The Night of the Hunter

Now, you remember, children, how I told you last Sunday...

about the good Lord going up into the mountain and talking to the people...

and how he said, "Blessed are the pure in heart...

for they shall see God"...

and how he said that King Solomon in all his glory...

was not as beautiful as the lilies of the field?

And I know you won't forget, "Judge not lest ye be judged"...

because I explained that to you.

And then the good Lord went on to say...

"Beware of false prophets...

"which come to you in sheep's clothing...

"but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Ye shall know them by their fruits."

Five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60...

65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100!

Here I come, ready or not!

What's wrong?

Hey! Hey!

"A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit.

"Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them."

Well, now, what's it to be, Lord?

Another widow?

How many has it been? Six?

Twelve?

I disremember.

You say the word, Lord, I'm on my way.

You always send me money to go forth and preach your word.

A widow with a little wad of bills hid away in a sugar bowl.

Lord, I am tired.

Sometimes I wonder if you really understand.

Not that you mind the killings. Your Book is full of killings.

But there are things you do hate, Lord.

Perfume-smellin' things...

lacy things, things with curly hair.

There are too many of them.

You can't kill a world.

You driving a touring car with a Moundsville license?

Harry Powell, for the theft of that touring car...

you will spend 30 days in the Moundsville Penitentiary.

Uh, Preacher Ηarry Powell.

A car thief, picked up where you were -

a man of God?

Harry Powell.

Hold Miss Jenny still.

Stand still, Miss Jenny!

There. What's so hard about that?

Daddy!

- Where's your mom? - Out shoppin'.

- You're bleedin', Dad. - Listen to me, John.

This money here - we gotta hide it before they get to me.

There's close to $10,000. Where?

Under a rock in the smokehouse? No, no.

Under the bricks in the grape arbor? No, no. They'd dig for it.

Sure. That's the place.

- That's him. - Ηe probably still has that gun.

Listen to me, Son. You've gotta swear.

Swear means promise. First, swear you'll take care of little Pearl.

Guard her with your life, boy.

Then swear you won't never tell where the money's hid, not even your mom.

- Yes, Dad. - You understand?

- Not even her? - You got common sense. She ain't.

When you grow up, that money will belong to you.

Now stand up straight and look me in the eye. Raise your right hand.

Now swear - "I'll guard Pearl with my life."

I will guard Pearl with my life.

- "And I won't never tell about the money." - And I won't never tell about the money.

And you, Pearl - you swear too.

Ben Ηarper.

I'm goin' now, children. Good-bye.

Drop that gun, Ηarper. We don't want the kids hurt.

Just mind what you swore, Son. Mind, boy.

Don't.

Don't!

Dad.

Ben Harper, it is the sentence of this court...

that for the murder of Ed Smiley and Corey South...

you be hanged by the neck until you are dead.

And may God have mercy on your soul.

I got you all buffaloed.

Ain't none of you gonna get it outta me. None of you.

Where, Ben? Where?

- Where? - "And a little child shall lead them."

Now, come on, boy. Tell me.

Ben, I'm a man of God.

- Tryin' to make me talk about it in my sleep. - No, Ben. No.

What'd I say? What? What? What? What?

You was quotin' the Scripture, Ben.

You said, "And a little child shall lead them."

Ηa!

- You killed two men, Ben Ηarper. - That's right, Preacher.

I robbed that bank 'cause I got tired of seein'...

children roamin' the woodlands without food...

children roamin' the highways in this here depression...

children sleepin' in old abandoned car bodies and junk heaps.

And I promised myself I'd never see the day when my young 'uns would want.

With that $10,000, I could build a tabernacle...

make that Wheeling lsland tabernacle look like a chicken house.

Will you have free candy for the kids, Preacher?

Think of it, Ben - with that cursed, bloodied gold.

Ηow come you got that stick knife hid up in your bed blankets, Preacher?

The Lord blinded mine enemies when they brought me in this evil place.

