Night of the Hunter

Charles Laughton, 1955
Black and white, certificate 12, 93 mins

Saturday 19 April, 2.30pm
Sainsbury Wing Theatre

Robert Mitchum is perfectly sinister in the role of Reverend Harry Powell, who preys on a widow and her two young children.

Laughton’s poetic vision and manipulation of light reinforce Mitchum’s performance and the irreverent tone of the film, which was banned in some American states (‘They can't censor the gleam in my eye’, Laughton observed).

The lyrics of the title song, ‘Fear is only a dream/So dream, little one, dream’, reflect the film’s emotional tensions – a powerful suspense that manages to maintain elements of a sweet coming-of-age narrative.

Tickets: £4/£3 concessions

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Alison Watt Film Season