The Night of the Hunter (1955)

Director: Charles Laughton
Stars: Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish
Runtime: 92 minutes

Synopsis: A preacher is determined to find the $10,000 a former cellmate once stole and hid. 

Performances: 9/10
Screenplay: 8/10
Special Effects: N.A.
Costumes/Makeup: 7/10
Editing: 6/10
Cinematography: 10/10
Score/Soundtrack: 9/10 

Verdict: Charles Laughton's only film was quite an impressive one. It's thrilling from start to finish, and features one of the greatest villains in cinema history, played by the excellent and menacing Robert Mitchum. While the story told is enough reason to watch this classic, it will also satisfy people looking for an aesthetically pleasing film. Stanley Cortez's cinematography is an absolute joy to watch, as every single scene felt meticulously studied and shot. My only issues with the movie are the editing which sometimes seemed a bit sudden, but that's certainly due to the year of release of the film and the lack of technology available at the time. Another thing that bugged me just a bit was some character decisions that felt out of characters and only included to better serve the plot. "The Night of the Hunter", when it first came out, was poorly received by critics and audiences alike, which is part of the reason Laughton never sat in the director's chair again, and that's a real shame.   

Final Grade: 8/10