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Night of the Hunter utilizes many techniques in cinematography that weren't necessarily the norm during the 50's. Throughout the whole film the creators used the "extra long shot". During travel scenes and such, they kept going back to this long shot. The images created in this film is like looking at famous paintings. The way they craft each shot is truly art. This extra long shot is used in a multitude of ways. It's used to display the length John and Pearl have traveled on a skiff down a windy river, and it's also used to build up suspense and tension when the kids see Harry (Robert Mitchum) riding his horse towards the barn they're sleeping at.
The creators also conveyed messages throughout the whole film through creative angles and imagery.
With the riverboat scene where John and his sister float down the Ohio river, there are multiple symbolic shots. When they first escape, it's night time and pearl is sitting at the edge of the boat. The particular shot depicts her loneliness and confusion in her surrounding world. The image shows her sitting and picking at her doll. Her brother is asleep at the other end of the boat and all we see is darkness and water surrounding them. This image paints a picture of the isolation Pearl feels during this point in the movie. Slowly as they progress down the river we start to see shots of animals enter the film. Once these animals start to enter, the audience gets more of a sense of security, like the children aren't entirely alone.
One major piece of symbolism is the display of "Hate vs. Love" with Powell's knuckles. This was one of his signature ways of preaching the word of god, and displaying he's a man of "integrity". He, early in the movie, describes his right hand, love, as the hand that "has veins that run straight to the soul of a man". The symbolism with this is important in the fact that when he murders his wife, he is using his right hand. This is the supposed "hand of love" when really, based on his definition, it's the hand that defines a man's character. Down to Harry's very core, he is nothing but a sociopath murderer. That's what the scene depicts.
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An aspect of the film I noticed that played a huge role in the story was the irony involving John's father. At the beginning of the movie, Ben Harper is describing why he stole the money. He explains his actions as a way to ensure that his wife and children are well off and don't get affected by the depression. He stated he didn't want his children to become one of those children sleeping in abandoned vehicles or begging for food. The irony is that the money is exactly what drove Powell to hunt down the family. Powell is the reason the children became orphans which ultimately lead to them running away and begging for food and sleeping in somebody's barn without their knowledge. The money was meant to save his family but the tragedy is that the money tore his family apart and ultimately orphaned his children.
Night of the Hunter was a terrific film. The true artistry involved in making this picture could not possibly be recognized from one viewing. All the symbolism that's involved and all the unique ways of storytelling is truly remarkable and requires a thorough analysis in order to fully be appreciated. I merely touched base with all the creativity and genius that went into this picture.
Works Cited
Barsam, Richard. Looking At Movies: Fourth Edition. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. 2013
Night of the Hunter. Dir. Charles Laughton. 1955. MGM. DVD.
