Robert Mitchum gave a chilling and haunting performance of the religious fanatic and malicious killer who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. ( )Īlthough this is a review of the book Night of the Hunter by Davis Grubb, I can’t help but write about the 1955 movie that was made of this book. I believe this is the kind of book the word spine-chilling was invented for.

I remember having a lot of trouble sleeping after seeing Cape Fear-I think Night of the Hunter might have the same effect. Robert Mitchum was cast as the soulless Powell and, having seen him in Cape Fear, I had no problem imagining him in the role. I am not generally a fan of either murder thrillers or horror films, which probably explains why I never saw the classic movie made from this novel. That Grubb based it on a true story that occurred in his own hometown made it even more harrowing. I’m not sure I breathed normally through the entire telling of this tale. His crime and the terrible secret he thrusts upon his son sets a frightful series of events into motion, that bring into the lives of his wife and children the most evil of evil men, a self-proclaimed preacher named Harry Powell, who is intent on finding the money at any cost. Before he is hauled off by the lawmen who come for him, he hides the money and tells John were it is, swearing him to secrecy. Ten-year old John Harper’s father, Ben, commits a crime, steals several thousand dollars, and in the process kills two men. The novel is set in West Virginia during the great depression. This book is perfect if you want to be truly frightened for Halloween, because I would much rather have a ghost in my house than have Preacher Harry Powell sleeping under my roof. File this one under the heading of What is Possible is Scarier than What Isn’t.

The Night of the Hunter by Davis Grubb