The Night of the Hunter (1955)

14 September 2019

The Night of the Hunter (1955), starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters. Directed by Charles Laughton it was his most acclaimed, and probably Mitchum's as well. It's an interesting movie that stands out most because of its cinematography: rich contrast in black and white and harsh shadows and silhouettes. It also has a stranger story line, with broken apart settings as the story progresses. Its visuals are beautiful and age well.

It's a story about Mitchum, a false preacher, trying to find a stolen $10k during the great depression. The robber was hanged and Mitchum searches for the truth about the money from the dead man's wife and children. Child actors are hard to rely on, and the two main ones do decent jobs. Mitchum plays the villain admirably.

It feels a little overly preachy, especially in the beginning, and the 50s "every woman needs a husband" attitude gets tiresome quick. It makes the beginning and end of the film feel dated and strange. But the story ages ok in it's own way. A classic of the 1950s, and worth seeing for it's originality. 7/10