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The Night of the Hunter (1955)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
24 November 1955 (Argentina)
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Tagline:
The wedding night, the anticipation, the kiss, the knife, BUT ABOVE ALL... THE SUSPENSE! more
Plot:
A religious fanatic marries a gullible widow whose young children are reluctant to tell him where their real daddy hid $10,000 he'd stolen in a robbery. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
1 win
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NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
The Stepfather (1987)
(From SoundOnSight. 22 October 2009, 8:17 PM, PDT)
Shelley Winters: 1920-2006
(From IMDb News. 14 January 2006)
(From SoundOnSight. 22 October 2009, 8:17 PM, PDT)
Shelley Winters: 1920-2006
(From IMDb News. 14 January 2006)
User Comments:
A must-see for lovers of art cinema and suspense. Exquisite!
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Cast
(Complete credited cast)| Robert Mitchum | ... | Harry Powell | |
| Shelley Winters | ... | Willa Harper | |
| Lillian Gish | ... | Rachel Cooper | |
| James Gleason | ... | Birdie Steptoe | |
| Evelyn Varden | ... | Icey Spoon | |
| Peter Graves | ... | Ben Harper | |
| Don Beddoe | ... | Walt Spoon | |
| Billy Chapin | ... | John Harper | |
| Sally Jane Bruce | ... | Pearl Harper | |
| Gloria Castillo | ... | Ruby (as Gloria Castilo) |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
92 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
Finland:K-16 (1959) (cut) |
South Korea:15 (2003) |
Brazil:14 |
Argentina:13 |
Australia:M |
Canada:14A (video rating) |
Finland:(Banned) (1955) |
Norway:16 |
Portugal:M/12 |
Sweden:15 |
UK:12 |
USA:Approved (certificate #17385) |
West Germany:12 |
UK:X (original rating)
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Robert Mitchum once stated that Charles Laughton was the best director he had ever worked for, ironic in that Laughton never directed another movie after The Night of the Hunter (1955) with Mitchum.
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Goofs:
Continuity: On the honeymoon night, when Willa approaches to the bed, Harry stands up and lights the lamp above in front of him. Between shots the lamp changes position.
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Quotes:
Ben Harper:
I got tired of seein' children roamin' the woodlands without food, children roamin' the highways in this here Depression, children sleepin' in old abandoned car bodies in junk heaps. And I promised myself that I'd never see the day when my young-uns had want.
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Movie Connections:
Featured in The 100 Greatest Scary Moments (2003) (TV)
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Soundtrack:
Dream, Little One, Dream
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FAQ
How did Harry get out of prison?Is this a true story?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
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One of the best suspense films ever made. Exquisite art direction: moody, scary, sometimes lyrically beautiful. Yet there are comical and even idyllic moments. Mitchum is EXCELLENT, especially in the cellar scene. Subtle, different; not just the same old ax-after-ax tear-'em-up blood-and-gore formula, but REAL suspense built from the personalities of the characters and the artful editing, music, art direction, and Charles Laughton's directing. Yet warm and lovely in parts. The cast's characterizations are excellent, even in minor roles, such as the "typical townspeople". You'll remember this one for a long time. Maybe not for kids under 12, as the frightening parts are too much like real life (compared to run-of-the-mill horrendous movies) and might leave unsettling memories.