"The Night of the Hunter"

Film Review # 118144

Film > Analysis, Criticism, Etc.

A review of the characters in the film "The Night of the Hunter", directed by Charles Laughton.

1,140 words () | 2 sources | MLA | 2009 United States

Paper Summary:

The paper relates that the film "The Night of the Hunter" is a good example of film noir and, although the film was not understood in its time, it is a chilling tale of good versus evil. The paper describes how the character of Powell is essentially evil but masquerades as a good man, the children in the movie are representative of everything that is good and the character of Rachel is Saint-like and God-fearing.

From the Paper:

"The Night of the Hunter, a film made in 1955, starring Robert Mitchum and directed by Charles Laughton, is a good example of film noir and, although the film was not understood in its time, it is a chilling tale of good versus evil. The film opens with Rachel - whom we meet later in the film - telling the children a tale of how good overcame evil. The children are around her listening to the tale, which could be better described as a nightmare, but Rachel, from the beginning, represents a goodness that makes one believe there is safety somewhere in her story."

Sample of Sources Used:

Atwood, Margaret. "Why I Love the Night of the Hunter". The Guardian. March 19, 1999, P. 12.
Dirks, Tim. The Night of the Hunter. Retrieved from the Web site: http://www.filmsite.org/nightof.html on October 25, 2006.