The night of the hunter 1955 synopsis in the depths of the great depression of the 1930s in the rural south, ben harper has committed murder while robbing a bank to get enough money to keep his family from being hungry and homeless. The night of the hunter original soundtrack charles. Harry powell robert mitchum is a religious fanatic and serial killer who targets women who use their sexuality to attract men. Cinematography stanley cortez film editor robert golden production design hilyard brown. A critical and commercial failure on its initial release in 1955 the film has grown in stature over the years and is now regarded as a chilling and magical masterpiece. Former orson welles collaborator stanley cortezs vivid blackandwhite cinematography perfectly accentuates the films mood, especially the use of shadows and formalist lighting. The night of the hunter is ultimately a work of art that moves the viewer because of the tremendous work its director, charles laughton, gave to the movie. Combining stark realism with germanic expressionism, the movie is a brilliant goodandevil parable, with good represented by a couple of farm kids and a pious old lady, and evil literally in the hands of a posturing psychopath.
Night of the hunter 1955 part 1 of 2 although my book, film noir. The night of the hunter 1955 cast and crew moviefone. Rachel cooper lillian gish in night of the hunter 1955 20. Arrested for auto theft, he shares a cell with condemned killer ben harper and. The black and white photography, the beauty and depth of robert mitchums singing voice and the lyric river the two children float down on a skiff to escape him as he hunts them through the night. The wedding night, the anticipation, the kiss, the knife, but above all. Surrealistic in style, the story concerns two young. A horror movie with qualities of a grimm fairy tale, it stars a sublimely sinister robert mitchum cape fear, the friends of eddie coyle as a traveling preacher named harry powell he of the tattooed knuckles, whose nefarious motives for marrying a fragile. The night of the hunter 1955 directed by charles laughton. The night of the hunter 1955 charles laughton synopsis. The sequence purportedly showing the preacher riding a horse in the distance was filmed in false perspective and was actually a midget astride a pony. The night of the hunter 1953 the night of the hunter is best known as a film of 1955 by charles laughton, but it was first a great book by davis grubb, who based his story on a true case of serial killer harry powers, a deranged psychopath who preyed on and killed lonely widows in the late 1920s. Aug 29, 2014 night of the hunter the 1955 a chilling film directed by charles laughton his only effort. It is, to say the least, a masterpieceand 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.
The way drama is built only using miseenscene is incredible in this movie. Watch the night of the hunter online 1955 movie yidio. If the film lovers label criterion has a higher purpose, its to subtly enshrine titles in the alltimeclassic canon. Given the kind of film popular amongst audiences for hollywoods products at the time, it is not surprising that on its release in 1955 the night of the hunter mystified many. Hauntingly directed by charles laughton, the night of the hunter is his only credited directorial effort, and it is a tourdeforce. A horror movie with qualities of a grimm fairy tale, it stars a sublimely sinister robert mitchum cape fear, the friends of eddie coyle as a traveling preacher named harry powell he of the tattooed knuckles, whose nefarious motives for. The suspense harry powell marries and murders widows for their money, believing he is helping god do away with women who arouse mens carnal instincts. Its screenplay was cowritten by charles laughton and james agee, and it was the only directorial effort by laughton. Stills must not be reproduced, copied or downloaded in any way. The night of the hunter film by laughton 1955 britannica. In robert mitchums careerdefining role as preacher harry powell, he wears unforgettable tattoos of two fourletter words on his fingers.
Charles laughton never directed another film after this chilling masterpiece of psychological horror, making the night of the hunter one of the great oneoffs in movie history. In short, the night of the hunter is an american movie classic. Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly, they are ravening wolves. The night of the hunter is a classic gothic fairytale.
Vintage movie classics a vintage movie classic davis grubb. Mise en scene and safe space in the night of the hunter download as. Charles laughton reads the night of the hunter duration. The night of the hunter 1955 trailer the criterion. Aug 27, 2010 out on bluray and dvd on november 16, 2010.
Im good for something in this world and i know it too. The book on robert mitchum was commissioned in the mid1980s and had reached galley proof stage when the publisher went into liquidation. Jan 11, 2016 we continue on our endless quest to cover the imdb top 250 with 1955 s the night of the hunter. Arrested for auto theft, he shares a cell with condemned killer ben. All the trivia you can handle about the night of the hunter, 1955, directed by charles laughton, with robert mitchum, shelley winters, lillian gish. Download charles laughton the night of the hunter 1955 torrent or any other torrent from category. The night of the hunter, starring robert mitchum, shelley winters, and. The first time i saw charles laughtons the night of the hunter was at. Subscribe on itunes about steve head about david kleiler. A horror movie with qualities of a grimm fairy tale, it stars a sublimely sinister robert mitchum as a traveling preacher named harry powell he of the tattooed knuckles, whose nefarious motives for marrying a fragile widow, played by shelley. The fact that laughton never made another film because night of the hunter didnt succeed commercially in its day because the studio didnt promote it properly adds poignance to the history of this remarkable film.
