The Night of The Hunter (92 minutes)
Would you like me to tell you the little story of Right Hand-Left Hand - the story of good and evil?
The Night of the Hunter (1955) frequently ranks on all types of lists of importance and is considered one of the greatest films ever made. It permeates film culture, often referenced in other classic films, and so you’re probably more familiar with it than you know. Today, its significance is undisputed, but that wasn’t the case when it was released. Incredibly, it was so ill-received, that its director, Charles Laughton, never directed another film again.
Let that sink in.
(And since it's January, let that be a lesson to you all to never give up doing what you do.)
Based on the novel of the same name, The Night of the Hunter tells the chilling tale of Reverend Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum), a traveling preacher who preys (see what I did there) on widows and their children during the Great Depression. While briefly imprisoned on car theft charges, he meets Ben Harper (Peter Graves), a father on death row for murder and stealing $10,000. The money remains hidden. Once released, Powell sets out to entrap Ben’s widow, Willa (Shelley Winters) and her children in an effort to recover the funds.
The elements of this film that set it apart from its contemporaries and made it so poorly received by audiences and critics alike in 1955 are the same elements that mark its importance today. They’re also why the film feels so timeless. The filmmakers layer elements from American Realism, German Expressionism, fairy tales, and silent films to create a nightmarish world which two children, John (Billy Chapin) and Pearl (Sally Jane Bruce), must navigate entirely on their own, failed time and time again by those meant to protect them. The Night of the Hunter takes a rather simple plot and simple (though highly stylized) script, to new heights of terror through the filmmaking process.
While there is much to discuss with these elements, I am most struck by the set pieces and use of shadow (see the above images). I love how the artificial nature of the sets (especially those used in wide establishing shots) actually serve the story, rather than act as detriments. Perhaps this is because surrealism has no clock and the fairytale journey of John and Pearl feels like we’re flipping through a picture book learning the same lessons of good versus evil that we always do. I hate to admit it, but Ebert covers this best, writing, “...by setting his story in an invented movie world outside conventional realism, Laughton gave it a timelessness.” (Too bad Ebert and I couldn’t agree on Weekend at Bernie’s.)
The sets also contain elements of Americana that are familiar to most of us, which when used in a Rockwell painting could be comforting to a particular type of person, but here they’re slightly askew and stifling. What can be said about the use of shadows in the movie that isn’t immediately obvious? Shot like a horror film--and it is a horror-- shadows tell us what to fear. Preacher first appears to John as a looming shadow against his bedroom wall, and later the light of the moon points the children to the safety of a barn for the night. Even the full cast of characters support this idealized American fairytale. This is no more evident through the Spoons, a married couple who own an ice cream shop, and believe firmly in certain standards of life and religion.
The film is shadowy, stylized, at times surreal. And within it it holds one of the greatest villains on screen: Harry Powell aka Preacher. Preacher is easily summed up in a conversation with Ben Harper:
Ben: What religion do you profess, preacher?
Preacher: The religion the Almighty and me worked out betwixt us.
And that religion is one where murder--of women specifically-- is justified because of their own sexual sins. An opening scene shows Preacher at a burlesque show absolutely disgusted with what he sees, and later, even once married, he refuses to touch Willa (Winters). Preacher is not sexually motivated and is fueled instead by his twisted idea of misogynistic justice… and the monetary kickbacks. The religious juxtapositions are so heavy handed that the entire film serves almost as a parable. On one side of religion you have Preacher’s blind followers (the Spoons and Willa) who are willing to eschew their common sense and own understanding of religion in order to be right by Preacher rather than god. And then you have those (Rachel Cooper and John) who allow for doubt. Rachel specifically is so close to god on her own, that no preacher can rewrite her religion.
Without mincing words, Preacher is a serial killer. In fact, the character in the book is based on one of America’s early serial killers: Harry Powers. And I believe Preacher is one of the very first on screen serial killers in American film. What is so interesting about this, is the elements of his character that we see play out time and time again in later horror films about killers. Once John and Pearl escape their home and take off down the river, they’re chased by Preacher. But he is not frantic, he is not rushing. No. Preacher is slow, methodical, and almost relaxed. These moments where he is seen quietly making his way on horseback or singing are terrifying because it’s as if he knows he will eventually catch up with them. No rushing needed. He needs no sleep. He needs no food. He just continues on as John and Pearl must struggle to stay one step ahead of him. This relentlessness makes me think of Michael Myers time and time again.
As I was researching, I was surprised to find that few people ever give the credit that is due to Billy Chapin, who plays John. At just 12 years old, John spends a considerable amount of time on screen setting the tone of fear. John is not only immediately apprehensive of Preacher but he also carries the burden of knowing where his father has hidden the $10,000. He is simultaneously tormented and protective of this knowledge. John is always on edge, wondering if his very naive little sister is going to give away the secret, and worried about Preacher’s presence. This is a lot of complex emotions that I found Chapin to be quite adept at conveying. It’s a hefty weight for a child actor to carry and I wanted to give him a proper nod.
There’s so much more to be said about The Night of the Hunter (and so much already has been) that I feel we could be here forever. But I am happy that I took on the challenge of writing about this film. If I’m being honest I was nervous! It is a mega classic and I am but one voice in a sea of many. Before I go, I came across some 2020 articles that mentioned Universal is working on a remake and was perplexed that it will be a contemporary piece. Can this story exist now? And is it a story that needs retelling? I’m torn. I’d love to know what you all think in the comments, of course.
Sources:
https://www.criterion.com/films/27525-the-night-of-the-hunter
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-night-of-the-hunter-1955
https://www.indiewire.com/2020/04/night-of-the-hunter-remake-universal-1202223443/
Images: https://film-grab.com/2014/03/20/the-night-of-the-hunter/#
https://www.reddit.com/r/criterion/comments/bq55ua/a_behindthescenes_photograph_from_the_night_of/
I saw this when I was waaay too young and it was totally the visual language of my nightmares for a while there. Such an iconic film. Great read, thank you!