Editing Odd Man Out (section)

==Production==
===Development===
F.L. Green's novel, also used as the basis of the 1969 [[Sidney Poitier]] film ''[[The Lost Man]]'', was published in 1945. It followed upon wartime action by the [[Irish Republican Army (1922–1969)|IRA]] in Belfast, in consequence of which [[Northern Ireland]] undertook its first and only execution of an [[Irish republicanism|Irish Republican]], 19-year-old [[Tom Williams (Irish republican)|Tom Williams]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Ireland in the Twentieth Century|last=Coogan|first=Tim Pat|publisher=Random House|year=2003|location=London|isbn=9780099415220|page=334}}.</ref> In the novel, an IRA plot goes horribly wrong when its leader, Johnny Murtah, kills an innocent man, and he is gravely wounded. The source of Green's familiarity with the Belfast IRA at the time is thought to be the Belfast writer [[Denis Ireland]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://treasonfelony.wordpress.com/tag/john-graham/|title=John Graham|date=14 February 2019 |publisher=The Treason Felony Blog|access-date=2020-01-27}}</ref> Ireland's anti-[[Partition of Ireland|Partition]] Ulster Union Club had been infiltrated by the IRA intelligence officer and recruiter [[John Graham (Irish republican)|John Graham]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=The IRA|last=Coogan|first=Tim Pat|publisher=Macmillan|year=2002|location=London|page=178}}</ref>

===Casting===
According to Richard Burton, the lead role was originally offered to [[Stewart Granger]]. Burton wrote in his diaries:
<blockquote>Reminds me of Jimmy Granger being sent the script of Odd Man Out by Carol Reed and flipping through the pages where he had dialogue, deciding that the part wasn't long enough. He didn't notice the stage directions so turned it down and James Mason played it instead and made a career out of it. It's probably the best thing that Mason has ever done and certainly the best film he's ever been in while poor Granger has never been in a good classic film at all. Or, as far as I remember, in a good film of any kind. You could after all have a 'James Mason Festival' but you couldn't have a 'Stewart Granger' one. Except as a joke. Granger tells the story ruefully against himself.<ref>{{Cite book|first=Richard|last=Burton|title=Richard Burton Diaries|date=24 June 1971}}</ref></blockquote>
Aside from Mason, the supporting cast was drawn largely from Dublin's [[Abbey Theatre]]. Among the other members of the Organisation are [[Cyril Cusack]], [[Robert Beatty]], and [[Dan O'Herlihy]]. On his travels, Johnny meets an opportunistic bird-fancier played by [[F. J. McCormick]], a drunken artist played by [[Robert Newton]], a barman ([[William Hartnell]]) and a failed surgeon ([[Elwyn Brook-Jones]]). [[Denis O'Dea]] is the inspector on Johnny's trail, and [[Kathleen Ryan]], in her first feature film, plays the woman who loves Johnny. Also notable are [[William Fay|W. G. Fay]]—a founder of the Abbey Theatre—as the kindly Father Tom, [[Fay Compton]], [[Joseph Tomelty]], and [[Eddie Byrne]]. [[Albert Sharpe]] plays a bus conductor. A number of non-speaking parts were filled by actors who later achieved public attention, including [[Dora Bryan]], [[Geoffrey Keen]], [[Noel Purcell (actor)|Noel Purcell]], [[Guy Rolfe]] and [[Wilfrid Brambell]] (a standing passenger in the tram scene). Few of the main actors in the film actually manage an authentic [[Ulster]] accent.

===Filming===
The cinematographer was [[Robert Krasker]], in his first film for director Reed, lighting sets designed by [[Ralph Brinton]] and [[Roger Furse]]. Reed made extensive use of location filming, which was uncommon at the time.{{Sfn|Connelly|2012|p=154}} Exterior scenes were shot in West Belfast,<ref name="news.bbc.co.uk" /> although some were shot at [[Broadway Market, London|Broadway Market]] in London.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039677/locations 'Filming locations for Odd Man Out] ''The Internet Movie Database''</ref>

The bar set was based on the [[Crown Liquor Saloon|Crown Bar]] in Belfast but was a studio set built at [[Denham Film Studios|D&P Studios]] in [[Denham, Buckinghamshire]].<ref name="news.bbc.co.uk">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6388303.stm 'BBC seeks stars of Belfast film noir'], ''BBC News'' 23 February 2007</ref> The duplication was so authentic that tourists in subsequent years would visit the Crown Bar, thinking it was the bar in the film. To further enhance the realism of the film, Reed used real sounds instead of standard [[Sound effect|sound effects]], recording the "actual drum of mill machinery and the echo of hoof beats." The narrowness of Johnny's world is represented by scenes shot on location in small rooms and in alleys. {{Sfn|Connelly|2012|p=154}}

The film went over budget and overschedule so although it was successful it hurt Reed's relationship with the Rank Organisation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://historyproject.org.uk/sites/default/files/BEHP%200143%20T%20Sidney%20Gilliat%20Transcript.pdf|website=British Entertainment History Project|date=15 May 1990|title=Interview with Sidney Gilliat| first1=Roy|last1= Fowler|first2=Taffy|last2= Haines|page=124}}</ref>

===Music===
Composer [[William Alwyn]] was involved writing the [[leitmotif]]-based film score from the very beginning of the production. It was performed by the [[London Symphony Orchestra]] and conducted by [[Muir Mathieson]].