31 Years, 31 Screams: #8 Night Of The Hunter
Posted by J.D. Dunn on 10.24.2005
The wedding night, the anticipation, the kiss, the knife, BUT ABOVE ALL... THE SUSPENSE!
Our next film comes from the great stage and screen actor, Charles Laughton. This is his directorial debut, and unfortunately his last film. Laughton would die a few years later.
However, there's no denying the sheer brilliance behind the camera - odd angles, lots of negative space, dazzling camera tricks.
The film also gave Robert Mitchum, who had always been upper B-list, a chance to shine. His performance as the sinister Harry Powell is legendary.
Night of the Hunter (1955) D:Charles Laughton W:James Agee, from a novel by Davis Grubb Starring:Robert Mitchum, Lillian Gish, Shelley Winters, Peter Graves MPAA: [NA] Runtime: 93m.
The Film: (***Caution: Contains Spoilers. If you don't want the film's plot events revealed to you, please skip ahead to "The 411"***)
Once upon a time, there were two young children named John and Pearl Harper whose father (Peter Graves) did a bad thing. He robbed a bank and killed a few of the people who worked in the bank. For this, he was taken to the town square and hanged to death. But before that, he was put into prison with an alleged preacher named Harry Powell (Mitchum). Although he had done much, much worse during his time (particularly to widows), Powell was arrested for stealing a car. One night, Powell overheard John and Pearl's father talking about the money in his sleep. He just didn't know where it was hid.
After John and Pearl's father was hanged, Harry Powell decided to look up the widow Harper (Winters) and court her. After all, say the townsfolk, she couldn't raise two younguns on her own. That's a job for two. Even though she didn't love him, the ex-Mrs. Harper decided to marry him. Harry refused to sleep with her on their wedding night and said that her sexual desire has made her impure. Mrs. Harper-Powell prayed to god to remove the sin and perdition from her soul.
Meanwhile, Harry went about trying to pry the location of the money from John and Pearl. When Willa Harper-Powell found out about this, she was very hurt and angry. However, she would not have a chance for retribution. Harry Powell tied her up and sunk her body into a nearby lake. Of course, he told a different story to the townspeople - one about a sinful wife running off with another man.
With Willa out of the way, it should have been easy for Preacher Harry Powell to find that money. He found out that the money was hidden in Pearl's doll after threatening to cut out John's tongue. John knew then that he must take Pearl and head down the river. John and Pearl hopped on a skiff and road it all the way down the river to what could pass for an orphanage. You see, Miss Cooper (Gish) had spent her entire adult life raising other people's kids; so when John and Pearl showed up, she simply took them in as two more mouths to feed.
Harry Powell, meanwhile, did not give up his quest for the money. He preached the gospel to some farmers in exchange for food and stealed himself against the elements by belting out "Leaning on the Everlasting Arm."
Miss Cooper, it turned out, was born to raise kids. She cleaned up John and Pearl and filled their heads with stories from the Good Book - stories of a boat washed up on the shore with a young lad named Moses on the inside. John took to that story right away.
Unfortunately, one of Miss Cooper's other charges named Ruby, met up with a charming man named Harry Powell. She let him know all about John and Pearl. However, when Harry Powell came callin' to the house, Miss Cooper chased him off with a shotgun. He promised to be back.
Indeed, that night, Harry Powell sat on the fence all night long, staring into the house and singing "Leaning on the Everlasting Arm." This time, though, Miss Cooper was there to protect John and Pearl. She just sat right there with her rifle singing the refrain.
When she looked out and saw that Harry Powell was no longer there, she knew he would be trying to get in the house. She lined up the kids in the kitchen and paced back and forth with her rifle, preaching the real gospel. When Harry Powell snuck in, she was right there to fire a shot into his ass. From there, it wasn't hard for the cops to nab him once more (interestingly enough, in a barn).
Unfortunately, John wasn't able to testify against Harry Powell; he went free. The townspeople were not so forgiving, though. They attacked Harry's paddywagon and tore him apart!
The whole ordeal behind them, John and Pearl lived happily ever after.
Roll credits.
The 411: In what is unfortunately his only film as a director, the great actor Charles Laughton managed a monumental achievement — creating a real life modern fairy tale. The photography is brilliant, reminiscent of the early days of German Expressionism. The acting is fine too, especially from Mitchum in what is probably his finest performance. For fans of high-minded horror and film technique, this is an absolute must.
After John and Pearl's father was hanged, Harry Powell decided to look up the widow Harper (Winters) and court her. After all, say the townsfolk, she couldn't raise two younguns on her own. That's a job for two. Even though she didn't love him, the ex-Mrs. Harper decided to marry him. Harry refused to sleep with her on their wedding night and said that her sexual desire has made her impure. Mrs. Harper-Powell prayed to god to remove the sin and perdition from her soul.
With Willa out of the way, it should have been easy for Preacher Harry Powell to find that money. He found out that the money was hidden in Pearl's doll after threatening to cut out John's tongue. John knew then that he must take Pearl and head down the river. John and Pearl hopped on a skiff and road it all the way down the river to what could pass for an orphanage. You see, Miss Cooper (Gish) had spent her entire adult life raising other people's kids; so when John and Pearl showed up, she simply took them in as two more mouths to feed.
Miss Cooper, it turned out, was born to raise kids. She cleaned up John and Pearl and filled their heads with stories from the Good Book - stories of a boat washed up on the shore with a young lad named Moses on the inside. John took to that story right away.
Indeed, that night, Harry Powell sat on the fence all night long, staring into the house and singing "Leaning on the Everlasting Arm." This time, though, Miss Cooper was there to protect John and Pearl. She just sat right there with her rifle singing the refrain.
The whole ordeal behind them, John and Pearl lived happily ever after.
