Robert Mitchum's terrifying tour de force performance as the disturbed child-stalking religious fanatic in The Night of the Hunter is chillingly captivating, as is Charles Laughton's suspenseful cinematography in this harrowing dissection of good versus evil.
What is it they often say - beware of false profits? Well, that couldn't be more true for The Night of the Hunter's supposed practitioner of faith, rev Harry Powell.
Inspired by the words love and hate, tattoed in bold letters across his knuckles, Powell's strikingly eccentric appearance makes him an enigmatic newcomer to the community. But this unforgiving distinction between love and hate, virtue & sin, is merely a mask for his barbaric wickedness and unfiltered brutality.
Supposedly acting in service of the lord, Powell inflicts his formidably judgemental fanaticism upon those unfortunate enough to cross his path. All the while, the permanence of his tattoo forms an eerie metaphor for lifelong societal intolerance.
Sinisterly operating beneath that hardline fanaticism though is the twisted mind of a ruthless serial killer. A role played to bone-chilling degrees by Robert Mitchum, it's a chillingly captivating performance that delves into the mind of untempered radicalism in deeply disturbing ways.
Also worthy of merit in The Night of the Hunter is Shelly Winters, whose outstanding role as the lonesome widow and fearsome protector makes for a gripping showdown at the film's climax.
All in all, Night of the Hunter forms an essential watch for fans of classic horror movies. Especially if you enjoyed Martin Scorcese's suspenseful Cape Fear? Got the stomach for one more? Why not check out our horror movie review of David Cronenberg's MASTERFUL, The Fly.
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