Rent The Night of the Hunter (1955)
4.1 of 5 from 214 ratings
1h 29min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- A tall, handsome 'preacher' - his knuckles eerily tattooed with 'love' and 'hate' - roams the countryside, spreading the gospel... and leaving a trail of murdered women in his wake. To Reverend Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum), the work of the Lord has more to do with condemning souls than saving them, especially when his own interests are involved. Now his sights are set on $10,000 - and two little children are the only ones who know where it is. 'Chill...dren!' the preacher croons to the terrified boy and girl hiding in the cold, dark cellar... innocent young lambs who refuse to be led astray.
- Actors:
- Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish, James Gleason, Evelyn Varden, Peter Graves, Don Beddoe, Billy Chapin, Sally Jane Bruce, Gloria Castillo, Emmett Lynn
- Directors:
- Charles Laughton, Robert Mitchum, Terry Sanders
- Producers:
- Paul Gregory
- Writers:
- Davis Grubb, James Agee, Charles Laughton
- Studio:
- MGM
- Genres:
- Classics, Drama, Thrillers
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 19/03/2001
- Run Time:
- 89 minutes
- Languages:
- English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
- Subtitles:
- Danish, Dutch, English, English Hard of Hearing, Finnish, French, German, German Hard of Hearing, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish
- DVD Regions:
- Region 2
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Full Screen 1.33:1 / 4:3
- Colour:
- B & W
- Bonus:
- Theatrical Trailer
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 28/10/2013
- Run Time:
- 93 minutes
- Languages:
- English
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.66:1
- Colour:
- B & W
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Isolated Music and Effects Soundtrack
- Charles Laughton Directs "The Night of the Hunter", a two-and-a-half hour documentary on the making of the film featuring outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage
- Archival interview with cinematographer Stanley Cortez
- Original Theatrical Trailer
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Reviews (3) of The Night of the Hunter
strange and unexpectedly ethereal - The Night of the Hunter review by CP Customer
I first saw this film in the 1970's and it grabbed me then. Seen again in the 1990's and now in 2010, it still grabs me - but I'm not sure I know why.
It was ahead of its time in many ways and has influenced generations of directors. Originally intended to be a suspenseful thriller, this is no longer the case. The sets and scenery, together with the 1950's acting style make this film more of a fairy tale (it has a strange and unexpectedly ethereal quality) in spite of being based on a real murder.
6 out of 6 members found this review helpful.
Unique, influential and brilliant thriller. - The Night of the Hunter review by Steve Mason
Laughton, and cinematographer Stanley Cortez channel the spirits of DW Griffith and German Expressionism in this unique, half dreamt world. This idealised depiction of the picket fenced tranquility of small town America, harbouring such violent corruption, was the obvious model for David Lynch.
Wonderfully acted, particularly Mitchum's sexually deviant preacher, and that most remarkable event, a brilliant child performance by Billy Chapin.
We now call this Southern Gothic. It took a decade for this film to find an audience, perhaps because of its originality. Laughton never directed again, but he has left us an imperishable classic, of rich, visual poetry.
3 out of 3 members found this review helpful.
One of the scariest movies ever made - The Night of the Hunter review by JK
This film never ceases to send shivers down my spine. Clunky, dated and a bit hammy at times, the silhouette of a picket fence and that haunting voice singing an old Southern hymn is more foreboding than any CGI horror with crashing orchestration.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.