The Night of the Hunter
- Today, May 21
The Frida Cinema's seating is first-come, first-serve. For our Midnight Screenings, please plan on arriving by 11:30pm to ensure ample time for parking, picking up concessions, and securing optimal seats. Screening will begin promptly at midnight.
Director: Charles Laughton Run Time: 93 min. Release Year: 1955
Starring: Billy Chapin, Lillian Gish, Robert Mitchum, Sally Jane Bruce, Shelley Winters
Our Classic Movie Nights series trades in its bright colors for a stark, Southern Gothic black-and-white as we present The Night of the Hunter, one of the most haunting and singular films ever made. The only movie ever directed by actor Charles Laughton, it is celebrating its 70th birthday this year!
Robert Mitchum is unforgettable as Reverend Harry Powell, a preacher with a forked tongue, a switchblade in his pocket, and “LOVE” and “HATE” tattooed across his knuckles. Posing as a man of God, he hunts two children across a dreamlike rural landscape, believing they hold the secret to a hidden fortune. What unfolds is a shadow-drenched tale of survival, spiritual terror, and the strange, luminous resilience of children in a world gone cold.
A box office failure on release, it’s now hailed as one of the most daring American films of the 20th century—an extremely unique vision that has permeated through pop culture until this very day.
Make sure to get to the screening early, as our Marketing Director Bekah will be doing a very informative and entertaining presentation on the film before it starts!