I smuggled it in right under the noses of them guards.

I come not with peace...

but with a sword.

You, Preacher?

This sword has served me through many an evil time, Ben Ηarper.

What religion you profess, Preacher?

The religion the Almighty and me worked out betwixt us.

I'll bet.

Salvation is a last-minute business, boy.

Keep talkin', Preacher.

If you was to let that money serve the Lord's purpose...

he might feel kindly turned towards you.

Keep talkin', Preacher.

Now, don't you think the Lord might change his mind if you was to -

Lord...

you sure knowed what you was doin'...

when you put me in this very cell at this very time.

A man with $10,000 hid somewhere...

and a widow in the makin'.

- Any trouble? - No.

He was a cool one, that Ηarper. Never broke.

He carried on some, kicked.

They say he left a wife and two kids.

I never heard.

- Ηe never told about the money? - No.

What do you figure he done with it?

He took the secret with him when I dropped him.

That you, Bart? Supper's waitin'.

Mother, sometimes I think it might be better if I was to quit my job as guard.

You're always this way when there's a hangin'.

You never have to be there.

Sometimes I wish I was back in the mine.

And leave me a widow after another blast like the one in '24?

Not on your life, old mister.

Are you going to buy it, John?

Aw!

So your mommy's keepin' you out of school these days.

How is your poor, poor mother?

She's at Spoon's ice cream parlor.

Say, did they ever find out what your father done with all that money he stole?

Pearl and me, we have to go.

- You better not sing that song. - Why?

'Cause you're too little.

Can we get some candy?

No.

Willa Harper, there are certain plain facts of life that adds up...

just like two plus two makes four, and one of them is this -

No woman is able to raise growin' youngsters alone.

The Lord meant that job for two.

Icey, I just don't want a husband.

Ain't a question of wantin' or not wantin'. You're no spring chicken.

You're a grown woman with two little young 'uns.

It's a man you need in the house, Willa Harper.

Tell me a story, John.

Well, once upon a time...

there was a rich king...

who had himself a son and a daughter.

They all lived in a castle over in Africa.

Then one day this king got taken away by some bad men.

And before he got took off...

he told his son to kill anyone who tried to steal his gold.

And before long, the bad men came back and -

Just a man.

Good night, Pearl. Sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite.

Good night, Miss Jenny. Don't let the bedbugs bite.

She don't put in Cresap's Landin' no more, but she still blows as she passes.

Come on in and have a cup of coffee, boy.

Ain't nobody stole Dad's skiff.

Ain't nobody gonna neither as long as Uncle Birdie's around.

First day my joints is limber enough, I'll haul her out and give her a good caulkin'.

Ain't seen ya in a coon's age, boy.

I've been mindin' Pearl.

Shucks. Ain't it a caution what a woman will load onto a man's back...

when he ain't lookin'?

Excuse me, cap, while I - while I sweeten my coffee.

Dead and gone these 25 year and never takes her eyes off me.

Man of my years needs a little snort in the mornin' to heat the boilers.

Yeah.

I was talkin' to this stranger up at the boardinghouse.

- He knowed your dad. - Where'd he know Dad?

I'll not hide it from you, boy. He knowed him in the Moundsville Penitentiary.

I gotta go now, Uncle Birdie.

Well, you just got here, boy.

I told Mom I'd be back to Spoon's for Pearl.

"God works in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform."

Yes, I was with brother Ηarper right up to the end.

Now that I'm no longer employed by the penitentiary...

it is my joy to bring this small comfort to his loved ones.

It's a mighty good man would go out of his way...

to bring a word of cheer to a grievin' widow.

- So you ain't with the state no more? - No, brother. I resigned only yesterday.

The heartrendin' spectacle of them poor men was just too much for me.

Ah, little lad, you're starin' at my fingers.

Would you like me to tell you the little story of right hand, left hand...

the story of good and evil?

H-A-T-E.

It was with this left hand that old brother Cain...

struck the blow that laid his brother low.