Horror cinema is one of the oldest genres in the industry, as films designed to terrify their audiences have emergedsince the German Expressionist era of the industry. As monster movies and science fiction stories grew increasingly popular worldwide, horror films were often associated with the depiction of surreal and supernatural creatures. While it’s notable that the genre grew its roots in science fiction and fantasy, there are also several great horror films that take place within a somewhat recognizable version of reality. In fact, horror films that seem plausible can be even scarier to audiences, as they may find it easier to place themselves in the same situation. With its allusions to a haunting true story,the classic noirThe Night of the Hunterwas a game-changing work of horror that went on to influence many of the industry’s greatest directors. And it takes inspiration from a real-life murderer.
The Night of the Hunter
A self-proclaimed preacher marries a gullible widow whose young children are reluctant to tell him where their real dad hid the $10,000 he’d stolen in a robbery.
What Is ‘The Night of the Hunter’ About?
The Night of the Hunteris based on the novel of the same name byDavid Grubb, which had been loosely inspired bya real murder case that haunted West Virginia in the 1930s. After being convicted of murdering two young widows and three children, the Dutch-born serial killer Harry Powers was hanged to death at the West Virginia Penitentiary. While the film adaptation from Hollywood superstarCharles Laughtontook a fair amount of dramatic license with his adaptation of the novel,The Night of the Hunterstood out from other horror films of its era because of its realistic depiction of evil.The notion that a mysterious stranger could come to torment and manipulate an entire community would becomethe basis of the gothic noir genrein subsequent decades.
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The Coen Brothers craft a scene straight out of a nightmare.
The film starsRobert Mitchum, who was cast against type as a charismatic traveling preacher named Harry Powell, based on Powers. Mitchum wasa favorite among many critics, andseeing a beloved actor who was associated with heroic characters playing such a ruthless antagonist madeThe Night of the Huntereven scarier.After being arrested for a drunk driving incident, Powell ends up sharing a confinement cell with the convicted serial killer Ben Harper (Peter Graves), who reveals he has stashed away a secret fortune for his family. Powell’s attempts to extract the location of the money are futile and Harper is hanged for his crimes. Following his release, Powell attempts to woo Harper’s widow, Willa (Shelley Winters), so that she will marry him and allow him to reap the benefits of her husband’s fortune. This provokes conflict with Harper’s two young children, John (Billy Chapin) and Pearl (Sally Jane Bruce), who begin to suspect that their potential stepfather has rather malicious intentions.
Unlike themany great horror films of the pre-code era,there are no overtly supernatural elements inThe Night of the Hunter. The central conflict regarding the collection of a cash deposit felt much more in line with the hard-boiled detective mysteries of the era; however, there was clearly a malevolence within Powell himself that indicated that he was no ordinary crime villain. While it remains one of the most haunting films ever made, there’s relatively little violence inThe Night of the Hunter, as many of the most gruesome moments are merely implied. However, the unflinching relentlessness of Powell’s mission made it just as scary as any monstrous creature could be; his ability to slip into normal society suggested that evil could be lurking in the most unlikely of places.
‘The Night of the Hunter’ Changed Noir Horror Forever
Finding the right perspective is critical to making a film scary, andThe Night of the Hunterbrilliantly chooses to tell its storyfrom the perspective of the two children.Powell emerges from an enigmatic background and has a powerful ability to trick people into helping him. In the eyes of John and Pearl, he feels like a nightmarish vision comes to life. Initially, the children’s resistance to this strange new preacher is understandable, as he has come to replace the role that their father once occupied. However, it becomes steadily clear to the audience that there’s nothing active about their imagination; the audience is forced to feel the same frustration that the children do when their community does not believe them.
It’s unfortunate that this is the only feature that Laughton ever directedbecause he employed a unique visual style that madeThe Night of the Hunterboth haunting and beautiful.Much of the film analyzes how susceptible seemingly idealized rural American communities are to corrupting influences; although Powell’s intentions are clear to the viewer, he is successful in convincing the townsfolk to accept him into their community. This puts even more pressure on John and Pearl, as they begin to realize that Powell has put a sort of “spell” over those who believe him simply because he is a preacher. Thesubtle satire of religious fundamentalismhelps Laughton elevateThe Night of the Hunterover other noir crime stories.
‘The Night of the Hunter’ Inspired Many Great Filmmakers
While it is now regardedas one of the greatest horror films ofall time,The Night of the Hunterwas considered a disappointment upon its initial release.Essentially marketed as a “B” movie andeven banned in Memphis, Tennesseefor its depiction of religion,The Night of the Hunterfailed to impress early critics because of how radically it turned the genre on its head. However, the film’s home video release made it ripe for rediscovery, allowing it to become a cult classic in the years following its debut.
The Night of the Hunterhas influencedmany of the industry’s greatest directors. Guillermo del Toropraisedhow the film embodied a “spirit of dread”that merged surrealist imagery with stark landscapes, andSpike Leereferenced the filmin his own classic,Do the Right Thing. Crime movie masters likeJoel and Ethan Coen, Martin Scorsese,andTerrence Malickhave also acknowledged the film’s lasting influenceon their works within the genre.
