Summary by Alan Thomas of Movies Matter:

Sparse and tense, The Night of the Hunter is Laughton's only directing effort. Unfortunately a commercial and critical failure at the time of its release, it has since come tobe regard and a unique and great work of American cinema.

Laughton and art director Hilyard Brown chose to use a heavily expressionist design for the film, especially the remarkable second half, with stage-like sets and major events taking place in silhouette. This reinfornces the otherworldly qualities of the film as it grows beyond a simple horror story to a compelling fable of innocence, malice, and grace.

Balancing Robert Mitchum's chilling menace is a remarkable performance from Lillian Gish as a loving matron who personifies the kingdom of God in a dark and hostile world. The remarkable ending (as dramatic as the ending from Silence of the Lambs) puts this fire and ice together in an amazing contrast between true and false faith and the Christian life.

Additional resources for this entry:

• IMDB listing for this film.

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This page was last updated on Saturday, October 9, 2004 3:59 PM EST .