JohnDoe
Bryn
BrentonThe Night Of The Hunter (1955)-Footage Included
November 27th 2006 03:06
The Night of the Hunter
DVD Cover
Writer:James Agee
Starring: Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish, Peter Graves, Billy Chapin
Cinematographer:Stanley Cortez
Picture:B&W
“Ah, little lad, you're staring at my fingers. Would you like me to tell you the little story of right-hand/left-hand? The story of good and evil? H-A-T-E! It was with this left hand that old brother Cain struck the blow that laid his brother low. L-O-V-E! You see these fingers, dear hearts? These fingers have veins that run straight to the soul of man. The right hand, friends, the hand of love. Now watch, and I'll show you the story of life. These fingers, dear hearts, is always a-warring and a-tugging, one against the other. Now watch 'em! Old brother left hand, left hand he's a fighting, and it looks like love's a goner. But wait a minute! Hot dog, love's a winning! Yessirree! It's love that's won, and old left hand hate is down for the count!” - Reverend Powell
When he decided to direct his first and only film, Charles Laughton was an accomplished actor respected in the industry with a mantle full of trophies to prove it. Brave and daring he was not afraid to experiment with lighting, editing and camerawork in order to bring his vision to life.
Tragically Night of the Hunter was ignored upon its release, challenging convention and shamefully unsettling. It looks like a noir, plays like a horror/thriller yet feels like a fairy tale and every time you relax, shocks with its subtle powers of manipulation. It is easy to see why audiences of the time had no idea what to make of it.
Blanketed by a pinhole sky, the opening credits roll to the sound of a lullaby. One two Freddy’s coming for you. Three four better lock the door…….wrong lullaby but you get the idea. Then faces float across the black back drop, an old lady is cautioning children to beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Enter the wolf, The Reverend Harry Powell, (Robert Mitchum) the words love and hate carved into his fingers. A sociopathic woman hating murderer, driving along a country road talking out loud to god as if he was sitting right beside him.
“There are things you do hate, Lord. Perfume-smellin' things, lacy things, things with curly hair.” – Reverend Powell
In prison his cell mate Ben Harper (Peter Graves) was sleep talking about hidden loot that he had stolen to feed his beloved children. Now this recently released man of god is heading for Ben Harper’s Middle American hometown.
“Lord, you sure knew what you were doing when you brung me to this very cell at this very time. A man with ten thousand dollars hid somewhere, and a widder in the makin'” – Reverend Powell
The plan is to win the love of Harper’s now widowed wife (Shelley Winters) and earn the trust of the children who know the secret location of the booty.
Manipulative, greedy and vengeful the preacher is on a mission to score the cash. Enlightening those who cross his path with his apocalyptic take on what doing the lords work means and maintaining the façade of an evangelical religious man.
“I can hear you whisperin' children, so I know you're down there. I can feel myself gettin' awful mad. I'm out of patience children. I'm coming to find you now.” – Reverend Powell
Starring: Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish, Peter Graves, Billy Chapin
Cinematographer:Stanley Cortez
Picture:B&W
“Ah, little lad, you're staring at my fingers. Would you like me to tell you the little story of right-hand/left-hand? The story of good and evil? H-A-T-E! It was with this left hand that old brother Cain struck the blow that laid his brother low. L-O-V-E! You see these fingers, dear hearts? These fingers have veins that run straight to the soul of man. The right hand, friends, the hand of love. Now watch, and I'll show you the story of life. These fingers, dear hearts, is always a-warring and a-tugging, one against the other. Now watch 'em! Old brother left hand, left hand he's a fighting, and it looks like love's a goner. But wait a minute! Hot dog, love's a winning! Yessirree! It's love that's won, and old left hand hate is down for the count!” - Reverend Powell
When he decided to direct his first and only film, Charles Laughton was an accomplished actor respected in the industry with a mantle full of trophies to prove it. Brave and daring he was not afraid to experiment with lighting, editing and camerawork in order to bring his vision to life.
Tragically Night of the Hunter was ignored upon its release, challenging convention and shamefully unsettling. It looks like a noir, plays like a horror/thriller yet feels like a fairy tale and every time you relax, shocks with its subtle powers of manipulation. It is easy to see why audiences of the time had no idea what to make of it.
Blanketed by a pinhole sky, the opening credits roll to the sound of a lullaby. One two Freddy’s coming for you. Three four better lock the door…….wrong lullaby but you get the idea. Then faces float across the black back drop, an old lady is cautioning children to beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Enter the wolf, The Reverend Harry Powell, (Robert Mitchum) the words love and hate carved into his fingers. A sociopathic woman hating murderer, driving along a country road talking out loud to god as if he was sitting right beside him.
“There are things you do hate, Lord. Perfume-smellin' things, lacy things, things with curly hair.” – Reverend Powell
In prison his cell mate Ben Harper (Peter Graves) was sleep talking about hidden loot that he had stolen to feed his beloved children. Now this recently released man of god is heading for Ben Harper’s Middle American hometown.
“Lord, you sure knew what you were doing when you brung me to this very cell at this very time. A man with ten thousand dollars hid somewhere, and a widder in the makin'” – Reverend Powell
The plan is to win the love of Harper’s now widowed wife (Shelley Winters) and earn the trust of the children who know the secret location of the booty.
