The Night of the Hunter sees Robert Mitchum play a corrupt preacher in a well-done atmospheric thriller that gets increasingly confused as it draws to its overdue conclusion.
The first half is fantastic. It's shot brilliantly, the use of shadow and contrast very effective (although perhaps easy in a black and white film), and it is well acted for the most part. Mitchum plays his role brilliantly, and even the children play their parts well, but some of the older actors are guilty of over-eagerness and put in comically "hammy" performances. The score is guilty of being similarly over the top; as it announces Mitchum's entrance, there's no doubt that you really aren't supposed to like him. But it is unfair perhaps to criticize it for sticking to the styles of the times.
The second half is a different matter, as the children run away to escape the evil preacher's clutches. From this point onwards it turns into a form of social commentary ("Gee, look at the problems they had back then"), complete with seasonal workers and a sort of orphanarium. On top of the theologizing such a message is a bit unnecessary and only serves to slow down the film's pace and delay it's inevitable conclusion. It even turns into a TV Christmas movie of sorts before announcing its end, and such an off-key conclusion spoils the great work put in in the first half.
Overall, it's very good and is definitely worth watching, with some good performances and cinematography, but as it draws towards its slow end and Christmas scenes you'll be left wondering what might have been.
The first half is fantastic. It's shot brilliantly, the use of shadow and contrast very effective (although perhaps easy in a black and white film), and it is well acted for the most part. Mitchum plays his role brilliantly, and even the children play their parts well, but some of the older actors are guilty of over-eagerness and put in comically "hammy" performances. The score is guilty of being similarly over the top; as it announces Mitchum's entrance, there's no doubt that you really aren't supposed to like him. But it is unfair perhaps to criticize it for sticking to the styles of the times.
The second half is a different matter, as the children run away to escape the evil preacher's clutches. From this point onwards it turns into a form of social commentary ("Gee, look at the problems they had back then"), complete with seasonal workers and a sort of orphanarium. On top of the theologizing such a message is a bit unnecessary and only serves to slow down the film's pace and delay it's inevitable conclusion. It even turns into a TV Christmas movie of sorts before announcing its end, and such an off-key conclusion spoils the great work put in in the first half.
Overall, it's very good and is definitely worth watching, with some good performances and cinematography, but as it draws towards its slow end and Christmas scenes you'll be left wondering what might have been.