The Night of the Hunter (1955)

Wonderful character development!

disgusting, overrated, pointless

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Blistering performances.

The Coen Brothers love the same movies I do, and this is no exception. Check out their new Suburbicon: a little boy's horrific discovery of how dangerous grown-ups can be -- even the ones who are supposed to love and protect their little ones. Bereft of one parent -- the father in Night of the Hunter, the mother in Suburbicon -- the child experiences one betrayal after another from the remaining parent. There's a matching scene from both films in which a light is turned on unexpectedly, revealing the victim to his enemy. Watch for it. Also, neighbors smug in their vicious ignorance: a dark fairy tale for our political times.

This classic film is set during the Great Depression; Ben Harper has stolen ten thousand dollars, killing two people in the process. He manages to get home and gives the money to his children, John and Pearl. They hide it in Pearl's favourite rag doll and he tells them not to tell anybody else, including their mother, about it. Shortly afterwards he is arrested and sentenced to hang. In prison he tells his story to his cellmate, Harry Powell. Powell professes to be a preacher but he preys on women who he murders for their savings. After Ben is executed and Powell's short sentence ends he heads off to befriend Ben's widow, Willa. Everybody except John takes an immediate liking to Powell. It isn't long before Powell marries Willa and soon after that he starts pressuring John to find where the money is hidden. Things soon get very dangerous as Powell will go to any length to get the money.After over sixty years this film is still gripping and manages to provide some real surprises for the first time viewer. Robert Mitchum manages to be both plausible and genuinely menacing as the evil Powell. The innocent town where the Harpers live certainly isn't ready for a man like Powell. Shelley Winters is solid as Willa and Lillian Gish impresses as the woman who ultimately helps the children. Young Billy Chapin and Sally Jane Bruce are also good in the roles of John and Pearl respectively. Director Charles Laughton did a fine job building the tension, creating the right atmosphere and providing some moments that are surprisingly disturbing for a film of this era. Overall I'd say that this is a must see for any fans of classic cinema in general and certainly for fans of film noir.

Having not seen Night of the Hunter in many years, I had forgotten its weak, unnecessary beginning, in which bad guy Robert Mitchum rambles on in order to make clear to the audience what a terrible person he is. It's an unfortunate choice, as Mitchum is so effective in his portrayal of a psychopathic preacher that the audience doesn't need it spelled out for them.Once the movie moves out of its odd exposition phase it gets better and better. Mitchum is a fascinating monster, and watching him crush the spirit of weak-willed Shelly Winters and play cat and mouse with her son is fascinating.The downriver scenes are truly remarkable. Shot by Stanley Cortez, who should have won an Oscar he was inexplicably not even nominated for, they have a lyrical beauty that stays with you.Night of the Hunter is a rather oddly structured movie, episodic and loosely woven. Most of this works surprisingly well, although there are moments, as when the writer makes the wonderful Lillian Gish spout ponderous biblical quotes, that feel highly unnatural.It's a shame director Charles Laughton never directed another film, as the single one he made is a suspenseful classic with wonderful performances and brilliant cinematography.

Cinematography is great. Music is good and serves to heighten the suspense in the right places. Pacing and direction are decent. However, except for the little girl and Mrs Cooper (most of the time), the acting is generally terrible and quite tacky. Dialogue is so cheesy, sometimes it felt like I was watching a spoof.Overall, it felt more like a stage play. I don't regret watching it but no way it deserves the 8/10 rating it's currently on.