Review of carol reeds 1947 film noir odd man out, starring james mason, robert newton, cyril cusack. The book and subsequent film tell the story of an ira leader in belfast who is wounded in a botched robbery and is then hunted through the citys streets. Odd man out by sheridan morley and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. In 1945, mason took up a lead role in the film, the seventh veil. From then on he became one of the busiest of motionpicture actors.
Odd man out is an entertaining chase movie that has been criticized for an unrealistic representation of northern ireland. But the episodes are compelling because of the way mason embodies the grotesque pathos, tragic glamour, and seductive vulnerability of the doomed. Morley chronicles the life and times of one of englands most gifted actors, james mason, with great emphasis on masons acting achievements in chronological order, intertwining his personal and business dealings as well. Mason and his first wife, pamela, arrived in the united states in the late forties, and the hollywood phase of his career lasted through the 1950s. After i ordered it, i was naturally impatient to hold it in my hands and it arrived sooner than anticipated. James mason and his wife pamela mason starred in the 30 minute. James mason a biography new edition by morley, sheridan isbn. The james mason community book club archives james mason. He went on to make an indelible impression playing emotionally haunted characters on stage and screen, such as one early standout role, johnny mcqueen in carol reeds odd man out 1947. On 9251995 while going to my job in nyc i was on the nj transit train with the james mason bio odd man out i decided to sketch a picture of him with paper and pencil i have kept this drawing for over 14 years it is now framed and hangs in my room i have decided i really want to share it with the group mind you i am no artist never took a lesson but i tried my best to capture.
Apr 14, 2015 the premise of odd man out might be faulted as schematic. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. A wounded irish nationalist leader attempts to evade police following a failed robbery in belfast. But in this revealing book, mason is shown to be a highly sensitive man uncomfortable with stardom, and often at odds with attempts to mould or typecast him. James mason a biography by sheridan morley 2016, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. Cast as johhny mcqueen, an ira leader in 1940s belfast, his character is introduced not by camera, but by sound.
A wounded irish nationalist leader attempts to evade police following a. Odd man out he hit the director of one film, drank himself through several others and openly despised some of his bestknown roles. James mason by morley, sheridan and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading odd man out. Worse, while their getaway car is driving away he jumps on the running board, but he. He and his criminal buddies pull off a robbery but mason gets shot. Johnny mcqueen james mason is already an odd man out when the. Greens novel was first published in march 1945, seventyfive years ago this month.
Johnny represents mortality or human extremity, and each of the people he encounters must decide whether to help, ignore, or betray him. He remains, in legacy, the most intriguing and unpredictable of the great screenactors. The hollywood raj 1983, the other side of the moon. A fine actor who will be long remembered for so may fine performances in film, this book fills a gap because not many accounts of his life exist. Odd man out is a 1947 british film noir set in an unnamed northern irish city and directed by carol reed starring james mason and robert. Geoffrey macnab on the contradictions of james mason. After i ordered it, i was naturally impatient to hold it in my hands and it arrived sooner than. James mason was born in huddersfield, yorkshire, england, on 15 may 1909 and eventually made his way to school at marlborough where he spent his time almost without public trace.
The film received the first bafta award for best british film. Many people are familiar with carol reeds odd man out, an oscarnominated film noir starring james mason set in belfast. Many critics, however, feel that odd man out 1947, which was filmed two years prior to the third man, is reeds real masterpiece. The film became hugely popular and garnered him worldwide recognition and fame. James mason book the seattle public library bibliocommons. He never overplays as he drifts in and out of a disoriented fog. Oct 30, 2003 odd man out he hit the director of one film, drank himself through several others and openly despised some of his bestknown roles. James mason gives the performance of a lifetime as an ira man on the run in the backwaters of belfast after he is fatally. James mason, is the iralike groups leader in the city presumably belfast. He went on to make an indelible impression playing emotionally haunted characters on stage and screen, such as one early stand out role, johnny mcqueen in carol reeds odd man out 1947. Under the right circumstances, a sort of group mentality can come across even younger people, left unsupervised, and bring about horrific results. John gielgud and james mason in 11 harrowhouse duration.
However, he did make a late appearance in a debate, the motion of which was that this present generations take on recreation typifies a general decadence. Odd man out is a 1947 british film noir directed by carol reed. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Feb 02, 2020 james mason home james 1972 by rusalka jirisch. Odd man out, british film in which james mason again is the chief menace, has its premiere at loews criterion. Sheridan morley 19412007 was the third generation of a. Following four years as a stage actor, his first film was late extra 1935. Apr 21, 1989 james mason was born in huddersfield, yorkshire, england, on 15 may 1909 and eventually made his way to school at marlborough where he spent his time almost without public trace. Greens masterful thriller odd man out 1945 is best known today as the basis for the classic 1947 film adaptation directed by carol reed and starring james. Despite the film being deemed too controversial and subject to censorship before being released, james mason called his leading role in odd man out the best performance of his career. He proved to have great depth as an actor, as shown in the seventh veil 1945 and odd man out 1947. James mason, who died july 27, 1984 at age 75, would be 109 on may 15 if he were still alive.
