The Night of the Hunter

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The Night of the Hunter

Released Sep 29, 1955

1h 32m

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

93%

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87 Reviews

90%

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10,000+ Ratings

The Rev. Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) is a religious fanatic and serial killer who targets women who use their sexuality to attract men. Serving time in prison for car theft, he meets condemned murderer Ben Harper (Peter Graves), who confesses to hiding $10,000 in stolen loot. Released from jail, Powell is obsessed with finding the money, and he tracks down Harper's widow, Willa (Shelley Winters), and her two children, John (Billy Chapin) and Pearl (Sally Jane Bruce).

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Critics Consensus

Featuring Robert Mitchum's formidable performance as a child-hunting preacher, The Night of the Hunter is a disturbing look at good and evil.

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Gavin Lambert

Sight & Sound

The Night of the Hunter doesn't altogether, as they say, "come off," but it is a film of extremely individual flavour, and its daring, its indifference to convention, make it uniquely surprising for a Hollywood production today.

Oct 2, 2020

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Times (UK) Staff

The Times (UK)

Mr. Charles Laughton directs, and, since Mr. Laughton is a highly intelligent man, nothing that he does is without interest. The Night of the Hunter is indeed none the less interesting for being a failure.

Oct 2, 2020

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Philip K. Scheuer

Los Angeles Times

It is doubtful that you will ever hear the old hymn, 'Learning,' again without recalling the gaunt, flapping figure of Preacher Powell as he lams it out in the dark night -- to the terror of the listening youngsters

Jun 28, 2019

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Sarah Boslaugh

TheArtsStl

The Night of the Hunter wouldn’t work without the Expressionist-tinged cinematography of Stanley Cortez, who creates just the right degree of visual unreality to combine the fable-like story with the realistic surroundings in which it takes place.

Rated: 9/10

Jun 1, 2025

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Lisa Laman

Culturess

This astonishing masterpiece really has no shortage of impressive details.

Feb 5, 2025

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

In one of his greatest roles, Mitchum makes as indelible an impression...

Jan 2, 2024

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EDDIE P

Great flick Mitchum fantastic as the preacher/villain Pretty scary stuff for it's time

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/12/25

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Audience Member

Charles Laughton in his acting and here behind the camera, was just smarter and better than most Hollywood audiences. You saw it in Mutiny on the bounty and you see it here. This is an American Gothic classic and I’m glad people are starting to realize just how special it is. It should be on every top 100 list that’s ever been written.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/06/25

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Stephen C

Success in 1 hour and 32 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/04/25

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João Gabriel R

história: 8 atuação: 8 fotografia:9 som: 8 final: 7,5 média: 8,1

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/22/25

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Audience Member

I think Night of The Hunter was Charles Laughton's comment on the American South just as a lot of films at this time. The acting is exaggerated at several times, as though he is making a point. Evil has a menacing demeanor, but the plain country folks can't tell and the women are particularly fond of any 'preacher man'. When it is decided, after much evidence in the story, that he is a widow killer and child hunter, the whole countryside want revenge. Is it for being so evil, or for fooling the whole county?

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/04/25

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Daniel M

Robert Mitchum was a menacing screen presence.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/01/25

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Charles Laughton

Director

Robert Mitchum

Rev. Harry Powell

Shelley Winters

Willa Harper

Lillian Gish

Rachel Cooper

Evelyn Varden

Icey Spoon

Peter Graves

Ben Harper

The Night of the Hunter: Official Clip - He Ain't My Dad

2:40

The Night of the Hunter: Official Clip - The Devil Wins Sometimes

3:12

The Night of the Hunter: Official Clip - Love and Hate

2:10

The Night of the Hunter: Official Clip - Harry Speaks to the Lord

2:04

The Night of the Hunter: Official Clip - They Abide and They Endure

1:28

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Synopsis

The Rev. Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) is a religious fanatic and serial killer who targets women who use their sexuality to attract men. Serving time in prison for car theft, he meets condemned murderer Ben Harper (Peter Graves), who confesses to hiding $10,000 in stolen loot. Released from jail, Powell is obsessed with finding the money, and he tracks down Harper's widow, Willa (Shelley Winters), and her two children, John (Billy Chapin) and Pearl (Sally Jane Bruce).

Director: Charles Laughton
Producer: Paul Gregory
Screenwriter: James Agee, Charles Laughton
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: United Artists, Paul Gregory Productions
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 29, 1955, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 16, 2011
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

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