Full Confession

Full Confession is an RKO B film starring Barry Fitzgerald, Victor McLaglen, and Joseph Calleia.

Pat Sullivan (McLaglen) commits a murder, but another man, Michael O'Keefe (Fitzgerald) is accused of it.

Pat goes to prison for robbery and eventually is released. When he becomes ill and believes he's about to die, he confesses to Father Loma (Calleia).

When he doesn't die, the priest, close to the O'Keefe family as well as Pat, begs him to admit his crime. Because of the seal of confession, the priest himself can't turn him in.

Pat refuses; he has no intention of returning to prison and he wants to marry the woman who stood by him (Sally Eilers).

Good movie especially if you're a Catholic and religious. Its message is powerful no matter what you believe.

The film, directed by John Farrow, looks Expressionist.

Very well done.

Stars Victor McLaglen as McGinnis and Barry Fitzerald as Michael O'Keefe. A man has been found guilty, and will be executed unless the real murderer comes forward. Joe Calleia is the priest who is trying to convince the real murderer to confess, to save an innocent man from dying. (Calleia was also the Detective in "Gilda"... great film!) co-stars Sally Eilers. Directed by John Farrow. .. he won the oscar for best writing "Around the World in 80 Days". Farrow has an interesting story himself... seven children with Maureen O'Sullivan. His daughter Mia Farrow was famous in her own right. This tale is pretty good drama. Must be pretty new to Turner Classics. Worth watching!

This is a little early to be a noir but it has a beautiful Expressionistic look. It is shot in chiaroscuro much of the time.

Here, everyone is Irish. Barry Fitzgerald, the falsely accused, and Victor McLaglen, the real murderer.

There is an uneasy pious quality to the goings on, with a Roman Catholic priest as the central, and almost Christlike, figure.

When McLaglen finally confesses, he does so to the background of a heavenly choir.

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.