This is actor Charles Laughton's only directorial outing and he really shines here. The story is a morality tale about a wicked preacher, played malevolenntly by Robert Mitchum, who is obsessed with recovering stolen money he knows is somewhere where a boy and his sister know the hiding place. He marries their mother (Shelley Winters) and after her death the kids take flight in a skiff down river. Mitchum follows on horseback. The kids take refuge with kindly Lillian Gish (of silent film fame) who already has taken in three other wandering children. There are a lot of animal shots in the second half during the kids journey. Mitchum arrives and lays seige to Gish' farm but she fends him off with a shotgun. A very disturbing film but highly recommended.
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Topic - "The Night of the Hunter" - rico 10:26:53 04/30/05 (3)
- One of my all time favorites, and a great film, on every count... - orejones 11:15:52 04/30/05 (0)
- Re: Great film - Mitchum is Evil!!! (nt) - Jeff Starrs 10:35:31 04/30/05 (1)
- He wimped out at the end though. nt - AudioHead 15:36:21 05/12/05 (0)