The Night of the Hunter

The Night of the Hunter

1955. USA. Directed by Charles Laughton. With Robert Mitchum, Lillian Gish, Shelley Winters, James Gleason. In his lone directorial effort, the great actor Laughton (in some sense the Emil Jannings of his day) was heavily influenced by his study of earlier films—including many he watched at MoMA. There is a genuine “Weimarian” sense of menace and foreboding in the atmosphere Laughton creates. The film is a throwback to the period in cinema history when language was not required, when imagery told you all you needed to know. 93 min.