Full Confession

Full Confession is a most Catholic story. I've never seen Catholic guilt portrayed quite so well as it is in this film.

Victor McLaglen gets into character with a bit of a reprise of his Gypo Nolan character from The Informer. He's a bit of a lout like Gypo only in this case he does the deed. It was the murder of a policeman during the commission of a robbery. But it's Barry Fitzgerald who originally owned the murder weapon who gets the blame and is sentenced to die.

McLaglen in the meantime is picked up on another rap and his case comes to the attention of Father Joseph Calleia. When McLaglen is hurt and thinks he's dying he confesses to Calleia.

Bound by the confessional as he is Calleia still appeals to McLaglen to confess and save Fitzgerald.

Other than Calleia, Full Confession is also full of the Irish blarney as you can get. It has the feel of a John Ford film, in fact I wonder if this was offered to Ford at first.

Sally Eilers as McLaglen's girlfriend/fiance has the only other big role in the movie. This one is a hidden gem from RKO catch it the next time TCM runs it.