Night of the Hunter (1991 film)

Night of the Hunter is a 1991 American television film directed by David Greene starring Richard Chamberlain as a self-styled preacher who is a psychotic serial killer pursuing two children for $50,000 in money stolen by their father after marrying and murdering their widowed mother (Diana Scarwid).[1] The film also stars Burgess Meredith in the role of her son's friend, the river rat Birdy.

For other uses, see Night of the Hunter (disambiguation).

Night of the Hunter
GenreThriller
Based onThe Night of the Hunter
1953 novel
by Davis Grubb
Screenplay byEdmond Stevens
Directed byDavid Greene
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerDiana Kerew (Executive producer)
CinematographyRon Orieux
EditorSkip Schoolnik
Running time90 minutes
Release
Original networkABC
Original releaseMay 5, 1991 (1991-05-05)

Night of the Hunter is based on Davis Grubb's 1953 novel. Unlike the 1955 version, a film noir directed by Charles Laughton that starred Robert Mitchum as Preacher Harry Powell, the 1991 version is not set during The Great Depression, as is the novel, but in contemporary times.[2] Although contemporary news coverage at the time of the 1991 version's broadcast convey claims by those involved with the production that this version was closer to Grubb's novel than was the 1955 film, it actually takes liberties with Grubb's narrative, unlike Laughton's version, which stuck closely to the original source.[1]

Cast
ActorRole
Richard ChamberlainHarry Powell
Diana ScarwidWilla Harper
Burgess MeredithBirdy

Reception

The 1991 televised version of The Night of the Hunter got mixed reviews by critics. Michael Hill, in a contemporary review in the Baltimore Sun, wrote: "It has its flaws. Burgess Meredith's character of an aging river rat seems superfluous, perhaps indicating something ended up on the cutting room floor. And the final chase sequence lacks the punch the rest of the film has set you up for. But it's a well-made, nicely directed, finely acted movie."[3] The San Francisco Examiner's Joyce Millman thought it was a poorly done remake, with the only standout being Chamberlain's "mesmerizing" performance.[4] In The Day, Ron Miller concluded that the remake will probably not appeal to fans of the original 1955 film, but noted the remake offers "worthwhile compensation".[2]

A generation later, Turner Classic Movies' biography of Richard Chamberlain says that the 1980's "King of the Miniseries", as he aged and transitioned into the new decade of the 1990s "...was very effective as the father of a robbery victim in Aftermath: A Test of Love (CBS, 1991), but less so as the psychotic preacher made famous by Robert Mitchum in an ill-advised remake of Night of the Hunter (ABC, 1991)".[5]

References
  1. Buck, Jeffrey. "Chamberlain Turns on the Evil". latimes.com. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  2. Miller, Ron (May 5, 1991). "A less-than-classic remake of a movie". The Day. Knight Ridder. p. E4 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Hill, Michael. "'Night of the Hunter' remains a chiller". www.baltimoresun.com. Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  4. Millman, Joyce (May 3, 1991). "Day and the 'Night of the Hunter'". San Francisco Examiner. p. C8 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Richard Chamberlain - Biography". tcm.com. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
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