There is a conman reverend, Reverend Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) and he is a serial killer who just got out of prison and uses women and children for their money. Rev comes upon a new family who has a widowed wife, Willa (Shelly Winters), her husband, Ben Harper (Peter Graves), who was killed by Harry Powell because he was trying to find out where some money was which was $10,000 to be exact which was to help feed his family. Harry killed Ben in his sleep. Then there are their two children John (Billy Chapin) and Pearl (Sally Jane Bruce), and now the reverend is after the money that is hidden somewhere and Rev knows that only John can tell him where the money is. As well as John, who sees who the Reverend truly is and sees past the shell coating of a reverend.
This was and still is a controversial film because it is an evil man taking the shape of someone who people of religion trust. As well as how despicably evil Robert Mitchum plays this character and gives a very good performance on a man with one goal: greed and murder, with a “and it doesn’t matter who I do it to as long as I get it” mindset. It has become a cult classic with its harsh, less than good reviews when it came out from people of the “Southern Religion” community who found it to be sacrilegious, and one person even said “that a reverend would never have the nerve to do something like this,” which is just where this person’s comment hits a wall, and shows that obviously they had never seen the film. Again, he is a con man who takes the shape of a reverend. To continue Mitchum’s job in this film, the AFI (American Film Institute) puts him at the top best bad guys in film history. It is a scary film because it has some historical context to the film as well. For example, this film shows how people who are deeply religious can be blind to the fact that just because someone says who they are, doesn’t truly mean that they are telling the truth. This is true to the fact that during the great depression in the deep south, women, especially widowed mothers, sought refuge and peace in talking to a religious figure. Crooks are crooks, they figured out that there is money involved in this, as well as taking advantage of scared women. It is disgusting and sad, but true. To elaborate on Mitchum’s acting capabilities, he steals the show in this film, which is surprising since he has always had this quiet, smart, brooding way to his villains. He shows that here because Mitchum had also gotten some of his bad guy persona by being arrested and seeing men who had killed people and the way they act and what they do. It is a good horror film that is scary because it is real life– these things can still happen. I lastly feel that the directing is very good with the dark shadows and intense close ups on Mitchum, and the overall tone of how he shoots is great. The whole film and how it is shot, up until till it ends, makes you feel dirty watching it because he is very evil, and you don’t like the character but this only shows how Mitchum is such a talented actor. I give the film an overall rating of 9.5, the acting is 6 gold bars, Mitchum bringing it up, directing is 8.5. So, I will see you the next time you want to come back to the movies.