THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955) – Review by Amarie Nguyen, High School Mentorship Program

Posted by awfj-admin on Nov 3, 2025 | 0 comments

A movie turning 70 is still subject to criticism. 1955’s The Night of the Hunter, falls short of the rose colored glasses of noir nostalgia. A flop upon release, it became later revered as a masterpiece of the period and an undeniable part of “real” cinema.

John (Billy Chapin), a young boy, is sworn to secrecy by his recently deceased father to protect his younger sister, Pearl (Sally Jane Bruce), and never let anyone find the missing money he stole. Yet, when “Preacher” Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) catches wind that they know where the cash is, he sets out to seduce their mother, Willa Harper (Shelley Winters). When their mother disappears, the two kids try to save themselves from Powell. While playing a man of God, the children know Powell is a devil in disguise hunting them.

The pacing of the film is the root of most of its issues. The first half is so drawn out that it leaves a modern audience feeling like watching is a chore. A history of glowing reviews initially excites the viewer and eggs them on to keep going. Robert Mitchum’s portrayal of the character is so unnerving that it makes the audience squirm in their seats. But in the case of Mitchum’s performance, less would have been more. Letting his unnerving kindness speak for itself against this stark cruelty with the children would’ve been more impactful. After the first half of the movie, it feels like Powell spends unnecessary time with other characters. The narrative could have used those moments to connect the audience to John and Pearl.

The last 20 minutes do all of the heavy lifting story-wise — it’s so quick from the kid’s introduction to Icey Spoon (Evelyn Varden), who takes them in after being on the run, to their happy ending. It gives you whiplash, which is especially disappointing as she’s the most interesting character who interacts with our antagonist.

Despite being the ones followed, John and Pearl make for the least engaging characters. Pearl’s character suffers a frustrating lack of drive. After a dinner scene in which Powell makes her cry while interrogating John, it only seems natural that she would change in some way to acknowledge how this affects her. Instead, we see her run into Powell’s arms the second she sees him again at the steps of Spoon’s house.

Yet of all the critiques to make, one could not be the many discussions it leaves to be had. Anyone who loves this era of film can watch this and appreciate the stylizations of Charles Laughton. The film itself is undeniably stunning. Its visuals feel like paragraph-long descriptions that are taken straight out of the pages of a Southern Gothic. These second long shots make this entire movie. A completely black and white shot of Powell on his horse, trotting through the landscape while he sings, is one of The Night of the Hunter’s most striking moments. The use of music combined with the film’s understated soundscape creates a creepy and alarming atmosphere, sure to induce chills.

If you want a tale about the dangers of the person next door, choose Psycho (1960), or a film that explores how something born out of greed brings everything else down with it, choose The Bad Sleep Well (1960) and A Raisin in the Sun (1961). Carrie (1976) and The Long Hair of Death (1964) are notable films that are haunting stories about fixations of faith. With today’s wide selection of things to consume, every moment in which this film almost makes a point, there’s a handful of others that bring home that idea better. The Night of the Hunter is simply lackluster on its own in modern times, but its biggest fault is its own revered reputation.