The Night of the Hunter - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts

[discussimdb]

Fan of The Night of the Hunter or just want to share your movie knowledge? This topic is dedicated to all trivia and questions related to The Night of the Hunter

[duane]

According to Robert Mitchum's autobiography, Mitchum himself was openly contemptuous of Shelley Winters throughout the shooting of the film, and later claimed to have wished Charles Laughton had actually used Winters in the scene when her character's body is seen dead underwater.

[manuel]

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die," edited by Steven Schneider.

[aaron]

The iris shot used in the film was the first one in American live-action films since cinematographer Stanley Cortez used one in The Magnificent Ambersons (1942).

[kenneth]

Reports that screenwriter James Agee wrote an incoherent screenplay have been proved false by the 2004 discovery of his first draft. That document, although at 293 pages manifestly overwritten (as is common with first drafts), is, scene-for-scene, the film that Charles Laughton directed. Likewise false are the reports that Agee was fired, related most infamously in Robert Mitchum's autobiography. Laughton, however much he gnashed his teeth at such a behemoth of a text only five weeks before the start of principal photography, calmly renewed Agee's contract and directed him to cut it in half; after much persuasion, Agee did. In Laughton's stage work ("Galileo", "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial," etc.), the great actor demonstrated that he was a script editor of genius; he could induce the most stubborn and prideful writer to make necessary cuts, and so he did with Agee. Later, apparently at Mitchum's request, Agee visited the set to settle a dispute between the star and Laughton. Letters and documents located in the archive of Agee's agent Paul Kohner bear this out; they were brought to light by Laughton biographer Simon Callow, whose BFI book about "The Night of the Hunter" diligently sets this part of the record straight. The Agee first draft may eventually be published, but it has already been read by scholars, most notably Prof. Jeffrey Couchman of Columbia University, who published his findings in an essay titled "Credit Where Credit Is Due." To assert Agee's moral right to his screen credit in no way disputes Laughton's greatness as a director - clearly, he was as expert with writers as he was with actors - but Agee has been belittled, and even slandered, over the years (especially in Mitchum's autobiography), when his contribution to "The Night of the Hunter" was of primary and enduring importance.

[frederick]

In the Spanish version the translators changed the name of the girl from Pearl to May, perhaps for the difficult pronunciation in Spanish.

[nora]

Robert Mitchum's performance was seen as a change of pace for the actor, but, notoriously unwilling or unable to accept praise for his work, he countered, "I haven't changed anything but my underwear."

[kristina]

After adjusting for inflation, the $10,000 hidden away would be equivalent to almost $175,000 in 2014.

[amber]

Robert Mitchum tried explaining to Billy Chapin that he needed to better understand his character and his relationship to the preacher. Chapin, who had a reputation for brattiness, replied, "That's probably why I just won the New York Critics Circle prize." Charles Laughton bellowed, "Get that child away from me!" and from then on Mitchum patiently directed the boy in their scenes together.

[jesse]

According to Philippe Garnier's book included in the Blu-ray package, United Artists did not show much consideration to director Charles Laughton and producer Paul Gregory. Although "Hunter" had a 36-day filming schedule, UA allowed Stanley Kramer's film Not as a Stranger (1955), in which Robert Mitchum was cast, to begin shooting before "Hunter" was finished. Some scenes with Mitchum, such as his arrest by police, had not been shot when Mitchum had to leave to start the Kramer film, and these scenes had to be shot when Mitchum had some time off, which contributed to "Hunter"'s going over budget.

[maureen]

The Swedish title spoils the film, as it tells where the money is hidden. Trasdocka literally means Rag Doll (Pearl's toy).

[jesus]

At 1:24:20 Lilian Gish's character shoots at Robert Michem's character and he takes on a cartoon character, squealing. Two of the children, Ruby covers her face to conceal her laughter and John Harper openly smiles. Both out of character.

[ava]

One day Robert Mitchum arrived on set drunk and producer Paul Gregory told him that he was in no condition to work. Mitchum took umbrage to this and walked over to the producer's Cadillac, opened the front door and urinated on the front seat.

[frances]

The sequence with Powell riding a horse in the distance was actually a little person on a pony. It was filmed in false perspective.

[bernice]

So disappointed was he by the poor reception of this film on its initial release both critically and commercially, Charles Laughton vowed never to direct a film again, and he never did. The film he was planning to direct next was going to be a screen adaptation of "The Naked and the Dead."

[tom]

Charles Laughton's first choice for the two adult leads were Gary Cooper and Betty Grable, but both turned the roles down.

[bessie]

Robert Mitchum's autobiography contains many spurious accounts of the making of the film; in one of them, Charles Laughton is said to have had no great love for children, and so despised directing them in this film that Robert Mitchum found himself directing the children in several scenes. In reality, Laughton obsessed over every facet of his first feature, including getting the performances of every actor (even the children) right; this would lead to him dismissing one actor, in particular, after all of his scenes had already been shot and starting again with another in the part.

[ella]

Kitty White was an acquaintance of Davis Grubb, who wrote the novel upon which the film was based. Charles Laughton was looking for a vocalist to sing composer Walter Schumann's lullaby and Grubb suggested to Laughton that he go hear White sing in a nightclub. He did, and White was chosen to sing the haunting lullaby.

[edgar]

François Truffaut referred to the film as "an experimental film that truly experiments."

[edgar]

Robert Mitchum originally suggested to Charles Laughton that they shoot the film in authentic Appalachian locations, but the director couldn't afford to do on-location shooting. Besides, he wanted to create the film's unique look on Hollywood sound stages and found what he was looking for at Pathe, Republic Studios and the Rowland V. Lee ranch in the San Fernando Valley.