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As a kid I spent nearly every Saturday afternoon at the movies. You got to see a newsreel, cartoon, serial and a western for a quarter. Occasionally they would play a Lon Chaney werewolf movie, or a vampire film. They were all right, but I can’t say that they really frightened me very much. I didn’t get a real scare out of a movie until I was well into my teens. The movie was 1957 classic, The Night of the Hunter.

(Please be advised that the following contains spoilers and anyone intending to watch the film for the first time should be so warned.)

A young Peter Graves robs a bank. Before he is captured he gives the money to his children to hide. In prison, he tells Robert Mitchum about the money, and Mitchum, of course, is determined to get the money. He thanks god for the opportunity that has come his way. Several times in the movie he prays, with his knife between his hands. The villain quickly locates the town where Graves’ family is living and summarily seduces the mother. He also makes several attempts to find out where the children have hid the money. His sweet tone barely hides the malice underneath. The noir photography does a marvelous job of intensifying the terror, and James Gleason adds a much needed comic relief to the story.

Mitchum quickly murders the mother and disposes of the body by placing it into her car and runs it off of a dock. One of the film’s most haunting scenes is Shelley Winters long hair flowing under water. Afraid for their lives, the children take off in a boat. Again, the night scene on the river with the stars and the creatures along the bank are almost surreally beautiful. As they are on the river they see Mithum ride by against the moon singing Leaning on the Everlasting Lord.

Fortunately the children find a kindly heart, Lilian Gish, to take care of them. How the seemingly harmless Gish foils the villain is a masterpiece in telling. A scene where she is sitting on her porch with shotgun in hand and singing Bringing in the Sheathes with Mitchum is one of the great moments in film-making.

Besides a heart-thumping story, the cast is perfect. The children maintain their innocence, but have the necessary toughness to survive. Shelley Winters portrays the hapless mother to perfection. An interesting sidelight, Charles Laughton dislked children and so despised directing them that Robert Mitchum wound up directing them himself in several of the scenes.

This was the only film Charles Laughton ever directed. He had planned to direct The ***** and the Dead, but was so disappointed with the response to Night that he never directed again. I personally have never been able to understand why this isn’t considered one of the great film classics of all time. Blood and entrails make for nifty movies, but the cool and quiet menace of a honest-to-goodness makes for a much scarier film. I recommend this gem to everyone who likes movies.

By: John Anderson

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