Night of the Hunter

The Night of the Hunter (1955) is a truly compelling, and frightening classic masterpiece thriller-fantasy, and the only film ever directed by the great British actor Charles Laughton. The disturbing, complex story was based on the popular, best-selling 1953 Depression-era novel of the same name by Davis Grubb. The American gothic, Biblical tale of greed, innocence, and corruption was adapted for the screen by famed writer-author James Agee (and Laughton, but without screen credit). Although one of the greatest American films of all time, the imaginatively-chilling, experimental, sophisticated work was idiosyncratic, film noirish, avante garde, dream-like expressionistic and strange, and it was both ignored and misunderstood at the time of its release.

Robert Mitchum gave what some consider his finest performance in a precedent-setting, unpopular, and truly terrifying role as the sleepy-eyed, diabolical, self-appointed serial killer/Preacher with psychotic, murderous tendencies while in pursuit of $10,000 in cash. In addition, the black-white photography of Stanley Cortez (who also shot Welles' black and white The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)) and the evocative musical score of Walter Schumann (mixing hymns, children's songs, and orchestral music) are exceptional.

Tim Dirks

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