The Night of the Hunter (1955)

The incredible - too incredible - story of two very brave kids on the run from a violent religious charlatan keeps this movie interesting. More fascinating is the depiction of a very different world of the 1930s where religion dominated everyday life (although perhaps in America it still does). With stirring music and in black and white, it's also a showcase of what movies of the era were like (although filmed two decades later).

Very much dated and corny

a great performance by mitchum this and cape fear show true villiany on the screen..and wonderfully directed by laughton. one of the top thrillers .

A bit dated now, but there is enough moments of tension to keep things interesting. What an eminently nasty fellow The Preacher was.

A bit too much emphasis religious proselytizing and on passages from the good book for my liking, but this strange film is full of a lot of curios to keep you entertained. The little girl Pearl is such a darling little thing and Robert Mitchum portraying evil incarnate, well - it seems to come so easily to him!!

Brilliant film: incredible Black and White photography. And a menacing performance by Robert Mitchum. It's a pity that Charles Laughton didn't direct more films. A must see!

interesting. Probably scary when it was first released but not very now. I enjoyed it.

Fascinating and unsettling, there is nothing quite like Night of the Hunter. Now rightly acclaimed as a classic of cinema, tit features a standout performance by Robert Mitchum, who is mesmerizing as the insane preacher - one of cinemas greatest villains

A horror story drawn with thick, clumsy traces, set in the Bible Belt in 1930. The actors do what they can with their unrealistic roles. Thus, the performances are mostly unconvincing, particularly Billy Chapin, playing a too mature child surrounded by too childish adults who seem unable to speak using phrases not taken from the Bible. Beautiful cinematography in B

The only movie directed by Charles Laughton who is more famous as an actor in movies such as Captain Kidd, The Blue Veil and Salome. It was a bit of a flop when released in 1955 and so presumably Mr Laughton decided to stick to his day job, which is a shame, because The Night of the Hunter is ground breaking. There had never been anything quite like it. A fusion of horror, comedy and expressionism. I don’t know whether David Lynch considers this film a source of his inspiration, but I can see clear parallels. Robert Mitchum is spot on as the smooth talking fake preacher man, who famously has LOVE and HATE tattooed on his knuckles. From a cinematographic point of view there are some very unusual and effective shots, such as Shelly Winter’s hair drifting with the water weeds after her body and car is dumped in the river.

A tour de force from all concerned. Charles Laughtons only film as director, he used silent techniques such as using an iris to highlight a particular area on the screen, impressionistic sets and a naturalistic style where the animals of the fields play an active part. Davis Grubbs original modern fairytale is faithfully brought to the screen, in one of the most remarkably original films ever made. Robert Mitchum is evil incarnate as the insane preacher/murderer, with "love" & "hate" tattooed on his fingers. Lillian Gish ethereal as the allegorical protector of both children and beast, and Shelley Winters wonderful as the sad, doomed bride. Her last two scenes still stand out as being among the most amazing I have ever seen. The magnificent black & white photography also adds lustre to this great movie.

Great movie, makes you wish Charles Laughton had directed more films. He brings a truly original feel to a classic theme, that of good versus evil. The evil being Robert Mitchum's demented false preacher and the good being Lillian Gish's feisty protector of lost children. This is a film filled with unforgettable scenes such the childrens journey by boat down the river, the silouhette of the preacher against the horizon as the children run from him and the final confrontation between Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish as they sing a hymn that only Lillian really knows. Completely different from other films of this era and a must see for any film buff.

A classic 50's film noir movie. Robert Mitchum was menacingly great, & Shelley Winters played an excellent part, though hers could have been beefed up a bit. Lovely to see dear old Lillian Gish. Black & white films seem to have so much more atmosphere.