The Night of the Hunter

Charles Laughton's The Night of the Hunter (1955) exists as a film both ahead of its time and a product of its time. The film has two concurrent storylines that meet up early on. The first concerns a psychotic preacher, Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum), who goes through towns killing the scum so that sins of the flesh can be overcome. Meanwhile, young John Harper has watched his father place stolen money in his sister's doll. Through much incredulous circumstance, Powell comes looking for the money and John and his sister, Pearl, must flee town to survive.

Mitchum, of course, is terrific in the film, but the other principal actors are all hindered by a script that forces them to act against what should obviously be better judgment (especially Pearl and the Harper mother). Moreover, the unfortunate stylistic acting of the 50s contrasts with my temperment that is more used to naturalisic acting, which jars me out of the film occasionally.

Yet, while The Night of the Hunter is filled with plot contrivances, random tripping of the bad guy who chases slower kids, and the like, the second half, where the film takes on its more metaphorical dreamscape, is surprisingly tense, tantalizing, and well directed. I only wish that all the film possessed this same style. The juxtaposition of songs that Mrs. Cooper (Lillian Gish, channeling all of her silent film innocence sense of protection) and Powell sing, where each is symbolically combatting the other's faith/corrupt faith, is quite interesting. The over-reliance that "commoners" place upon proposed figures of faith is also interesting, and some of the visuals throughout are very haunting (the mother at the bottom of the lake).

Finally, the musical score here is absolutely magnificent. It blends beautifully with the dreamy images that Laughton secures from his cinematographer, and allows the mystic nature of the second half to be fully realized. For a contemporary take on the ideas that The Night of the Hunter explores, give David Gordon Green's Undertow (2004) a try. With The Night of the Hunter, ignore the first half of the film that is unfortunately burdened with 50s Hollywood acting and writing, and this film becomes magical.

The Night of the Hunter: 7/10