Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

The Coen Brothers love the same movies I do, and this is no exception. Check out their new Suburbicon: a little boy's horrific discovery of how dangerous grown-ups can be -- even the ones who are supposed to love and protect their little ones. Bereft of one parent -- the father in Night of the Hunter, the mother in Suburbicon -- the child experiences one betrayal after another from the remaining parent. There's a matching scene from both films in which a light is turned on unexpectedly, revealing the victim to his enemy. Watch for it. Also, neighbors smug in their vicious ignorance: a dark fairy tale for our political times.

First and foremost, The Night of the Hunter contains the extremely famous "love and hate" clip that you've probably seen in a montage or reenacted in another movie. Robert Mitchum, normally remembered for his blasé, laid-back performances, gives a fantastically energetic performance-one that was famously snubbed by the Academy in the 1955 Oscar nominations. In 1955, countless heartbreaking performances were beaten out by Ernest Borgnine in Marty, including Robert Mitchum's two finest hours: The Night of the Hunter and Not as a Stranger. In this classic thriller, Peter Graves starts the movie by leaving a lasting impression with his two young children, Billy Chapin and Sally Jane Bruce. He's robbed a bank and killed two people, but before he's arrested, he hides the stolen money in Sally's cloth doll. Robert Mitchum meets Peter in jail and learns about the stolen money. Then, Preacher Mitchum charms his way into Peter's family, hoping to find the hidden money. His pious religious front fools everyone, including Peter's widow Shelley Winters, but there's a very dark side hidden underneath. . .I could write pages about Bob's incredible performance, but instead I'll just wholeheartedly recommend you watch the movie for yourself. He's strong yet desperate, gentle yet frightening, seductive yet cold, and one of the most memorable villains in classic history. Shelley Winters is very convincing as the weak, meek widow, and evokes an enormous amount of sympathy from the audience. Billy Chapin is very engaging, and no doubt would have been cast as Jem in To Kill a Mockingbird if he were the right age. Lillian Gish rounds out the cast, playing a tough, protective, intelligent hero. It's great fun to watch her armed with a shotgun battling against the burly Bob!Not everyone is Clint Eastwood, and back in the day, it was pretty unusual for actors to cross over and direct a feature. Charles Laughton directed this noir classic and shows remarkable talent behind the camera. He doesn't just point and shoot; he's sensitive and highlights nuances, he draws remarkable performances from his actors, and is deliberate in his movements. There's so much to appreciate about The Night of the Hunter, and I suggest you rent it-I own a copy-and watch it on a dark, spooky evening.

The Night of the Hunter was a movie that kept me either on the edge of my seat or squeamish almost the whole time. Robert Mitchum brings a fantastic performance as the sly yet eccentric antagonist. Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish, and the two children also do a great job. Sometimes the artistry or cinematography can distract from the story or the actors in a movie but it in the case of Night of the Hunter it balances all these well. I like movies that can hold me in suspense while also bringing up deeper questions. The theme of religion's role in American life and its potential to do great harm comes through without feeling preachy or going too far to make a point. It is also impressive that it remains scary 60 years later. I would recommend this to anyone who likes suspenseful movies and would put this on par with Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.

The tension starts from the beginning, as the audience keep wondering if John can keep the money from Powell. The suspense increases when Powell kills Willa. The audience just hope that John and Pearl can escape from Powell. The climax comes when Powell arrives at Cooper's house. The atmosphere reaches a gut-wrenching degree. The movie also succeeds in character development, especially the kids. John is the bravest kid I've ever seen, and Pearl is one of the cutest children in the history of cinema.