MovieChat Forums > The Informer (1935) Discussion > Swearing and IRA Fashion Sense

Swearing and IRA Fashion Sense


Watching this movie again I noticed two odd things. First of all this film was made under the Production Code which is why Katie being a prostitute and the exact function of Madame Betty's place are left rather vague. But in the scene where the Black and Tans are raiding the McPhilip house Wallace Ford appears to yell "Damn," specifically "Damn it, get out of the way." What was up there? Did Joe Breen miss that? Or am I just hearing things?

The other funny thing about this movie was noticing the IRA fashion style. They love to wear trenchcoats in this movie. Heck only Donahue and some of the other folks at the "trial" didn't wear them. I guess trenchcoats are good places to hide guns. The British could have easily wiped them out by arresting everyone wearing trenchcoats!

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I saw this on TCM last night and he did say "Damn". Yeah, I noticed all those trenchcoats. United Kingdom men always have such stylish and classic outerwear! I always notice this, ironically, in British films of the past; any good English mystery movie usually of the 1950's has all the lads splendidly turned out in their trenchcoats, puffing their pipes and drinking endless cups of tea.

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Trenchcoats were part of the IRA uniform, as glorified in the song "The Broad Black Brimmer". They would really hate being called British though...

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The trenchcoat was standard IRA wear, and as such British undercover agents would invariably wear trechcoats too.

There is a theory that, originally, the IRA wore the coats in order to possibly be confused with British colonial officials.

Either way, it was an accurate depiction.

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"They would really hate being called British though.."


I know that it has now been YEARS since the last post on this thread, but unfortunately I have only just stumbled across it -sorry!

I did just want to say a huge THANK YOU to "Steffi_P" though, as I just read through this particular thread from the start & was amazed that after that comment -nobody, by the time of your response (Steffi_P) had made that same point (or even so much as hinted at it) at all!! :)

So thank you anyway, as you've saved me the trouble of having to make the very same point myself ..not to mention the fact that your comment doesn't only apply to this film & to that period ..but that it is still, like it or not, very very true & VERY relevant right to this day!


Thanks though >^._.^< xxx.

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