Odd Man Out (1947)

Director:

Carol Reed

Writers:

F.L. Green (by)
F.L. Green (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 April 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Romance | Thriller

Plot:

A wounded Irish nationalist leader attempts to evade police following a failed robbery. Action takes place in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Plot Keywords:

Belfast | Irish | Search | Robbery | Ireland

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

James Mason	...	Johnny McQueen
Robert Newton	...	Lukey
Cyril Cusack	...	Pat
Kathleen Ryan	...	Kathleen Sullivan
F.J. McCormick	...	Shell
William Hartnell	...	Fencie,the barman
Fay Compton	...	Rosie
Denis O'Dea	...	Inspector
W.G. Fay	...	Father Tom
Maureen Delaney	...	Theresa O'Brien
Elwyn Brook-Jones	...	Tober
Robert Beatty	...	Dennis
Dan O'Herlihy	...	Nolan
Kitty Kirwan	...	Grannie
Beryl Measor	...	Maudie
Roy Irving	...	Murphy
Joseph Tomelty	...	'Gin' Jimmy, the cabbie
Arthur Hambling	...	Tom
Ann Clery	...	Maureen
Maura Milligan
Maureen Cusack
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Wilfrid Brambell	...	Standing passenger on tram (uncredited)
Dora Bryan	...	Girl in telephone kiosk (uncredited)
Eddie Byrne	...	Seaman (uncredited)
Harry Hutchinson	...	Waiter in Crown Bar (uncredited)
Geoffrey Keen	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Madam Kirkwood-Hackett	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Pat McGrath	...	(uncredited)
Maurice Millard	...	(uncredited)
Noel Purcell	...	Tram Conductor (uncredited)
Guy Rolfe	...	Policeman watching Kathleen's house (uncredited)

Directed by
Carol Reed

Writing credits
F.L. Green		(by)
F.L. Green		(screenplay) and
R.C. Sherriff		(screenplay)

Produced by
Carol Reed	....	producer
Phil C. Samuel	....	associate producer (as Phil. C.Samuel)
Herbert Smith	....	executive producer in charge of production (uncredited)

Original Music by
William Alwyn

Cinematography by
Robert Krasker		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Fergus McDonell

Casting by
Irene Howard		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Ralph W. Brinton		(as Ralph Brinton)

Makeup Department
Tony Sforzini	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Frank Bevis	....	production manager
Filippo Del Giudice	....	in charge of production (as F. Del Giudice)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark Evans	....	assistant director
Tony Hearne	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Roger K. Furse	....	production decor (as Roger Furse)
E. Lindegaard	....	backings (as F. Lindegaard)
E.W. Brister	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Colleen Browning	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Betty Pierce	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Stanley Yeomanson	....	assistant constructor (uncredited)

Sound Department
Desmond Dew	....	sound recordist
Amy Fisher	....	sound recordist (as A.Fisher)
Harry Miller	....	sound editor
Peter Davies	....	assistant dubbing mixer (uncredited)
Sash Fisher	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Bill Lewthwaite	....	sound assistant (uncredited)
John W. Mitchell	....	production sound mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Stanley Grant	....	special effects
Bill Warrington	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
H.A.R. Thomson	....	camera operator (as Russell Thomson)
Davis Boulton	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Alan Cullimore	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Laurie Friedman	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Maurice Gillett	....	electrician (uncredited)
Gerry Massy-Collier	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Casting Department
Maude Spector	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Peggy Henderson	....	wardrobe buyer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Geoffrey Muller	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	conductor
George Stratton	....	leader: The London Symphony Orchestra

Other crew
Olga Brook	....	continuity (as Olga Brooks)
Cecil F. Ford	....	advisor: Irish (as Cecil Ford)
Joseph Tomelty	....	advisor: Irish
George Leech	....	stand-in: Mr. Mason (uncredited)
J. Arthur Rank	....	presenter (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Two Cities Films (as A Two Cities Film)

Distributors

• General Film Distributors (GFD) (1947) (UK) (theatrical) (released through)
• Universal Pictures (1947) (USA) (theatrical)
• Parvisfilmi (1947) (Finland) (theatrical)
• J. Arthur Rank Film (1948) (Germany) (theatrical)
• J.Arthur Rank-Film (1948) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Park Circus (2006) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Státní Pujcovna Filmu (194?) (Czechoslovakia) (theatrical)
• Carlton International (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1974) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Criterion Collection, The (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Future Film (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
• Gaumont DVD (2004) (France) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• TV3 (1987) (Finland) (TV)
• Video Collection International (1986) (UK) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1966) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• London Symphony Orchestra, The (LSO)  music played by (as The London Symphony Orchestra)

Also Known As:

Carol Reed's Production of Odd Man Out (UK) (complete title)
Gang War

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Iceland:12 | West Germany:16 | UK:PG (tv rating) | Finland:K-16 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1986)

Filming Locations:

Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK

Company:

Two Cities Films

Trivia:

Before James Mason got this lead role, it was offered to Stewart Granger who turned it down.

Quotes:

Lukey: [about painting a portrait of the wounded Johnny McQueen] There's something to be said about him before he dies.
Tober: And about all of us.
Lukey: I understand what I see in him.
Tober: What is it?
Lukey: It's the truth about us all.
Tober: Is that all?
Lukey: He's doomed.
Tober: So are we all.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Frasier: Odd Man Out (#4.23)" (1997)

Unusual and Interesting Film

Very unusual film, this. Haunting. I'm not a big fan of James Mason but he is excellent in this.

An unnamed organisation (the IRA) in an unnamed Norhern Irish city (Belfast) carry out an armed robbery that goes wrong. Johnny ends up shot, dying and on the run. The movie tracks the multiple stalking of this wounded, dying creature. Everyone wants a piece of him for different reasons.

Why the IRA and Belfast aren't named I don't know - perhaps the politics of the time caused this.

Some aspects of the movie have dated somewhat, but much of it remains gripping and fascinating.

Harold Pinter refers to it constantly in his play Old Times and you can imagine that a young Pinter would have been influenced by this movie.

Check this one out, for sure.