The Night of The Hunter

Charles Laughton, USA, 1955, 93 minutes

This is the Story of ol' right hand and left hand...

In the deep South at the height of the depression, the Preacher Harry Powell, a man who frequents strip bars, carries a flick knife and has the infamous words LOVE and HATE tattooed on his knuckles, is in jail for the un-preacher like crime of stealing a car. He overhears his cellmate Ben Harper, who is condemned for killing a man during the bank robbery, talking in his sleep about where he hid the stolen money. Harry decides that the Lord could do with this money, and goes to see Ben's widow. He manages to seduce not only the widow but the whole community, all except John, the little boy who was suspicious from the word go.

He and his sister Pearl keep the secret but are forced to run away down the river when Harry kills their mother. They find sanctuary with the saintly Miz Cooper, an earth mother figure who protects the children even as Harry pursues them. Whose side is God on?

Charles Laughton's only directorial adventure simultaneously mocks as well as praises small town virtues, Christianity and family life. This combined with its dreamlike presentation meant that it was panned when it first came out, it was so unlike the standard Hollywood fare of the day. And what a pity this is, for this is one of the best films ever made, a strange, beautiful fairy tale, brilliantly adapted from the evocative Southern Gothic novel by Davis Grubb.

The acting is perfect. Robert Mitchum, whose performance has rightly become iconic, plays Harry Powell with sublimely understated sadism, though the other members of the cast, Lilian Gish, Shelly Winters, and the children Sally Jane Bruce and Billy Chapin are equally superb.

This is an absolutely amazing film, one of the greatest ever and the opportunity of seeing it on the big screen should not be missed!

Review by Louise Oliver
Written for EUFS Programme Autumn 2005