Directed by the great actor Charles Laughton, The Night of the Hunter (1955) did not fare well with audiences upon it's release, but has since proven to be hugely influential... with directors David Lynch, Martin Scorsese, Jim Jarmusch and the Coen Brothers all citing it as a favorite source. Referencing the German Expressionist films of the 1920's, Charles Laughton created an eery, dramatic feel that is terrifyingly palpable. Robert Mitchum is iconic as the serial killing preacher with "Love" and "Hate" tattooed across his fingers. An older Lillian Gish, in a mothering role, almost recalls her maternal part in the silent film Intolerance (1916) 40 years earlier. The Night of the Hunter is simply amazing and not to be missed.
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| The Night of the Hunter. 1955: Robert Mitchum |
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| The Night of the Hunter. 1955: Robert Mitchum |
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| The Night of the Hunter. 1955: Robert Mitchum |
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| The Night of the Hunter. 1955: Shelley Winters |
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| The Night of the Hunter. 1955: Robert Mitchum |
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| The Night of the Hunter. 1955: Robert Mitchum |
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| The Night of the Hunter. 1955: Lillian Gish |
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| The Night of the Hunter. 1955: Robert Mitchum |
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| The Night of the Hunter. 1955: Robert Mitchum |
