You Can Now Watch The Night of the Hunter Free on Tubi

If there was ever a film that could be used as an example of critical reception and box office not determining quality, it would be Hunter's NightEnglish actor Charles Laughton's only directorial work is currently available to stream on Tobyand it is Expressionist fairy tale in the Southern Gothic style. It features one of the most harrowing performances ever given by Robert Mitchum. While Hunter's NightThe film is now acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, but suffered from negative reception upon its release in 1955.

The film is set against the backdrop of the American South and uses many of the techniques prominent during the silent film era, Hunter's Night Large size and depthPreserving films like these is essential to establishing and preserving a cultural legacy. Fortunately, thanks to the home media release through the Criterion Collection and free streaming on Tubi, a whole new generation can immerse themselves in one of the most compelling films of all time.

wolf in sheep's clothing

At the forefront Hunter's Night Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) is the ultimate wolf in sheep's clothing. A serial killer disguised as a preacher, Mitchum's performance is one that constantly shifts between crazed psychopath and country gentleman. with Hunter's Night being a fairy tale of some sortMitchum can best be described as the big bad wolf disguised as Grandma Red Riding Hood.

One of the basic things in every fairy tale is the duality of good and evil, which Hunter's Night The film contains many events. In Paul's first appearance on screen, he is talking to the Lord in a stolen car, talking about the victims he has killed, who were given to him by the “good Lord” and the stolen money that will allow him to continue spreading his gospel.

The contrast between good and evil in Paul's character is clearly demonstrated by the tattoos on his hands, which bear the words “love” and “hate.” These two sides of Paul's character continue to shift back and forth throughout the film.

Family calm disorder

As with other fairy tales, such as CinderellaAn illegitimate parent comes into the fold and disturbs the domestic peace of an unsuspecting family. Harry Powell becomes this constant element in the fairy tale contained in Hunter's NightPaul meets Willa Harper (Shelley Winters), the widow of Ben Harper (Peter Graves), whose sons have hidden the stolen loot their father obtained in a bank robbery.

Paul, Ben's cellmate before his execution, tries to extract the location of the loot from him before his death, but fails. In an attempt to get it, he moves in on Willa and her children, becoming the evil, troublemaking father.

While Ben Harper's appearance in the film was brief, his actions showed another side of good and evil, especially in relation to Paul. Because Hunter's Night The film is set during the Great Depression, a period of extreme poverty, where Ben's theft is seen as a necessary evil to allow his family to survive.

Paul's motivations for the spoils are nothing more than personal gain. The facade of a religious man who believes in God begins to dissipate, and Paul's psychopathic nature becomes clear.

Light and shadow, good and evil

Side of Hunter's Night What fuels the film's narrative is the struggle between good and evil. More than just the story unfolding within the film itself, the film's expressive techniques are essential to highlighting the characters and events. Turning them into the fairy tale characters they have become.Harry Powell's despair and descent into unbalanced behavior, especially under the light of a full moon, takes the subtle form of a werewolf transformation, as the wolf in sheep's clothing is no longer able to deceive those around him.

If Harry Powell is the embodiment of deceit and evil, his counterpart is Rachel Cooper (Lillian Gish). If Powell is the Big Bad Wolf, Rachel Cooper is the Fairy Godmother. Having taken in Willa's children and provided them with safe haven from Powell while he is being hunted, she becomes their guardian and protector.

symbolic handing over of the torch

The final confrontation between Powell and Cooper, which uses light and shadow to create a vivid silhouette of the two as Powell sits outside the house with Cooper inside, It takes us back to the days of German Expressionism of the silent cinema era..

Stepping out of the context of the fictional narrative within Hunter's NightThe scene, which includes a brief appearance of a lit candle, can be interpreted as the final “passing of the torch.” Lillian Gish, who was one of the first major movie stars during the silent film era, effectively passes the torch to Mitchum and the new Hollywood that would produce countless silent film and movie idols.

And after all these years, Hunter's Night This novel remains a definitive story of good and evil, and a reminder that some of the most diabolical and threatening characters live among us and behind closed doors.