Directed by Charles Laughton
Written by James Agee, Based on the book The Night of the Hunter by Davis Grubb
Cast: Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish

B&W, 93 Min
USA 1955

iMDB | AllMovie | Wikipedia

Taken from the romance of the same name based on the true story of the Harry Powel, a preacher who killed 25 women upon marrying them, this avant thriller was way ahead of its time, even today. The only directing effort from the actor Charles Laughton, this is a phenomenal exercise in style and narrative, one true classic that inspired many and is as frightening today and breathtaking as it was 60 years ago.

There is nothing like this in the classic hollywood period, a bold and precise cinematography that is a direct result of the noir period that uses German Expressionism as a reference to build truly breathtaking angles, lightning and scenery, built upon the dark and profoundly astounding character of Harry Powell played by Robert Mitchum. Stanley Cortez is the man behind the cinematic power and every scene, every plan is simply perfect. It is, nonetheless, a classic period movie, filled with the yin and yang of the dramatic narrative of the 40s and 50s, good vs evil, god vs satan, and these parts are balanced by a smart script that builds the tension maniacally then slows the pace to absorb the darkness only to carefully open the doors of mayhem to breathe joy in the last scenes.

If not only for the script, for the characters then, beautifully photographed, from the psychopath priest whose right knuckles are tattooed LOVE and the left ones HATE, to the children that play their parts so convincingly you’d think you’re watching a documentary. The setting is the depression era 30s, in a small town by the river, and this atmosphere is built using not only strong characters but also angled by the precise and beautiful cinematography.

The story is relatively simple but told in a careful fold, a husband returns home with a gun in his hand and ten thousand dollars in his pocket, after robbing a bank and killing two men. The cops are coming for him and he has only time to say goodbye to his children and give them the bounty, making them swear they never reveal where it is hidden, not even to their naive mom. Sentenced to death by hanging, he spends his final days in a cell with Powells, who was committed to 30 days of jail for stealing a car. What a joyful coincidence, the psychopath thinks, just what he needed: a widow with 10 grant in her will. Of course that he tracks her and marries the poor soul and tries to makes his way into the children, after perceiving that they are the ones who know where the treasure is hidden while managing to capture the charms of the local folks who believe in his word of God.

He eventually kills his new wife, making it an accident, and the children have to escape using a boat that belonged to their father. The river seems haunted, as their fate, the light is superb and this middle segment of the story is one of the most memorable scenes of the entire post-war hollywood cinema.

What’s most intriguing about this early thriller is that it has no direct consequence on the cinema of its era; even noir wasn’t this troubled and grim, and we’re talking of a segment of north american history where the restrictions imposed by the Code were strict. More, this movie was almost forgot by the time it was released, only to find its way as a cult status many years after. This is an absolute classic, have no doubt, its narrative as tight as never before, the pacing and plot structured to serve the absolute purpose of the story and atmosphere, something that European cinema explored many years before, and the cinematography takes the German Expressionism and even a glimpse of realism, a trend that was becoming true in Italy and that gave way to the new waves of the 60s. Remarkable, scary, tense and just plain beautiful, The Night of the Hunter is a hell of a movie, one that not only every cinema enthusiast should see but every human being that loves a good story told in a perfect, flawless form.

Heartbreak Score:

(absolute classic)

Where to get it:

Amazon uk: The Night Of The Hunter [DVD] [1955]

Unfortunately it’s just the regular movie-only edition, no documentary or anything, but if you’re in Europe and can’t wait for the new Criterion Collection edition, this is it. Let’s wait for Criterion to release a proper version. Meanwhile, this is the only and therefore best edition you can get.

Update: Criterion will release a proper DVD Edition of this superb film this November. Read it all here.

There was a documentary made from leftovers of the movie that were found, read more at the wikipedia entry for the film.

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Directed by Nicholas Ray
Written by Charles Schnee, based on the book “Thieves Like Us”, Edward Anderson
Cast: Cathy O’Donnell, Farley Granger, Howard da Silva, Jay C. Flippen

Runtime: 95min
USA, 1949

iMDB | AllMovie | Wikipedia

The first feature from one of the romantics of the classic American Cinema, Nicholas Ray, is a human crime drama noir driven by strong leads and classic heartfelt dialogue, delivered in a tight narrative and superb low-light cinematography. A dramatic film noir example that is an absolute classic.

Three convicts escape prison and refugee on a friendly cabin, planning their next assault. Bowie, the youngest of the three (and the soft hearted one), never knew much of love but soon understands it when he meets Keechie, the niece of one of the convicts. Like him, she never knew much about love or kissing, having lived all of her life in an isolated village. The three convicts conduct one more robbery and our Bowie is radiant with his share of the loot; he believes that he can hire an attorney to help him free his conviction. The couple then flees to an isolated region, hoping that they can find piece in love, but the past and the most certain future for Bowie shapes their fatal destiny.

Much more than the typical ‘romance in the dark’ or ‘lovers in sin’ kind of film, They Live by Night is very cautious on the approach to the subject, never failing to give up atmosphere in favor of a pastiche drama. It is tight, and it’s dialogue is incredibly smart. The two lead performances are true classic hollywood – at their best, and the director carefully crafts the scenes in the most human way possible. When the couple is having an argument, for instances, the out-of-focus is used to give importance to the other partner’s reaction, or the character’s intense gloom, never putting any star in relevance. This is also fantastic in the robbery scene, all shot inside the car where our Bowie awaits the return of the two mates. This quick segment is augmented with a tension that elevates the plot to a different, deeper level.

Even in the earliest scenes, when the main characters are introduced, every piece of the action is so carefully rehearsed that makes this film carved in stone, a true classic. Not without its gloomy noir athmosphere, this is no artificial drama. There is real darkness here, the low-light and the despair in the characters eyes, in a poetic sense but also a poetry that is never too overrated, the story itself with its inevitable feeling of a bad ending hanging in every corner, the claustrophobic environments that give us the best feeling of a couple-on-the-run.

And the night. Bowie and Keechie always travel by night to avoid unwanted attention. The darkness is also part of the lover’s relation. But this is no light-paced narrative, not at all. There are twists and turns, there is always something pushing the story forward, much like a good book.

Uncompromisingly, this is an absolute must for every classic hollywood lover or for all the film noir freaks out there, and it will absolutely stay with you long after you watch it.

Heartbreak Score:

Where to Get it:

My DVD edition is a Portugese one, and it features another Nicholas Ray feature: On Dangerous Ground. There is no official European release, except for the Spanish one, neither a single-packaged edition of the film. There is this version that also features another classic, Side Street, from Anthony Mann. Both are great, and feature the same lead characters. Another chance to see the beautiful Cathy O’Donnell.

You can always go back to the Heartbreak Souvenirs Store for all the good stuff.

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