The struggle between the individual and "the organization" or whomever hold the keys to power, is no more in evidence than during wartime. In "Odd Man Out", Johnny (James Mason) is the group leader of a band of Irish rebels fighting the British occupation of their land. Johnny, having escaped from a British prison, is hiding out in the home of sympathizers, a young Irish girl Kathleen Sullivan and an old woman called "granny". Kathleen is in love with Johnny and under different circumstances they might be living their lives together as lovers, but war is hell and men must act to end tyranny. During a robbery to obtain badly needed funds for "the Organization", Johnny gets shot and then falls out of the getaway car in the heart of occupied Belfast. The heart of the picture is Johnny's attempt to reach home . . . to Kathleen, and her attempt to find Johnny and protect him from certain death. During this struggle to find each other, they encounter a cast of characters that cover a wide spectrum of society, some genuinely willing to help, but most being motivated by self-interest. The last fifteen minutes of the film are riveting as Johnny and Kathleen get closer and closer to home . . . to each other. Excellent performances from James Mason and Kathleen Ryan as Kathleen Sullivan.
Review of Odd Man Out
