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Welcome to "Cinema Herald". My aim is to bring movie reviews to a somewhat different level. I don't know about you guys but I'm sick and tired of Critics who dissect a movie to bits. Who cares about all that deep stuff, sometimes you just want to know if you'll be entertained or not. Is it worth me spending $10? Now don't get me wrong, sometimes when we watch a movie, it does require us to put on our thinking caps and I'll do that from time to time depending on the film I review but for the most part, I just want to know if I'm going to have a laugh or a cry or even crap my pants - in other words, will it take my mind off the fact that I'm broke and my rent is due for a few hours? Movies are a public service...they are to help us escape for a few hours and forget that we're overworked and under paid.

DVD Vault: Night Of The Hunter (1955) - Classic

June 9th 2010 04:43
Category: Thriller
Night Of The Hunter might not be one of the scariest movies of all time but it sure does have its moments. Sure, it doesn't have flesh-eating zombies or a crazed lunatic with a 6 inch knife and a hockey mask but it is much more sinister and frightening on a different level because it shows us that monsters do exist inside of everyday people and sometimes we are taken unawares because their appearance betrays what lies underneath a seemingly normal facade. Sometimes we overlook the hairs that stand on end when we are around people that seem for some reason to be just a tad bit creepy. These are wolves in sheep's clothing and some times they are easy to detect for some people but for others it's not so easy - the gullible and the vulnerable are easy prey.

The utterly gorgeous and late, Robert Mitchum, threw me for a loop when I saw this movie. Who knew one of the Hollywood's most handsome leading men and acting legends could project such evil, rage, and insanity all brilliantly
contained under the often unbreakable veneer of the Reverend Harry Powell. Harry is sharing a prison cell with Ben Harper (Peter Graves) who is sentenced to hang to death for his part in a robbery in which two men were killed. Just before his sentence is carried out, Ben talks in his sleep and reveals to Harry that he knows where the $10,000 is hidden and his only clue to Harry before he dies is a quote from the bible: "And a little child shall lead them."

The train that carries Harry to his destination is as black as Harry's heart - it swoops into the small idyllic town spewing black smoke that mars the peaceful landscape. On his way to seeking out Ben's family, he makes a pit-stop at a strip club and this is where we learn of Harry's hatred of women. He watches the sensuous moves of the dancer with a cold look of lust and hate through eyes that are hard and unfeeling - it's not difficult to tell that this man has no soul.

Harry easily deduces that Ben would have trusted his children, John and Pearl Harper (Billy Chapin and Sally Jane Bruce) with the whereabouts of the money, as a predator he instinctively figures that Willa Harper (Shelley Winters) is too gullible, so in order to get close to the
children he courts Willa and eventually marries her. But there's something about the innocence of a child who can often detect the presence of evil - Johnny's the only one that sees something wrong with a preacher who has "LOVE" and "HATE" tattooed on the knuckles of his hands. He doesn't take to Harry like everyone else and soon enough Harry reveals his true colors when he inquires of the hidden money. And eventually Willa catches on to the real reason too, which pretty much seals her fate. In one of the most haunting scenes of the movie, Willa's corpse is found at the bottom of a lake, throat cut, hair flowing in the currents, eyes staring sightlessly, her features frozen with fear and betrayal.



I remember watching this movie once, when I was a young girl and every time I heard Robert Mitchum call out:
"Chiiiiiiildren, Chiiiiiiiildren, I can hear you breathing!", it would literally chill me to the bone. Pearl reveals that the money is hidden in her doll after Harry threatens to harm John and thus begins the nightmare. You know the reoccurring one we've all had when you're constantly being chased and no matter how fast or how far you run, no matter how well you hide, your pursuer is always one step behind you? John and Pearl escape by boat on a magical river dotted with reflections of the stars, the only thing that's missing are the fairies that guide them to safety. Meanwhile Powell combs the countryside along the bank at a steady pace on his horse. His silhouette, dark and menacing against the setting sun, cornering his prey, waiting patiently for the kill.

Salvation and sanctuary comes when they stumble into
Rachel Cooper (Lillian Gish), a gun toting tough old broad, who takes in stray children. When Powell tracks John and Pearl down at Rachel's, she immediately sees through his false virtue and a stand-off occurs. Not any ordinary stand-off with guns and bullets but something more subtle. While Powell lays siege to the house in the wee hours of the morning, Rachel stands guard with her rifle. Powell begins singing hymns in his haunting yet beautiful voice, a warning call perhaps and Rachel answers by joining in - I saw it as a beautiful test of wills of two alpha animals ready to do battle. It's a remarkable scene.