Manipulative, greedy and vengeful the preacher is on a mission to score the cash. Enlightening those who cross his path with his apocalyptic take on what doing the lords work means and maintaining the façade of an evangelical religious man.
“I can hear you whisperin' children, so I know you're down there. I can feel myself gettin' awful mad. I'm out of patience children. I'm coming to find you now.” – Reverend Powell
"Dont make me angry, you wouldn't like me when Im angry"
John Doe says:
Unusual, surreal and unbalancing, Night of The Hunter is many things to many different people. A domestic drama, a moody tale of evil and a children’s adventure story. Over the years it has been appreciated as a brilliant example of influential cinema.
Shame that its commercial failure forced the obviously gifted Charles Laughton (Spartacus, Witness For The Prosecution, The big Clock, Jamaican Inn, Private Life of Henry VIII) to leave us only this sample of his talent behind the lens..
Cinematographer Stanley Cortez (The Candidate, Shock Corridor) achieves an ethereal quality to the use of light and shadow that works on the subconscious. The menacing atmosphere is uniquely assembled and staged, with dialogue that runs deep in double meaning.
The didn't-give-a-shit, pot smoking before it was cool star Robert Mitchum (Out Of The Past, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, The Yakuza, Cape Fear, Heaven Knows Mr Allison, The Big Steal) sited this as his best film.
The controversial part was turned down by several A list actors for fear of tarnishing their images, Mitchum saw the role as an extension of himself and didn’t care what his public thought.
The driving force of the film, his manic performance is exuberant, charismatic and threatening, larger than life creating an unforgettable character that is now part of Hollywood folklore.
Shelley Winters (Winchester 73, Executive Suite, Lolita, Harper, The Poseidon Adventure) plays the Widow Harper with the same sympathetic weakness that made her shine in A Place in the Sun. Frailty is her strength.
The two children are convincingly fearful but resilient and a lot of the stories weight is carried on their small shoulders.
Robert Mitchum played by his own rules onscreen and off, this film is a great place to start if you have never seen him work. A mesmerising experience, Cinema aficionados should seek out a copy because of it’s flair and the individual brilliance of it’s director.
The DVD:
Presented in 1:33:1 aspect with a mono soundtrack that is surprisingly satisfying, it seems the film does not need a 5.1 remaster to draw you into its trance. The original trailer is worth a peek too.
Unusual, surreal and unbalancing, Night of The Hunter is many things to many different people. A domestic drama, a moody tale of evil and a children’s adventure story. Over the years it has been appreciated as a brilliant example of influential cinema.
Shame that its commercial failure forced the obviously gifted Charles Laughton (Spartacus, Witness For The Prosecution, The big Clock, Jamaican Inn, Private Life of Henry VIII) to leave us only this sample of his talent behind the lens..
Cinematographer Stanley Cortez (The Candidate, Shock Corridor) achieves an ethereal quality to the use of light and shadow that works on the subconscious. The menacing atmosphere is uniquely assembled and staged, with dialogue that runs deep in double meaning.
The didn't-give-a-shit, pot smoking before it was cool star Robert Mitchum (Out Of The Past, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, The Yakuza, Cape Fear, Heaven Knows Mr Allison, The Big Steal) sited this as his best film.
The controversial part was turned down by several A list actors for fear of tarnishing their images, Mitchum saw the role as an extension of himself and didn’t care what his public thought.
The driving force of the film, his manic performance is exuberant, charismatic and threatening, larger than life creating an unforgettable character that is now part of Hollywood folklore.
Shelley Winters (Winchester 73, Executive Suite, Lolita, Harper, The Poseidon Adventure) plays the Widow Harper with the same sympathetic weakness that made her shine in A Place in the Sun. Frailty is her strength.
The two children are convincingly fearful but resilient and a lot of the stories weight is carried on their small shoulders.
Robert Mitchum played by his own rules onscreen and off, this film is a great place to start if you have never seen him work. A mesmerising experience, Cinema aficionados should seek out a copy because of it’s flair and the individual brilliance of it’s director.
The DVD:
Presented in 1:33:1 aspect with a mono soundtrack that is surprisingly satisfying, it seems the film does not need a 5.1 remaster to draw you into its trance. The original trailer is worth a peek too.
Click on the clip below for a taste of this inventive and hypnotic film.
| 64 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Robert Mitchum is one of my favourite actors and I really enjoyed this one...has a lot going for it...I feel you captured the thing well in your own words...
Norm.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I was beginning to think I was the only Robert Mitchum fan here. He made some corker films and lived a hell of a life off-camera.
Do you have a favourite Mitchum performance Norm?
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
The Night of the Hunter is probably a favourite, and there was another one which I can only remember that I liked and that's it. I think it was set in Mexico and made in the 70's.
You've certainly a rich array of things you can write about and you do it without being judgemental.
Kudos to you,
Norm
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Thanks for the words of encouragement my friend. Are you going to the christmas party??
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
It was so long ago that I saw this movie. I think it had nuns and children in it.
Mate, I won't be going to the party but have a glass of something for me.
Sweltering in the heat,
Norm
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
My favourite later Mitchum films are Cape Fear, Friends of Eddie Coyle and The Yakuza.
From his early career Out Of the Past stands out with Night of the Hunter.