St James’ Film Society: The Night of the Hunter

Invoking the lyricism, light work and cinematography of the silent era, Night of the Hunter draws on the true story of a 1930s American South itinerant preacher and serial killer. Unsurprisingly, it attracted the ire of Protestant groups and opened to negative reviews; it was the only feature film directed by actor Charles Laughton (and starring Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters and Lillian Gish). It has since been re-evaluated, considered by some one of the greatest films ever made and an exemplar of the Southern Gothic genre.

Please join us for a free screening of the film in the appropriately atmospheric Crypt of historic St James’ Church, with an introduction by film buff and armchair theologian Phil Walker-Harding and a discussion about the religious strong man in this film, and in the present. All welcome.