The Night of the Hunter

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).

Genre: Crime, Drama, Film-Noir

Actors: Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish, James Gleason

Production: United Artists

2 wins.


IMDB:: 8.0
Metacritic:: 99
Rotten Tomatoes:: 98%

Collection Edit Watch PDF Buy

: NOT RATED
Year:: 1955
: 92 min
: Website
: 585 Views

FULL SHOT -- THE STARLIT SKY
VOICE:
And He opened His mouth and taught
them, saying...
FADE sky to day.
LAP DISSOLVE TO:
LONG SHOT -- HELICOPTER -- OHIO RIVER COUNTRY
High over the country, CENTERING the winding river.
VOICE:
Beware of false prophets...
LOWER LONG SHOT -- HELICOPTER -- RIVER COUNTRY
We approach a riverside village.
VOICE:
...which come to you in sheep's
clothing...
A CLOSER, LOWER HELICOPTER SHOT
We descend low over a deserted house; CHILDREN in yard run
and hide; we hear "IT" counting "five, ten, fifteen,
twenty..."
VOICE:
...but inwardly they are ravening
wolves.
MEDIUM SHOT -- "IT"
He finishes his count with a loud "Hundred" and turns, then:
"IT"
What's wrong?
We PAN as he comes towards a little boy, beside an open cellar
door, who gestures towards the open door. "IT" looks down.
"IT"
(a low gasp)
Heyy!
(then he shouts to
all and to us)
Heyy!
We DOLLY IN fast to, and TILT DOWN into open cellar, into:
CLOSE SHOT -- A LEG
A skeletal leg in a rotted fume of stocking and a high-heeled
shoe. We HOLD a moment, then PULL UP and AWAY over the
converging heads of several CHILDREN. A CHILD whimpers softly.
HELICOPTER SHOT:
The yard and the CHILDREN, same angle and height as the last
descending helicopter shot. We PULL BACK and AWAY.
VOICE:
Ye shall know them by their fruits.
DISSOLVE TO:
HIGH LONG SHOT -- HELICOPTER
CENTERING the river.
VOICE:
A good tree cannot bring forth evil
fruit...
LOWER LONG SHOT (HELICOPTER)
CENTERING on open touring car, as it drives along a river
road.
VOICE:
Neither can a corrupt tree bring
forth good fruit.
We STOOP LOW towards the car.
VOICE:
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall
know them.
CUT TO:
CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER
He is the driver of the car. Pleasant river landscapes
(PROCESS) flow behind him. He is dressed in dark clothes, a
paper collar, a string tie. As he drives he talks to himself.
PREACHER:
What's it to be, Lord, another widow?
Has it been six? Twelve?... I
disremember.
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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