The Night of the Hunter Page #2

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).
Production: United Artists
  2 wins.
 
IMDB:
8.0
Metacritic:
99
Rotten Tomatoes:
98%
NOT RATED
Year:
1955
92 min
Website
1,862 Views


INT. A BURLESQUE HOUSE -- MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT -- A DANCER

She is hard at work, to music o.s.

FULL SHOT -- AUDIENCE -- CENTERING ON PREACHER, IN AISLE

SEAT:

Among the members of the sad burlesque audience, he is in

strong contrast:
a sour and aggressive expression. Music

o.s. We MOVE IN fast to a HEAD CLOSE-UP.

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT -- THE DANCER INSERT -- PREACHER'S LEFT

HAND:

Labeled H-A-T-E in tattoo across four knuckles, it grips and

flexes.

INSERT -- HIS RIGHT HAND

Before we see the lettering he slides it into his pocket.

EXTREME CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER

His head slants; a cold smile; one eyelid flutters.

INSERT -- RIGHT HAND AND POCKET

We hear the snapping open of a switch-blade knife and the

point of the knife cuts through his clothes.

LESS EXTREME CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER

He seems to "listen" for something.

PREACHER:

No, there are too many of them; you

can't kill a world.

A hand descends firmly onto his shoulder. He glances up behind

him as we

TILT TO:

CLOSE SHOT -- A STATE TROOPER

He bends down and speaks quietly next PREACHER'S ear.

TROOPER:

You driving an Essex tourin'-car

with a Moundsville license?

LAP DISSOLVE TO:

INT. COURTROOM -- CLOSE THREE-SHOT -- JUDGE AND CLERK, OVER

PREACHER:

JUDGE:

Harry Powell, for the theft of that

touring car you will spend thirty

days in the Moundsville Penitentiary.

PREACHER:

(correcting Clerk)

Preacher Harry Powell.

JUDGE:

A car thief! Picked up where you

were! A man of God?

(to Clerk)

Harry Powell.

LAP DISSOLVE TO:

FULL SHOT -- MOUNDSVILLE PENITENTIARY -- DAY (HELICOPTER)

Rate this script:4.0 / 1 vote

James Agee

James Rufus Agee (November 27, 1909 – May 16, 1955) was an American novelist, journalist, poet, screenwriter and film critic. In the 1940s, he was one of the most influential film critics in the U.S. His autobiographical novel, A Death in the Family (1957), won the author a posthumous 1958 Pulitzer Prize. more…

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Submitted by shilobe on March 28, 2017

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