The next time you're in the mood for a tense, well-acted, rather unsettling drama, check out Carol Reed's overlooked British drama Odd Man Out. While it received a BAFTA for Best British Film, hardly anyone in America has ever heard of it.
James Mason stars as the head of an Irish rebellious group, and he's been staying with his girlfriend, Kathleen Ryan, for six months, hiding from the police since his escape from prison. While in the middle of a robbery with his fellow members, Robert Beatty, Cyril Cusack, and Dan O'Herlihy, James gets shot. The rest of the movie both moves quickly and drags, as James tries to stay alive and away from the police. Kathleen helps hide him, but he's losing blood and there are several witnesses who could, at any point, give him up.
James Mason gives a fantastic performance, and it's a credit to his talent that he'd able to carry a movie while spending most of his time with very little energy because of a gunshot wound. He's truly magnetic-and it doesn't hurt that he looks incredibly handsome-and easily gains the audience's sympathy even though he's a criminal. If you're a James Mason fan, you're definitely going to want to rent this one. Just keep in mind it's heavy, and pretty violent for its time.
James Mason stars as the head of an Irish rebellious group, and he's been staying with his girlfriend, Kathleen Ryan, for six months, hiding from the police since his escape from prison. While in the middle of a robbery with his fellow members, Robert Beatty, Cyril Cusack, and Dan O'Herlihy, James gets shot. The rest of the movie both moves quickly and drags, as James tries to stay alive and away from the police. Kathleen helps hide him, but he's losing blood and there are several witnesses who could, at any point, give him up.
James Mason gives a fantastic performance, and it's a credit to his talent that he'd able to carry a movie while spending most of his time with very little energy because of a gunshot wound. He's truly magnetic-and it doesn't hurt that he looks incredibly handsome-and easily gains the audience's sympathy even though he's a criminal. If you're a James Mason fan, you're definitely going to want to rent this one. Just keep in mind it's heavy, and pretty violent for its time.