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Trailer

The Night of the Hunter

1955Movie1 h 33 min

CrimeDrama
88
ExcellentGoodWatch score
IMDb7.9Metacritic978.1

A nerve-racking, scary crime movie about the mind and crime, with standout direction and cinematography.

Good for thought-provoking · adults · partner watch

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want fast pacing · graphic violence bothers you · you scare easily

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for warmth, laughs or comfort.

Movies with

Story

It’s a hard world for little things.

In Depression-era West Virginia, a serial-killing preacher hunts two young children who know the whereabouts of a stash of money.

Feels like

  • Gothic Thriller
  • Psychological Suspense
  • Folk Horror
  • Child-in-Peril
  • Moral Allegory
  • Visually Iconic
  • Cult Classic
  • Haunting Atmosphere
  • Unforgettable Villain
  • Expressionistic

Cast

17 of 17

Crew

Directed by
Charles Laughton
Written by
Charles Laughton, James Agee, Davis Grubb
Produced by
Paul Gregory
Music by
Walter Schumann

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

July 26, 1955 · 1 h 33 min · Violence, Disturbing Imagery

Released
July 26, 1955
Runtime
1 h 33 min
Content
Violence, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Crime, Drama, Thriller
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Budget
$795,000
Box office
$6,750
Available in
92 countries
Keywords
based on novel or book

Tropes

Kids Are Cruel, Moses in the Bullrushes, You're Not My Father +9

  • Kids Are Cruel
  • Moses in the Bullrushes
  • You're Not My Father
  • Five-Second Foreshadowing
  • Ironic Nursery Tune
  • Wicked Stepfather
  • Toxic Friend Influence
  • Alpha Bitch
  • Horrible Judge of Character
  • Serial Killer
  • Bad Habits
  • Dramatic Irony

12 of 102 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream The Night of the Hunter?"

Questions about The Night of the Hunter

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Night of the Hunter?

fuboTVMGM+PhiloKanopyMUBITubi TV

In the United States, The Night of the Hunter streams on fuboTV, MGM+, Philo, and MUBI, and it is free with ads on Kanopy and Tubi TV. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, and Spectrum On Demand. It also streams in 35 other countries.

Is The Night of the Hunter worth watching?

88
ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 88 (IMDb 7.9 and Metacritic 97). Critics rate it higher (97 out of 100) than audiences (80).

Will I feel good after watching The Night of the Hunter?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for bleakness and 6 for melancholy, against 2 for hopefulness.

Will The Night of the Hunter scare me?

Not scaryTerrifying

Yes, it's frightening: scares are rated 8 of 10, and some images are gruesome (grotesque 7 of 10).

What tropes does The Night of the Hunter use?

Kids Are CruelMoses in the BullrushesYou're Not My FatherFive-Second ForeshadowingIronic Nursery TuneWicked StepfatherToxic Friend InfluenceAlpha BitchHorrible Judge of CharacterSerial KillerBad HabitsDramatic Ironyand 90 more

TV Tropes lists 102 tropes for it, including Kids Are Cruel, Moses in the Bullrushes, and You're Not My Father.