The Night of the Hunter (1955)

The Night of the Hunter (1955)

Director: Charles Laughton Writers: Davis Grubb (from the novel by) James Agee (screen play) At their initial meeting, Lillian Gish asked Charles Laughton why he wanted her for the part; he replied, "When I first went to the movies, they sat in their seats straight and leaned forward. Now they slump down, with their heads back, and eat candy and popcorn. I want them to sit up straight again." Lillian Gish feared that Charles Laughton and Robert Mitchum might be undercutting Powell's evil. Laughton explained to her, half joking, that he didn't want to ruin Mitchum's future career by pushing him to play total evil, although the touches of humor in the character actually serve to play up the preacher's essentially ludicrous and haywire psychology. And Mitchum's borderline buffoonery makes the children's escape and eventual triumph over him more plausible. Robert Mitchum Robert Mitchum ... Harry Powell Shelley Winters Shelley Winters ... Willa Harper Lillian Gish Lillian Gish ... Rachel Cooper James Gleason James Gleason ... Birdie Steptoe Evelyn Varden Evelyn Varden ... Icey Spoon Peter Graves Peter Graves ... Ben Harper Don Beddoe Don Beddoe ... Walt Spoon Billy Chapin Billy Chapin ... John Harper Sally Jane Bruce Sally Jane Bruce ... Pearl Harper Gloria Castillo Gloria Castillo ... Ruby (as Gloria Castilo)

























































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