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Räsynukke

Original title: The Night of the Hunter
  • 19551955
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
88K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,532
871
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Räsynukke (1955)
Watch {VideoTitle}
Play trailer1:35
3 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Film-Noir

A religious fanatic marries a gullible widow whose young children are reluctant to tell him where their real daddy hid the $10,000 he'd stolen in a robbery.A religious fanatic marries a gullible widow whose young children are reluctant to tell him where their real daddy hid the $10,000 he'd stolen in a robbery.A religious fanatic marries a gullible widow whose young children are reluctant to tell him where their real daddy hid the $10,000 he'd stolen in a robbery.

IMDb RATING
8.0/10
88K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,532
871
  • Director
    • Charles Laughton
  • Writers
    • Davis Grubb(from the novel by)
    • James Agee(screenplay by)
    • Charles Laughton(screenplay contributor)
  • Stars
    • Robert Mitchum
    • Shelley Winters
    • Lillian Gish
Top credits
  • Director
    • Charles Laughton
  • Writers
    • Davis Grubb(from the novel by)
    • James Agee(screenplay by)
    • Charles Laughton(screenplay contributor)
  • Stars
    • Robert Mitchum
    • Shelley Winters
    • Lillian Gish
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 490User reviews
    • 211Critic reviews
    • 99Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins

    Videos3

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:35
    Trailer
    The Night of the Hunter
    Trailer 1:41
    The Night of the Hunter
    The Night of the Hunter
    Trailer 1:40
    The Night of the Hunter

    Photos129

    Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters in Räsynukke (1955)
    Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters in Räsynukke (1955)
    Robert Mitchum, Sally Jane Bruce, and Billy Chapin in Räsynukke (1955)
    Robert Mitchum in Räsynukke (1955)
    Robert Mitchum in Räsynukke (1955)
    Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters in Räsynukke (1955)
    Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Sally Jane Bruce, and Billy Chapin in Räsynukke (1955)
    Robert Mitchum, Lillian Gish, and Gloria Castillo in Räsynukke (1955)
    Lillian Gish, Sally Jane Bruce, Cheryl Callaway, Gloria Castillo, Billy Chapin, and Mary Ellen Clemons in Räsynukke (1955)
    Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish in Räsynukke (1955)
    Robert Mitchum, Sally Jane Bruce, and Billy Chapin in Räsynukke (1955)
    Robert Mitchum Nigt Of The Hunter (1955)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Robert Mitchum
    Robert Mitchum
    • Harry Powellas Harry Powell
    Shelley Winters
    Shelley Winters
    • Willa Harperas Willa Harper
    Lillian Gish
    Lillian Gish
    • Rachel Cooperas Rachel Cooper
    James Gleason
    James Gleason
    • Uncle Birdie Steptoeas Uncle Birdie Steptoe
    Evelyn Varden
    Evelyn Varden
    • Icey Spoonas Icey Spoon
    Peter Graves
    Peter Graves
    • Ben Harperas Ben Harper
    Don Beddoe
    Don Beddoe
    • Walt Spoonas Walt Spoon
    Billy Chapin
    Billy Chapin
    • John Harperas John Harper
    Sally Jane Bruce
    Sally Jane Bruce
    • Pearl Harperas Pearl Harper
    Gloria Castillo
    Gloria Castillo
    • Rubyas Ruby
    • (as Gloria Castilo)
    Corey Allen
    Corey Allen
    • Young Man in Townas Young Man in Town
    • (uncredited)
    Oscar Blank
    • Townsmanas Townsman
    • (uncredited)
    Paul Bryar
    Paul Bryar
    • Bart the Hangmanas Bart the Hangman
    • (uncredited)
    Nora Bush
    • Townswomanas Townswoman
    • (uncredited)
    Cheryl Callaway
    • Maryas Mary
    • (uncredited)
    Alexander Campbell
    Alexander Campbell
    • Judgeas Judge
    • (uncredited)
    Michael Chapin
    Michael Chapin
    • Ruby's Boyfriendas Ruby's Boyfriend
    • (uncredited)
    Noble 'Kid' Chissell
    Noble 'Kid' Chissell
    • Townsmanas Townsman
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Charles Laughton
    • Writers
      • Davis Grubb(from the novel by)
      • James Agee(screenplay by)
      • Charles Laughton(screenplay contributor) (uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    It's the Great Depression. In the process of robbing a bank of $10,000, Ben Harper kills two people. Before he is captured, he is able to convince his adolescent son John and his daughter Pearl not to tell anyone, including their mother Willa, where he hid the money, namely in Pearl's favorite toy, a doll that she carries everywhere with her. Ben, who is captured, tried and convicted, is sentenced to death. But before he is executed, Ben is in the state penitentiary with a cell mate, a man by the name of Harry Powell, a self-professed man of the cloth, who is really a con man and murderer, swindling lonely women, primarily rich widows, of their money before he kills them. Harry does whatever he can, unsuccessfully, to find out the location of the $10,000 from Ben. After Ben's execution, Harry decides that Willa will be his next mark, figuring that someone in the family knows where the money is hidden. Despite vowing not to remarry, Willa ends up being easy prey for Harry's outward evangelicalism; she is a pious woman who feels she needs to atone for her sins which led to Ben doing what he did, especially as Harry presents himself as the preacher who worked at the prison and provided salvation to Ben before his death. Harry quickly figures out that John and Pearl know where the money is. Conversely, John doesn't trust Harry, John who first tries not to show to Harry that he indeed does know where the money is, and then second constantly reminds a more-trusting Pearl of their promise to their now-deceased father. With Willa devoted to her new husband, John and Pearl need some other adult assistance in evading Harry's veiled threats, an adult who not only can see the honesty and goodness in children but who can also see a true wolf in sheep's clothing like Harry. —Huggo
    • widow
    • preacher
    • spanking
    • money
    • doll
    • 370 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • The scenes...the story...The stars BUT ABOVE ALL - THE SUSPENSE!
    • Genres
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Film-Noir
      • Thriller
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The sequence with Powell riding a horse in the distance was actually a dwarf on a pony. It was filmed in false perspective.
    • Goofs
      A man who is sentenced to only thirty days for a misdemeanor would be sent to the county jail, and not the state penitentiary, and thus, would never be sharing a cell with a condemned man on death row.
    • Quotes