This movie was the first and only film directed by actor Charles Laughton, it's a pity that he didn't direct more. It's based on the book of the same name by Davis Grubb. The film not only relies on the story to move the plot a long but the cinematography and beautiful camera direction plays an equal part as well. I imagine that if you turned down the volume and watched the movie you could easily figure out the story simply watching the scenes. It's filmed like a fairy tale with imaginary sets, and fable-like qualities that illustrates a moral lesson about the importance of preserving the innocence of children and yet it's a film noir as well, a very mesmerizing combination. It's clear that Mr. Laughton was heavily influenced by German Expressionism using odd camera angles, bizarre shadows, and surreal sets, especially so to reflect the vast differences between the evil Harry Powell and the goodness that is Rachel Cooper.


Night Of The Hunter was not a success when it was initially released and that might explain why Laughton never directed again but it's safe to say it was way ahead of its time and now nearly 60 years later it has gained a huge audience and much deserved praise, especially for Mitchum's performance.

If you haven't seen this one then all I can say is that you're missing out on cinematic genius and one of the great classics of our time.





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Comment by Matt Shea

June 10th 2010 00:47


20/20 Filmsight
Great review Deni. I've never seen this, but Mitchum is flippin' amazing - one of my favourites of his generation. As an actor he was ahead of his time, bringing a naturalism to the screen that often sticks out against the more stagey performances of the 50s and early 60s.

Comment by Deni

June 10th 2010 02:17


Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Matt - thanks for stopping by. I agree with you. Mitchum has always been high on my list of favorite actors of all time. He was a great actor who only cared about quality work and pretty much didn't let the studio system dictate to him how he should chart his career, which is why he was ahead of the game. This was the first time I've seen Night Of The Hunter since I was a kid and it is movie gold! You should definitely check it out the first chance you get.

JD - Many thanks After I saw the movie I did a search to see if there were any other reviews and I saw and read yours - good stuff! . I'll definitely take at look at your Favorite Mitchum Films.

These great movie classics come in handy, especially now that Hollywood is cranking out remakes and CGI garbage.

Comment by ShaunK

June 10th 2010 02:31


Screen Adventure
Hey Deni, great review of a great film.

My personal favourite Robert Mitchum film is Cape Fear (you can read my review for it here).
But it's really awesome stuff Night Of The Hunter and well ahead of it's time.

A gun toting tough old broad
- love it

Comment by Deni

June 10th 2010 02:41


Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Hey ShaunK, Thanks and I'll check out Cape Fear and your review. I only saw the Martin Scorsese version which I didn't much care for. It was good but I'm sure I'll get much more out of the original.

That Lillian Gish looked pretty convincing cocking that rifle!

Comment by David O'Connell

June 10th 2010 05:45


Screen Fanatic
Have to continue the love for this film Deni. The cinematography is nothing short of remarkable. That shot of Mitchum slowly approaching on the horizon as he inches towards that final showdown is one of my favourite in all of cinema, and there are plenty of other visual moments in the film that make for powerful expressionistic, starkest poetry.

Comment by Deni

June 10th 2010 06:42


Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
David, I couldn't agree with you more. There were so many that I wanted to list - but I prefer not to go into too much detail. Like you, I love to see the silhouette on the horizon...in my latest view of the film I noticed for the first time when Powell was informing the older couple in their ice-cream store that Willa had left him (after he killed her), the shadow from the words on the store window spells SPOOK on the wall, however the word in the store window is SPOONS. Little touches like that make it worth watching over again because you catch on to things you missed the first time around.

I just love how the shadows seem to have a life of their own, they jump out at you. Very creative. I refuse to watch the remake of this movie starring Richard Chamberlain - some movies just can't be redone.

Thanks for stopping by, David.

Comment by Catherine Stebbins

June 10th 2010 17:56


Cinema Enthusiast
Thoughts from a Cinephile
Thoughts from a TV Watcher
Great review! I love this movie but I have only seen it once and it has been a while. It is a shame that Laughton did not direct more. At least we have this...

Comment by Deni

June 11th 2010 06:18


Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Catherine, thanks for stopping by, it's definitely worth watching again.

Comment by James Rickard

June 11th 2010 23:33


unlucky_ fishermen.com
Angling Fish
Check this out...
Great review of a great movie. Yeah., Mitchum was something else in this movie. He was also pretty scary in Cape Fear!!! I'm a BIG Mitchum fan.

For the other side of Mitchum, check out the Sundowners, and enjoy some Aussieness!

Comment by Anonymous

June 13th 2010 01:30
Hello Deni
I saw this film only a couple of years ago and was surprised at how sophisticated it seemed, when compared to many 50s films. Robert Mitcham was truly creepy.

You mention that it wasn't well recieved. I wonder why. Maybe it just made people uncomfortable.

I remember thinking, when I saw it, that the sexual allusion was much more on the surface than I had seen in other movies from that era.

Teresa

PS: I am just passing by. I had a blog here, for a short time, and still get stats from Orble, which I usually just delete. Decided to take a look today. Maybe because it's Sunday.

Comment by Deni

June 13th 2010 10:36


Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Hi guys, thanks for stopping by.

Teresa, I have no idea why it wasn't well received specifically. But I think because it was ahead of it's time. Audiences back then weren't used to such dark themes and movies with the sexual allusion you mention.


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