Tag: charles laughton

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Top Fifty Films of the 50s — Number Thirty-One

Dan Seeger

#31 — The Night of the Hunter (Charles Laughton, 1955) The Night of the Hunter is famously the only film directed by esteemed character actor Charles Laughton. I’ve also seen it cited more than once as the finest film ever directed by someone whose main gig was on the other side of the camera. It’s absolutely one of the most striking and distinctive such efforts, especially for its time. In adapting the bestselling novel by Davis Grubb, first published in 1953, Laughton and his collaborators made a grim, expressionistic work, one that veered away from the growing trend towards tenderized … Continue reading Top Fifty Films of the 50s — Number Thirty-One

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Friedkin, Jeffs, Kopple, Laughton, Pollock

Dan Seeger

The Night of the Hunter (Charles Laughton, 1955). This tale of nefarious preacher with LOVE and HATE tattooed across his knuckles is often cited as of the finest films ever directed by an actor, at least someone far more noted for their acting. I wouldn’t make that claim, but it sure is a wild, offbeat ride. In particular, it’s unbelievably dark given that copyright date, putting the film’s children in constant, gloomy danger as it send them fleeing from the money-lusting villain. The film has a grand theatrical sense, pulling off impactful bits involving distant silhouettes and stark lighting effects … Continue reading Friedkin, Jeffs, Kopple, Laughton, Pollock