      Rev. Harry Powell: [when he notices John staring at the words "love" and "hate" tattooed across his knuckles] Ah, little lad, you're staring at my fingers. Would you like me to tell you the little story of right-hand/left-hand? The story of good and evil? H-A-T-E! It was with this left hand that old brother Cain struck the blow that laid his brother low. L-O-V-E! You see these fingers, dear hearts? These fingers has veins that run straight to the soul of man. The right hand, friends, the hand of love. Now watch, and I'll show you the story of life. Those fingers, dear hearts, is always a-warring and a-tugging, one agin t'other. Now watch 'em! Old brother left hand, left hand he's a fighting, and it looks like love's a goner. But wait a minute! Hot dog, love's a winning! Yessirree! It's love that's won, and old left hand hate is down for the count!

    • Connections
      Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: La monnaie de l'absolu (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Dream, Little One, Dream
      (uncredited)

      Traditional

      Arranged by Walter Schumann

      Sung by a chorus during the opening credits

      Reprised offscreen by an unidentified female when the chldren are on the run

    User reviews490

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Suffer the little children
    Charles Laughton had only one choice to pay the role of psycho-reverend- conman for his adaption of Night of the Hunter and it was Robert Mitchum. When he's on the screen Mitchum fills it with malevolence.

    It's an unusual part for Mitchum. Usually he's terse and laconic in films, but as Harry Powell he's just full of words. Of course he doesn't mean anything he says, but he's just a fountain of speech in Night of the Hunter. Mitchum as he did later on in Thunder Road drew from his hobohemian background of the open road to get his characterization of the Reverend Harry Powell.

    Powell who marries and murders women after robbing them blind has more than 25 to his credit in the backwoods of the Ohio river country in West Virginia and Kentucky during the Depression years. But he gets arrested for stealing a car and gets 30 days in jail. Mitchum gets thrown in the same cell as Peter Graves who robbed a bank and killed two people. Graves before he's caught gave the loot to his son Billy Chapin with a promise not even to tell their mother because she's not too swift. How right he's proved to be.

    After Graves is hung, Mitchum finishes his sentence with the intention of wooing and marrying widow Shelley Winters. She falls for his line as does her little girl Sally Jane Bruce. But young Billy spots Mitchum for a phony from the gitgo.

    The children are in for a lot of heartbreak and tragedy before the film concludes. One of the things I like best about Night is the Hunter is the way Laughton graphically demonstrates the life and poverty of rural America during the Depression. The film is all seen through the eyes of the children as they begin their Huck Finn like odyssey down the Ohio river, escaping from Mitchum.

    According to Lee Server's biography of Mitchum, Laughton while great with the adults had no patience at all with the kids. After a while he let Mitchum actually direct Chapin and Bruce in their scenes.

    Lillian Gish gives one of her great performances in the sound era of her career as the farm woman who eventually takes in the kids as she does for a few others. She's there to be a contrast to Mitchum. Her actions speak her faith a lot louder than Mitchum's phony ramblings.

    Another role I like in this is that of Evelyn Varden. She and husband Don Beddoe employ Shelley Winters at their drug store and she's all full of concern in a showy pharisee like way for the kids. She's totally taken with Mitchum, but when he's unmasked as a phony her rage is something to see on screen.

    Sad that Charles Laughton didn't do more behind the camera than this one film. He and Robert Mitchum formed a mutual admiration society that lasted until Laughton passed on inn 1962.

    Still Night of the Hunter is a testament to that mutual admiration.
    helpful•66
    34
    • bkoganbing
    • Sep 24, 2006

    FAQ11

    • Why do multiple characters such as Mr. Spoon and Bart refer their respective wives as "Mother" on multiple occasions?
    • What is 'The Night of the Hunter' about?
    • Is 'The Night of the Hunter' based on a book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 4, 1959 (Finland)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • MGM
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Trasdockan
    • Filming locations
      • Moundsville, West Virginia, USA
    • Production company
      • Paul Gregory Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $795,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,001
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 32 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White

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