The Night of the Hunter

1955 · drama · Paul Gregory Productions · Paul Gregory Productions

A tall, handsome “preacher”—his knuckles eerily tattooed with “love” and “hate”—roams the countryside, spreading the gospel…and leaving a trail of murdered women in his wake. To Reverend Harry Powell, the work of the Lord has more to do with condemning souls than saving them, especially when his own interests are involved. Now his sights are set on $10,000 and two little children are the only ones who know where it is. “ Chill …dren!” the preacher croons to the terrified boy and girl hiding in the cold, dark cellar. Innocent young lambs who refuse to be led astray. The legendary, lone directorial effort of actor Charles Laughton ( Witness for the Prosecution ), The Night of the Hunter stars Robert Mitchum ( Out of the Past ) in the most daring and critically acclaimed performance of his career, opposite the equally spellbinding Shelley Winters ( He Ran All the Way ) and Lillian Gish ( Duel in the Sun ). Ominous and hauntingly suspenseful, this extraordinary noir classic remains “one of the most frightening movies ever made and one of the greatest of all American films” (Roger Ebert).