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Directed by: Charles Laughton Starring: Robert Mitchum, Lillian Gish, Shelley Winters, Peter Graves One of the most sinister and atmospheric films ever made, The Night of the Hunter is actor Charles Laughton’s only credited work as a director. The film was not received well at the time of its release, and Laughton was so dismayed by this reaction that he gave up pursuing further projects as a filmmaker. Fortunately, it has deservedly taken its place among the classics of the era since then, as new generations of film lovers have rediscovered it for the master-work it is. The story begins as a man down on his luck finds himself cornered by the police after robbing the bank. He hides the money for his family before being captured and taken to prison, where he meets a mysterious character claiming to be a preacher, who tries to get information from him about where he hid the money. After the man is put to death, the preacher is released and he tracks down the family of his cell mate, first wooing the widow to get close, and then unleashing his demonic fury upon them to recover the hidden fortune. This film can be summed up in two words: Robert Mitchum. His performance here is truly a career defining part, giving him the perfect material to explore his dark personality. It’s rare to see a part and an actor that are so perfect for each other, which makes Mitchum’s performance here one of the great treasures of American cinema. He has a devilish charisma as the preacher, speaking with a commanding presence and authority, but with the flames of evil and destruction lurking in his eyes which only the innocent children can recognize. He’s more frightening than any movie monster or special effect in his simple attire, with the words “love” and “hate” written on his knuckles (references countless times since here). The rest of the cast also manages to turn in memorable performances, though it’s easy for them to be overshadowed by Mitchum. Peter Graves plays the bank robber in an early film role. Lillian Gish, veteran of the silent era makes an appearance as well, as the woman who takes the children under her wing after they flee their home. The two child actors, playing brother and sister, are both phenomenal for actors of such young age. The young boy carries the narrative like a pro, and his sister brings a bizarre sense of the surreal to the film, with her ghost-like singing. Laughton’s direction shows the promise of a great artist, which makes his decision to abandon directing all the more tragic. He creates a brilliant gothic atmosphere, drawing on German Expressionism as an influence to paint the frame with deep shadows and a dream-like sense of horror. The film holds up very well, and remains more frightening than most contemporary horror films, which play for cheap thrills rather than the rich sense of atmosphere at work here. This is one of the best American films from the mid-to-late fifties, when European and Japanese cinema were on the rise and quickly overtaking America as the leading forces in artistic filmmaking. It still has a wide appeal despite its age, in large part due to Mitchum. This is a must-see. RATING: 5.0 PROS: Mitchum gives the best performance of his career CONS: none ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048424/
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Jun 6, 2004 03:08
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| # ? Apr 26, 2024 23:03 |
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I first saw this movie on the 50 foot screen at the Englewood Theater, probably around '92 or so. It has remained one of my very favorites. Absolutely a must see film. http://www.fineartsgroup.com/index.cfm?TheaterID=2 5.0
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Jun 6, 2004 04:15
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Wow, I'm glad somebody else has an appreciation for these old black and white thrillers. Robert Mitchum plays his role extremely well as the evil preacher. He's just really good at being the bad guy. I love how stupid the townspeople and the mother are and how the little children are the only ones who see through his lies. It was done very well but I did have some problems. For one thing, the little girl was horrible. Yes, I know, she's four years-old. But she was so unbelievable when she delivered lines and she was just plain annoying. I also didn't like the little monologue given by the nice orphan-loving woman. It really just broke the reality of the movie. However, the suspense and acting was overall very good and is the best that can be expected from that era of movies when most consisted of people saying "kiss me or I'll sock ya one." Night of the Hunter seems slightly more intelligent for its time and deserves recognition for it. 4/5
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Jun 6, 2004 06:03
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a very underrated, classic film. the direction of this film is excellent, creating some wonderful ominous moments that don't really involve much violence, and yet, are probably creepier than some of the most bloody, shocking things i've seen on film. Mitchum is great, as always -- his "little story of right-hand/left-hand" speech is definately one of my favorite cinematic moments. 5.
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Jun 6, 2004 06:13
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A creepy classic that still holds up. Slows down a bit too much towards the end, but otherwise excellent. Rating: 4.5
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Jan 19, 2005 17:34
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Wow, what a great movie. The whole time I was watching this I felt sort of indignant that I'd discovered it mostly by accident, that nobody had sat me down before and demanded "YOU MUST WATCH THIS MOVIE". This is one for the best-kept secret file, because watching this you'll see it's obviously been referenced by everything from "Cape Fear" to David Lynch. This is a WEIRD movie, and amazingly creepy for its time, with a sort of enthusiastically nihilistic ghoulishness that reminds me a bit of Hitchcock. Robert Mitchum is loving scary here as traveling preacherman Harry Powell. Everything he does here will give you the willies, even more so when you find yourself cheering him on for being a cold-hearted villain with such style and quotability. "My religion?...Well that's something the almighty and I have worked out amongst ourselves." This is not a movie without faults. One problem is the story relies on child actors too much. John, the boy hero, is remarkably good for his age, but the girl who plays his younger sister has pretty terrible delivery. And even GOOD child actors are too much of a contrast compared to Robert Mitchum's malignant charisma. The movie is also very heavy-handed in its moral symbolism and allegory; it would be hard to tolerate if it weren't for preacherman Powell keeping up the energy and suspense. The directing and cinematography can be hit or miss too; for a Hollywood thriller of its time, the film has a surprisingly experimental and artsy tone. Sometimes this works to good effect, other times shots will look silly or out of place, but it's always interesting to watch. "Night of the Hunter" may not be a perfect movie, but it is thoroughly enjoyable, well-recommended both on its own merits and as a fascinating artifact of film history. 4/5
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Mar 28, 2005 23:40
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| # ? Apr 26, 2024 23:03 |
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I'm often shocked by the nihilism of certain films in 40's and 50's. For all the uproar and hand-wringing about moral decay and media violence, almost nothing made today can match the sheer sociopathic bleakness of a, say, Kiss Me Deadly or Night and the City. Noir is popularly remembered for Bogie and Bacall - the hardboiled detective who is, for all his faults, still a good guy. We tend to forget the brutal B-pictures populated by the likes of Lawrence Tierney and Richard Widmark. Laughton's Night of the Hunter is a film of that legacy. Everything from Mitchum's master performance to Laughton's incredibly evocative direction comes off perfectly. I particularly enjoyed the scenes of John and Pearl floating down the river. It was a nice recognition of noir's debt to the German expressionists. It's hard to find fault with this film. Technical perfection combined with a subversive, daring story create an umissable film. 5/5
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Aug 17, 2005 09:54
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