Odd Man Out

(Dir. Carol Reed) (1947)

A classic, sad and dreamlike treatment of a gang of IRA thugs and their leader, wounded and on the run after a mill robbery.  Only, the leader is post-war dreamboat James Mason, and we are forced to be sympathetic by virtue of his great, Christ-like playing and the pathos-drenched script and direction.

A powerful example of the potency of superior film technique, enlivened by some grand Irish-potato character roles, a very stern and noble Denis O’Dea as the Police Inspector, the impressively louche, kind and desolate Tober (Elwyn Brook-Jones), plus an eye-rolling, lip-smacking, face-twitching, whirling dervish cabaret turn by Robert Newton as a tortured painter. Irresistible!