The Night of the Hunter (1955)
First and foremost, The Night of the Hunter contains the extremely famous “love and hate” clip that you’ve probably seen in a montage or reenacted in another movie. Robert Mitchum, normally remembered for his blasé, laid-back performances, gives a fantastically energetic performance—one that was famously snubbed by the Academy in the 1955 Oscar nominations. In 1955, countless heartbreaking performances were beaten out by Ernest Borgnine in Marty, including Robert Mitchum’s two finest hours: The Night of the Hunter and Not as a Stranger.
In this classic thriller, Peter Graves starts the movie by leaving a lasting impression with his two young children, Billy Chapin and Sally Jane Bruce. He’s robbed a bank and killed two people, but before he’s arrested, he hides the stolen money in Sally’s cloth doll. Robert Mitchum meets Peter in jail and learns about the stolen money. Then, Preacher Mitchum charms his way into Peter’s family, hoping to find the hidden money. His pious religious front fools everyone, including Peter’s widow Shelley Winters, but there’s a very dark side hidden underneath. . .
I could write pages about Bob’s incredible performance, but instead I’ll just wholeheartedly recommend you watch the movie for yourself. He’s strong yet desperate, gentle yet frightening, seductive yet cold, and one of the most memorable villains in classic history. Shelley Winters is very convincing as the weak, meek widow, and evokes an enormous amount of sympathy from the audience. Billy Chapin is very engaging, and no doubt would have been cast as Jem in To Kill a Mockingbird if he were the right age. Lillian Gish rounds out the cast, playing a tough, protective, intelligent hero. It’s great fun to watch her armed with a shotgun battling against the burly Bob!
Not everyone is Clint Eastwood, and back in the day, it was pretty unusual for actors to cross over and direct a feature. Charles Laughton directed this noir classic and shows remarkable talent behind the camera. He doesn’t just point and shoot; he’s sensitive and highlights nuances, he draws remarkable performances from his actors, and is deliberate in his lighting choices, set designs, and camera movements. There’s so much to appreciate about The Night of the Hunter, and I suggest you rent it—I own a copy—and watch it on a dark, spooky evening.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Charles Laughton movies here!
More Robert Mitchum movies here!
In this classic thriller, Peter Graves starts the movie by leaving a lasting impression with his two young children, Billy Chapin and Sally Jane Bruce. He’s robbed a bank and killed two people, but before he’s arrested, he hides the stolen money in Sally’s cloth doll. Robert Mitchum meets Peter in jail and learns about the stolen money. Then, Preacher Mitchum charms his way into Peter’s family, hoping to find the hidden money. His pious religious front fools everyone, including Peter’s widow Shelley Winters, but there’s a very dark side hidden underneath. . .
I could write pages about Bob’s incredible performance, but instead I’ll just wholeheartedly recommend you watch the movie for yourself. He’s strong yet desperate, gentle yet frightening, seductive yet cold, and one of the most memorable villains in classic history. Shelley Winters is very convincing as the weak, meek widow, and evokes an enormous amount of sympathy from the audience. Billy Chapin is very engaging, and no doubt would have been cast as Jem in To Kill a Mockingbird if he were the right age. Lillian Gish rounds out the cast, playing a tough, protective, intelligent hero. It’s great fun to watch her armed with a shotgun battling against the burly Bob!
Not everyone is Clint Eastwood, and back in the day, it was pretty unusual for actors to cross over and direct a feature. Charles Laughton directed this noir classic and shows remarkable talent behind the camera. He doesn’t just point and shoot; he’s sensitive and highlights nuances, he draws remarkable performances from his actors, and is deliberate in his lighting choices, set designs, and camera movements. There’s so much to appreciate about The Night of the Hunter, and I suggest you rent it—I own a copy—and watch it on a dark, spooky evening.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Charles Laughton movies here!
More Robert Mitchum movies here!
Hot Toasty Rag Awards:
Best Director of 1955: Charles Laughton
Juvenile Award: Sally Jane Bruce
Juvenile Award: Billy Chapin
Hot Toasty Rag Nominations:
Best Actor: Robert Mitchum
Best Dramatic Screenplay