,

1. The significance and tone of the title? The remake was called "The Lost Man". Compare titles and themes.

2. This film is considered a classic. Why? Comment on its nature as a classic in terms of theme, treatment. black and white photography, location atmosphere and photography, development of character?

3. How well did the film create its Irish setting? the nature of the prologue, the atmosphere and look of Belfast, the political and national issues, the details of places, the complex reactions of the Irish, the role of the police, the role of law, the role of the Church?

4. Where were audience sympathies directed? How? How much sympathy for Johnny? For his cause? The fact that he was dying throughout the film? Of the issues and people and danger seen through his eyes?

5. The importance of seeing through Johnny's eyes? Comment on the cinematic and dramatic devices for this.

6. Audience reaction to the organisation? To terrorism? Ordinary people involved in politics? The drawing up of plans, the attitude towards the law, lack of scruple as regards violence and death? Comment on the moral issues involved in Irish terrorism. The film’s attitudes?

7. The focussing of attention on Johnny: as we first see him, the fact that he was in prison for so long, trying to do a job, his heart not in it as before, his decisions. The impact of his being shot, Hiding, the struggle and the journey towards death?

8. Comment on the theme of a dying man in his reviewing his life and its meeting. How well was this illustrated throughout the film?

9. The Irish character in Gran and Kathleen? Their coping with the situation and helping Johnny? Their reactions to the police? What should they have done?

10. Kathleen as a character? her helping the organisation, her searching for Johnny, her relationship with Father Tom, with the police? What was the meaning of her death? Audience sympathy?

11. The friends and their lack of expertise in doing the job?

12. The gunmen and the driver?

13. Comment on the character gallery presented in this film, the characters in themselves, their relationship to Johnny, to the theme, the children at various times who helped Johnny or the police, the people robbed, the people in the bank, the two ladies who took Johnny in and helped him, the soldiers, the cabby, Shirl, Lukey, the doctor, the people in the hotel, Father Tom. What motivated all these people? Greed, help, fear, the law?

14. The importance of the artist, as an apolitical Irishman? The significance of his painting Johnny while he was being attended to by the doctor?

15. The presentation of the Irish police? how fair was the film? The comment on Irish politics. Culture, society, religion?

17. How optimistic a film, how pessimistic?