Though just as imaginatively photographed and edited as the third man, odd man out is anchored by james mason s breathtaking performance as a critically wounded i. Jun, 2017 odd man out is a 1947 british film noir set in an unnamed northern irish city and directed by carol reed. A revealing and critical biography of james mason, the stage and screen actor whose 50year career spanned the golden age of hollywood. Odd man out taking place largely over the course of one tense night, carol reeds psychological noir, set in an unnamed belfast, stars james mason as a revolutionary excon leading a robbery that goes horribly wrong. Their collaboration in odd man out marked one of the high points of postwar british cinema. Odd man out is a 1947 british film noir set in an unnamed northern irish city and directed by carol reed.
I read it in two days, loved it, learned a lot about the man i did not know before. It was very sad to find out he had such a miserable life, but fortunately, he met his. These are now all republished by dean street press. David thomson on the career of james mason film the. See more ideas about actor, movie stars and old hollywood.
After this movie mason almost immediately made his jump to hollywood. The critical success of odd man out propelled james mason to hollywood. Odd man out hardcover 1 aug 1989 by sheridan morley author. James mason in odd man out 1947 classic movie favorites. Odd man out by carol reed carol reed, james mason, fay. Odd man out 1947 the criterion collection bluray us import this is it. Taking place largely over the course of one tense night, carol reeds psychological noir, set in an unnamed belfast, stars james mason as a revolutionary excon leading a robbery that goes horribly wrong. In his book on the film, dai vaughan neatly sums up the seeming. Johnny mcqueen is an ira leader who breaks out of prison and for 6 months hides out at the house of adoring kathleen. It was the rattattat releases of 1947s odd man out good, 1948s the fallen idol better and 1949s the third man best that marked carol reed as a worldclass filmmaker.
Directed by londonborn carol reed, the film works for the universality of its story, and james masons fine performance compensates considerably for the films sometimes blurry focus. For fans of james mason the book follows his journey from yorkshire to hollywood as the leading man of his generation. James mason is the odd man out suspense classic radio. Directed by londonborn carol reed, the film works for the universality of its story, and james mason s fine performance compensates considerably for the films sometimes blurry focus. He followed it up with the 1947 film, odd man out wherein he played the character of a mortally wounded ira bank robber. The rakish matinee idol expresses the helplessness of a man wracked by guilt and suddenly alienated from everyone he meets. Johnny has been hiding the past six months since his escape from prison in a house occupied by kathleen sullivan kathleen ryan who loves him and her grandmother. Set in an unnamed northern irish city, it is based on the novel of the same name by f.
The author has written this biography with the permission of masons widow, clarissa, and has previously written the other side of the moon. James mason was the star of many films, such as the wicked lady, julius caesar and a star is born, but saw his life as empty and a failure. In 1947, carol reed famously turned laurie greens novel odd man out into an oscarnominated film noir with james mason in the. May 16, 2018 james mason, who died july 27, 1984 at age 75, would be 109 on may 15 if he were still alive. The author has written this biography with the permission of mason s widow, clarissa, and has previously written the other side of the moon. Incredibly goodlooking, in a dark way that curious quality of a man. The film was adapted from a novel of the same name, written by laurie green and adapted by him for reeds film. Odd man out, british film in which james mason again is the. Film noir is a term usually associated with american films of the 1940s and 1950s, but this british classic from 1947 fits the definition in almost every respect. Though just as imaginatively photographed and edited as the third man and odd man out is anchored by james masons breathtaking performance as a critically wounded i. Kobal collection j ames mason had good friends, and sometimes that is the measure of a man, especially in the picture business, where its all.
James mason biography childhood, life achievements. This is as agonising a piece of cinema as you are ever likely to see. Johnny mcqueen james mason is a newlyescaped ira militant, with colleagues robbing a belfast bank, driver pat cyril cusack waiting outside, in carol reeds film of the troubles, odd man out, 1947. Taking place largely over the course of one tense night, carol reeds psychological noir, set in an unnamed belfast, stars james mason as a. Filmmaker roman polanski repeatedly cited odd man out as his favourite film. Morley chronicles the life and times of one of englands most gifted actors, james mason, with great emphasis on mason s acting achievements in chronological order, intertwining his personal and business dealings as well. Mason studied architecture before trying for a theatrical career. Though just as imaginatively photographed and edited as the third man, odd man out is anchored by james masons breathtaking performance as a critically wounded i. Mar 30, 2020 in 1947, carol reed famously turned laurie greens novel odd man out into an oscarnominated film noir with james mason in the lead role and many of the leading lights of irish acting. James mason a biography kindle edition by morley, sheridan. James mason gives the performance of a lifetime as an ira man on the run in the. Fortunately for us, he left behind a great body of work in iconic performances from the sadistic man in grey in the melodrama of that title, to the doomed ira member in odd man out, to sophisticated perv humbert humbert in lolita.
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