The Informant

"Even freedom has its price."

1997 1h 45m EN

👍

6.6

SOLID

★6.6TMDB · 15

ActionWarThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A former Irish Republican Army fighter, Gingy McAnally (Anthony Brophy), is reluctant about being called back into service after serving time in prison. He executes the grisly task but ends up captured by a sympathetic British police lieutenant named Ferris (Cary Elwes). The intimidating Chief Inspector of the Belfast Police (Timothy Dalton) convinces Gingy that his best hope is to become an informant and turn in other IRA operatives. As Gingy's marriage unravels under the stress, he is forced to come to terms with the fact that in this war both sides lose. Three men, three political circles, each fighting for their lives, each with their own agenda in the battle for Northern Ireland.

“Even freedom has its price.”

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Cast

Cary Elwes
Lt. David Ferris
Anthony Brophy
Gingy McAnally
Timothy Dalton
DCI Rennie
Maria Lennon
Roisin McAnally
Sean McGinley
Frankie Conroy
John Kavanagh
IRA Chief
Frankie McCafferty
Dalton
Stuart Graham
Det. Asley

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jim McBride
Writers: Nicholas Meyer
Languages: German, English
Countries: Ireland, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

29 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: German, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Ireland, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Jim McBride, shot by Affonso Beato. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Shane MacGowan. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Éva Gárdos shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Cary Elwes and Anthony Brophy and Timothy Dalton carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Even freedom has its price.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jim McBride directs. Affonso Beato behind the camera. Shane MacGowan scores. Éva Gárdos cuts. Produced in Ireland, United States of America. Dialogue in German, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

129 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: German, English.
3International production across 2 countries: Ireland, United States of America.
4Directed by Jim McBride, shot by Affonso Beato. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Shane MacGowan. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Éva Gárdos shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Cary Elwes and Anthony Brophy and Timothy Dalton carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Even freedom has its price.".
9IMDB entry: tt0119368 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 15 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.