1955 92 minutes. Many “great movies” are by great directors, but Laughton directed only this one film, which was a critical and commercial failure long overshadowed by his acting career. Add to Wishlist. It's an exceptional horror film that deserves all the accolades and appreciation it receives today. Title: 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 Night of the Hunter movie reviews and ratings - Tribute.ca rating of 3.89 out of 5 Stars. You're almost there! He then terrorizes her two young children to force them to tell him the whereabouts of the $10,000 he knows their father hid before his imprisonment. Watched Jan 14, 2021. However, there are a couple of cheesy moments of dialogue, and a few, almost laughable, scenes. One list of all cinemas showing The Night of the Hunter. It looks at the symbolism of the piece, at Willa, her throat cut sitting in the Model-T Ford, and the Preacher, a silhouetted threat on the horizon. (1955). The Night of the Hunter (DVD) : A self-styled preacher marries and murders the widow of an executed convict with whom he once shared a cell. Robert Mitchum stars in an unforgettable role as a psychopathic preacher in relentless pursuit of two children who have their dead father's stolen fortune hidden in a doll. The Night of the Hunter, the only film directed by Charles Laughton, still takes audiences by surprise. United Artists, Charles Laughton's southern gothic fairytale is one of the greatest films ever made. If I am correct, we can expect something a bit more deadly at any moment. The famous river boat scene from Charles Laughton's 1955 film, The Night of the Hunter. Mr. Laughton and his screenwriter James Agee infuse their story of a murderer posing as a preacher with visual and aural poetry. Luke_Poff’s review published on Letterboxd: They abide. The sets look fake, the dialogue is risible, and its director never made another film. Was this review helpful to you? The subject is a psychopathic preacher who believes that God is telling him to murder women, usually widowers, and take their money.From the opening two shots and the first few lines of the preacher, the characters history and intent is laid down. |, August 23, 2020 Please make sure to choose a rating . Coming Soon, Regal Like maybe in the old silent films ... and there is where this simple tale takes joyous flight. “’Night of the Hunter’ is the film from my youth that really opened the door,” Green said back in October 2018. In a world filled with so many derivative films, it is worth remembering how rewarding it can be when filmmakers step outside their comfort zone. L-O-V-E. Such a film, I think, is The Night of the Hunter (1955), sadly the only film which Charles Laughton managed to complete as a director. The attention to detail in every single aspect makes for one of the best cinematic experiences I've ever had. The Night of the Hunter doesn't altogether, as they say, "come off," but it is a film of extremely individual flavour, and its daring, its indifference to convention, make it uniquely surprising for a Hollywood production today. Just below that it reads "Ticket Confirmation#:" followed by a 10-digit number. Copyright © Fandango. Paul Gregory Productions, Free Movies Online: 200 Fresh Movies to Watch Online For Free, October 2, 2020 After Ben's execution, Harry decides that Willa will be his next mark, figuring that someone in the family knows where the money is hidden. Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified. Get the latest movie times, trailers and celebrity interviews. As quickly, the first few scenes with the children show the circumstances that will bring about the main premise. Following a script by James Agree, The Night of the Hunter follows nine-year-old John Harper (Billy Chapin) and his four-year-old sister Pearl (Sally Jane Bruce), who are left fatherless when their Depression-weary pop, Ben (Peter Graves), robs a bank and kills two men in the process. And that is why this strident psychological horror stands up now as one of the great pieces of American genre cinema. This review may contain spoilers. |, July 24, 2019 Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". It is imaginably chilling and disturbing. The film stars Henry Cavill, Ben Kingsley, Alexandra Daddario, and Stanley Tucci, with Brendan Fletcher, Minka Kelly, and Nathan Fillion in supporting roles. Ben, who is captured, tried and convicted, is sentenced to death. The Night of the Hunter (1955) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Despite vowing not to remarry, Willa ends up being easy prey for Harry's outward ... Matthew Libatique and Gregory Crewdson on Capturing Light, Stream of the Day: Watch ‘The Night of the Hunter’ Before the Remake Threatens to Ruin Its Memory, 80 of the Best Horror Movies to Stream Today, Nicolas Pesce's Top 10 Black-and-White Horror Films, United Artists 100th Anniversary Poll Part II, Rotten Tomatoes: Top Mystery & Suspense Movies. A stark, perverse story of murder, kidnapping, and police corruption in a Mexican border town. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. The Night of the Hunter 4. was one of Dad's favorites. The only film directed by actor Charles Laughton, this haunting masterpiece is simply one of the best horrors ever made. She pays tribute to classical composers such as Alkan, Bach, Chopin, Debussy, Granados, Satie and Schubert, taking inspiration from their original compositionsto create new, independent songs. Harry does whatever he can, unsuccessfully, to find out the location of the $10,000 from Ben. Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. $3.99 Rent HD. Crime. story of right hand, left hand? When Mr. Laughton learns to tell a story through his actors rather than symbolism, something very fine will result. You see these fingers, dear hearts? In a murder trial, the defendant says he suffered temporary insanity after the victim raped his wife. Released from jail, Powell is obsessed with finding the money, and he tracks down Harper's widow, Willa (Shelley Winters), and her two children, John (Billy Chapin) and Pearl (Sally Jane Bruce). Drama. However, what is so special about The Night of the Hunter has less to do with its excellent screenplay and more to do with the execution. Powerful but unethical Broadway columnist J.J. Hunsecker coerces unscrupulous press agent Sidney Falco into breaking up his sister's romance with a jazz musician. The acting careers of both brothers were very similar: The Night of the Hunter (1955) was Michael's last film and Billy's second-to-last; both brothers had their first uncredited screen appearances--in different films--in 1944; both had final acting credits--in different TV shows--in 1959. But Greater Than Them All is The Impact of the Motion Picture Itself! But before he is executed, Ben is in the state penitentiary with a cell mate, a man by the name of Harry Powell, a self-professed man of the cloth, who is really a con man and murderer, swindling lonely women, primarily rich widows, of their money before he kills them. A bitter, aging couple, with the help of alcohol, use their young houseguests to fuel anguish and emotional pain towards each other over the course of a distressing night. 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