The night of the hunter is a 1955 american thriller film directed by charles laughton, and starring robert mitchum, shelley winters, and lillian gish. Combining stark realism with germanic expressionism, the movie is a brilliant goodandevil parable, with good represented by a couple of farm kids and a pious old lady, and evil literally in the hands of a posturing. The night of the hunter 1955 yify download movie torrent. With robert mitchum, shelley winters, lillian gish, james gleason. Rent the night of the hunter 1955 on dvd and bluray dvd. The night of the hunter 1955 was michaels last film and billys secondtolast. The night of the hunter 1955, directed by charles laughton. The night of the hunter trailer 1955 video detective. The night of the hunter a bogus preacher marries an. The night of the hunter 1955 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Adapted by james agee from a novel by davis grubb, the night of the hunter represented legendary actor charles laughtons only film directing effort. The night of the hunter incredibly, the only film the great actor charles laughton ever directedis truly a standalone masterwork. This text is immediately contrasted with another one. And as the only film directed by actor charles laughton, its very existence is somewhat haunting.
Robert mitchum and shelley winters the night of the hunter 1955 directed by charles laughton united artists f4pk63 from. The screenplay was written by james agee the african queen 1951 from the novel by davis grubb. It was only while watching the film, enthralled but also deeply unsettled, that i fully realized just how insidiously terrifying the stories of our childhoods are. On the forth episode of diabolique radio show, steve and david kleiler, focus on charles laughtons homage to german expressionism, the night of the hunter 1955. Rent the night of the hunter 1955 on dvd and bluray. The night of the hunter 1955 a sdg blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see god, quotes lillian gish at the very beginning of charles laughtons lone directorial effort, the night of the hunter. Many great movies are by great directors, but laughton directed only this one film, which was a critical and commercial failure long overshadowed. The night of the hunter, american crime thriller, released in 1955, that is regarded as a masterpiece of tone and suspense.
Charles laughtons the night of the hunter 1955 is one of the greatest of all american films, but has never received the attention it deserves because of its lack of the proper trappings. Harry powell robert mitchum is a religious fanatic and serial killer who targets women who use their sexuality to. The night of the hunter 1955 actor charles laughtons only film as a director is a complete oneoff, a terrifying parable of the corruption of innocence featuring a careerbest performance from robert mitchum. Hear classic music from the night of the hunter, 1955, directed by charles laughton, with robert mitchum, shelley winters, lillian gish, at tcm. Download charles laughton the night of the hunter 1955. Robert mitchum is a preaching paterfamilias from hell, and charles laughtons complex 1955. Charles laughton walter schumann the night of the hunter original soundtrack add to custom list. The night of the hunter 1955 film noir of the week. The night of the hunter 1955 tt0048424 in the deep south, a serialkilling preacher hunts two young children who know the whereabouts of a stash of money. Robert mitchum is at his most menacing as an excon disguised as a preacher, romancing and marrying a lonely widow shelley winters with the plans of murdering her and her two sweet children, and then. Robert mitchum and shelley winters the night of the hunter 1955. Etienne chaumeton tried to come up with a definition in 1955. This film, which didnt receive the attention it got when it was released, has turned out to be something discerning movie fans saw from the start, a classic.
The night of the hunter is a classic american thriller from 1955. The night of the hunter is a 1953 thriller novel by american author davis grubb. This is one weird, troubling movie, all the more so for being released in 1955. Large database of subtitles for movies, tv series and anime. This sense of originality was largely lost on movie audiences when the night of the hunter was first released in 1955. Having in mind that it was a film from 1955, their use of light is incredible. The screenplay by james agee was based on the 1953 novel of the same title by davis grubb. The film met with only cautious critical response and failed to find an adequate popular audience. To assert agees moral right to his screen credit in no way disputes laughtons greatness as a director clearly, he was as expert with writers as he was with actors but agee has been belittled, and even slandered, over the years especially in mitchums autobiography, when his contribution to the night of the hunter was of primary and. If we take a closer look at each shot, we can see that every shot has a meaning behind it, nothing is left to chance, personally this is the strongest point of the. Recommend watching mitchum, in an interview he gave late in life, discuss working on this film. Night of the hunter 1955 part 1 of 2 film noir of the week.
The night of the hunter, incredibly, the only film the great actor charles laughton ever directed, is truly a standalone masterwork. The american gothic, biblical tale of greed, innocence, seduction, sin and corruption was adapted for the. The book was a national bestseller and was voted a finalist for the 1955 national book award story line and development. Rent the night of the hunter 1955 starring robert mitchum and shelley winters on dvd and bluray. Reflections in a dark mirror, was published before my book, mitchum, it was actually written later. Murderous exconvict harry powell misrepresents himself as a prison chaplain upon his release from prison. Its a shame charles laughton never directed another film.
This blu ray with its splendid two and a half hour documentary about the making of the film should not disappoint. You have to put the night of the hunter near the top of the list, if not at the very top. The night of the hunter 1955 journeys in classic film. The night of the hunter is a celebration of cinema.
Around the 1970s movie goers began to embrace foreign and more artistic films. As he clearly indicates with the night of the hunter, he had a rare gift for guiding a production into achieving greatness. On this episode of jbfc podcast, we discuss charles laughtons first and only directorial effort, 1955 s the night of the hunter, as well as debut features from some of todays most interesting writerdirectors including wes anderson, christopher nolan, spike jonze, and quentin tarantino. He sets his sites on a woman played by shelly winters because her dead husband robbed a bank and buried the loot somewhere on the.
The night of the hunter is nearly as demented as its lead villain, and i mean that as a compliment. There are certain images that will remain with you long after seeing masterpieces like night of the hunter. The night of the hunter1955 miseenscene what does it. The attention to detail in every single aspect makes for one of the best cinematic experiences ive ever had. Rachel cooper lillian gish in night of the hunter 1955. The acting careers of both brothers were very similar.
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