Night of the Hunter (1955) [VHS] | Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters

Night of the Hunter (1955) [VHS] | Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters | Great film I never heard about

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	Night of the Hunter (1955) [VHS] Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters MGM (Video & DVD), 1998 average customer review:based on 199 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

In the entire history of American movies, The Night of the Hunter stands out as the rarest and most exotic of specimens. It is, to say the least, a masterpiece--and not just because it was the only movie directed by flamboyant actor Charles Laughton or the only produced solo screenplay by the legendary critic James Agee (who also cowrote The African Queen). The truth is, nobody has ever made anything approaching its phantasmagoric, overheated style in which German expressionism, religious hysteria, fairy-tale fantasy (of the Grimm-est variety), and stalker movie are brought together in a furious boil. Like a nightmarish premonition of stalker movies to come, Night of the Hunter tells the suspenseful tale of a demented preacher (Robert Mitchum, in a performance that prefigures his memorable villain in Cape Fear), who torments a boy and his little sister--even marries their mixed-up mother (Shelley Winters)--because he's certain the kids know where their late bank-robber father hid a stash of stolen money. So dramatic, primal, and unforgettable are its images--the preacher's shadow looming over the children in their bedroom, the magical boat ride down a river whose banks teem with fantastic wildlife, those tattoos of LOVE and HATE on the unholy man's knuckles, the golden locks of a drowned woman waving in the current along with the indigenous plant life in her watery grave--that they're still haunting audiences (and filmmakers) today. --Jim Emerson

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The first movie to actually give me a nightmare....

...when I saw it on TV and I was 12 years old.

Robert Mitchum said the greatest performance he ever gave was as Harry Parker, and the best movie he ever made was this one. And he was so right.

The scene that still gives me goose flesh is the nighttime sequence when Parker, riding his horse slowly along the riverbank, is silhouetted in the moonlight, singing, "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms." The children, sleeping in a barn, are awakened by his song, and John says simply and helplessly, "don't he never sleep?"

Parker is evil personified. And, John, the answer to your question is no. Evil never sleeps.

I'm no film snob, and don't know that much about behind-the-scenes stuff, but pay attention to the lighting and sets. Stanley Cortez' work is breathtaking, whether it's the scene of Shelley Winters in the river with her hair floating like the plant life, or the "honeymoon" scene - where the room and shadows are straight out of the wierd German stuff of the 1920's like Dr Caligari.

Some folks take their movies literally and might not like Night of the Hunter. It's a dream and a parable, meant to scare the bejeesus out of you. On that level, and many others, it works magnificently.

When I first saw this movie, it scared the hell out of me. And it was the most terrifying movie I had ever seen. It still scares the hell out of me. And, half a century later, it's still the most terrifying movie I've seen. And, without question, a masterpiece.

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Great film I never heard about

In a preface to a book, an author referred to this film as a "masterpiece." I had never heard of it before, so out of curiosity I had to see it. Before I did, I read the reviews here on Amazon. There are a wide range of opinions; a lot of "love and hate" going on, so to speak. I ended up enjoying the film very much, more than I enjoyed Casablanca.

The most common criticism of this film seems to point to the "bad acting." To that, I say that there is a "style" of acting in Night of the Hunter that is consistent with the allegorical style of the film. If you don't enjoy the style of this film, that is perfectly reasonable and a matter of personal taste, but I think it's a mistake to blame it on "bad acting."

Given the style, the acting of all of the characters, including the children, is fine, and just as compelling as the fine cinematography and soundtrack. Each scene is an enchanting masterpiece unto itself, leaving a lasting impression. There are so many amazing scenes, too many to recount, such as the time that Mrs. Cooper (Lillian Gish) stands guard holding a gun and an owl swoops down on a young rabbit, and as the rabbit screams Gish says, "It's a hard world for little things." I know, it sounds hokey, but it's very powerful watching it. This film has been described as a thriller and a film noir, but while that may be true technically, it left me feeling inspired, joyful, and optimistic. The movie "It's A Wonderful Life" involves suicide, and yet it leaves you feeling inspired, joyful, and optimistic.

Those who think Night of the Hunter is a terrible movie feel that they should warn you to avoid it, or they say that those who think it's great are some kind of pseudo-intellectuals. But there is a good chance that you will love this film, and for that reason I recommend that you watch it. Now I want to read the book, which I understand is based on a true story and was a finalist for the 1955 National Book Awards. Don't let the bad reviews scare you away from this fine film: You may end up liking it as much as I and many others do, even if you aren't a "pseudo-intellectual." :-)

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This one is a keeper

I had never seen this film until I bought the DVD a few years back. Indeed, I had never even heard of it until Stephen King gave it a quick mention in "Danse Macabre". But in subsequent years I became more intrigued and bought the DVD sight unseen. What a very pleasant surprise.

A lot of folks seeing this movie are confused about the the very stagey backgrounds and some of the acting, which has both wooden and over-the-top moments (Peter Graves is especially stiff). But they are missing something. It all advances the fantastic, dreamy quality of the film. Just seek out the below-par remake of this with Richard Chamberlain which used realistic sets and toned down the melodrama. On second thought, don't. It's a waste of time.

Sexual repression runs rampant all over this film, with the knife-as-phallic-symbol appearing many times, the old busybody dismissing romance as "flapdoodle....I just lie there and think about my canning", the teenage girl sneaking off to see the "bad" young men in the city. Shelly Winters' character practically quivers with it through almost her entire role.

Much has been written about Robert Mitchum's oily portrayal of Harry Powell, and I won't rehash those points. But his is a screen villain which belongs next to Lecter or Dracula.

Some of the actors who don't get mention very often include Evelyn Varden as Icey Spoon (what a perfect character name, considering her views on romance). I absolutely hated her! Which makes her a great actress for being able to affect my mood. And Billy Chapin shoulders his big brother role very well. I still want to cheer when he says "You ain't my dad!".

Overly practical viewers will probably not like this film. The weird camera angles, disjointed scenery, and shadowy moods affront their sense of what is "real". There's a lot of the same in "It's a Wonderful Life", but they don't have a problem with that. More contemporary viewers feel a bit let down after reading the gripping hyperbole and expect something this side of Rob Zombie. However, those who can just put this in the player and enjoy it for what it is will not be disappointed.

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I'd sell my soul for another Laughton-directed movie

Candy shops, orphanages, a lost boy and girl--and Robert Mitchum playing a pervert preacher with hints of Wile E. Coyote! Plus the movie has the eerie cinematography of 1920s German horror films. Totally unique and unnerving.

this film needs a Criterion release

I am a huge fan of NIGHT OF THE HUNTER - I have been ever since I saw as a small child at the movies in the late 50s -- it is a classic noir with indelible images and haunting imagery-- the barebones release by MGM back in the day doesn't begin to do this masterwork justice - for one thing, it is not letterboxed and it has been shown for many years now on TCM in that format...

Criterion could certainly find much to add to the appreciation of Charles Laughton's only directed film -- maybe they could track down the children - Billy Chapin and Sally Jane Bruce - and also ask Peter Graves to do commentary and a making of documentary---before it is too late.

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