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* [[WickedStepmother Wicked Stepfather]]: Henry Powell, one of the worst examples in cinematic history.
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* ChildrenAreCruel: The local children taunt John and Pearl with a nasty singsong after their father is hanged. (''Hing hang hung look what the hangman done.'')
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* KidsAreCruel: The local children taunt John and Pearl with a nasty singsong after their father is hanged. (''Hing hang hung look what the hangman done.'')
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One of the all-time classics of American cinema, and CharlesLaughton's [[OneBookAuthor sole film as a director]]. Also the inspiration for the ''Music/{{30 Seconds to Mars}}'' song of the same name.
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One of the all-time classics of American cinema, and CharlesLaughton's [[OneBookAuthor sole film as a director]]. Also the inspiration for the ''Music/{{30 ''Music/{{Thirty Seconds to Mars}}'' song of the same name.
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One of the all-time classics of American cinema, and CharlesLaughton's [[OneBookAuthor sole film as a director]]. Also the inspiration for the 30 Seconds to Mars song of the same name.
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One of the all-time classics of American cinema, and CharlesLaughton's [[OneBookAuthor sole film as a director]]. Also the inspiration for the 30 ''Music/{{30 Seconds to Mars Mars}}'' song of the same name.
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* SerialKiller
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* SerialKillerSerialKiller: [[spoiler: Walt Spoon: Twenty-five wives! Icey Spoon: And he killed every last one of them!]]
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* ChildrenAreCruel: The town's children taunt John and Pearl with a nasty singsong after their father is hanged. (''Hing hang hung look what the hangman done.'')
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* ChildrenAreCruel: The town's local children taunt John and Pearl with a nasty singsong after their father is hanged. (''Hing hang hung look what the hangman done.'')
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* SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny: Harry watches the burlesque dancer at the beginning of the film with an expression that is equal parts lust and loathing.
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* ChildrenAreCruel: The town's children taunt John and Pearl with a nasty singsong after their father is hanged.(''Hing hang hung look what the hangman done.'')
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* ChildrenAreCruel: The town's children taunt John and Pearl with a nasty singsong after their father is hanged. (''Hing hang hung look what the hangman done.'')
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* ChildrenAreCruel: The other children taunt John and Pearl after their father is hanged with a nasty singsong.(''Hing hang hung look what the hangman done.'')
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* ChildrenAreCruel: The other town's children taunt John and Pearl with a nasty singsong after their father is hanged with a nasty singsong.hanged.(''Hing hang hung look what the hangman done.'')
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* ChildrenAreCruel: The other children taunt John and Pearl after their father is hanged with a nasty singsong.(''Hing hang hung look what the hangman done.'')
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One of the all-time classics of American cinema, and CharlesLaughton's [[OneBookAuthor sole film as a director]]. Also the inspiration for the 30SecondsToMars song of the same name.
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One of the all-time classics of American cinema, and CharlesLaughton's [[OneBookAuthor sole film as a director]]. Also the inspiration for the 30SecondsToMars 30 Seconds to Mars song of the same name.
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Huh? Is this just speculation?
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* ExecutiveMeddling: Which he never outright stated it, it's clear that CharlesLaughton had a different ending intended than the one that was seen on-screen, which borders almost on a [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment BLAM]] at times. Because of the HaysCode, he had to make hasty edits to make it up to their standards.
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* ExecutiveMeddling: Which he never outright stated it, it's clear that CharlesLaughton had a different ending intended than the one that was seen on-screen, which borders almost on a [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment BLAM]] at times. Because of the Hays Code, he had to make hasty edits to make it up to their standards.
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* ExecutiveMeddling: Which he never outright stated it, it's clear that CharlesLaughton had a different ending intended than the one that was seen on-screen, which borders almost on a [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment BLAM]] at times. Because of the Hays Code, HaysCode, he had to make hasty edits to make it up to their standards.
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** Powell becomes this to Pearl once he shows his true colors.
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* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler: The Spoons seem to have this reaction once the truth about Powell comes out at the end. They actually lead an angry lynch mob against Powell at the end, complete with TorchesAndPitchforks.
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* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler: The Spoons seem to have this reaction once the truth about Powell comes out at the end. They actually lead an angry lynch mob against Powell at the end, Powell, complete with TorchesAndPitchforks.]]
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* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler: The Spoons seem to have this reaction once the truth about Powell comes out at the end. They actually lead an angry lynch mob against Powell at the end, complete with TorchesAndPitchforks.
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One of the all-time classics of American cinema, and CharlesLaughton's [[OneBookAuthor sole film as a director]].
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One of the all-time classics of American cinema, and CharlesLaughton's [[OneBookAuthor sole film as a director]].
director]]. Also the inspiration for the 30SecondsToMars song of the same name.
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* SomethingElseAlsoRises: Ever seen this trope acted out before with a ''switchblade''? Didn't think so. But that's [[KnifeNut just the kind of guy]] Harry Powell is.
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* SomethingElseAlsoRises: Ever seen this trope acted out before with a ''switchblade''? Didn't think so. But that's [[KnifeNut just the kind of guy]] [[SerialKiller Harry Powell is.Powell]] is...
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* SomethingElseAlsoRises: Ever seen this trope acted out before with a ''switchblade''? Didn't think so. But that's [[KnifeNut just the kind of guy]] Harry Powell is.
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* VillainousBreakdown: Powell is reduced to screaming like an animal when the children elude him in the boat.
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* VillainousBreakdown: Powell is reduced to screaming like an animal does ''not'' react well when the children elude him in the boat.
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* VillainousBreakdown: Powell is reduced to screaming like an animal when the children elude him in the boat.
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* AuthorFilibuster: Invoked. Rachel ends the film with a sermon about how children can recover from any psychological trauma, blithely ignoring that at least two of her foster children have quietly gone insane. The Hays code insisted that the children be all right at the end.
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* AuthorFilibuster: Invoked. Rachel ends the film with a sermon about how children can recover from any psychological trauma, blithely ignoring that at least two of her foster children have quietly gone insane. The Hays code (The HaysCode insisted that the children be all right at the end.)
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Probably RobertMitchum's best-known performance was in this extremely creepy suspense-horror film from 1955. It's the one where he has "Love" and "Hate" [[KnuckleTattoos tattooed across his knuckles]]. He plays Harry Powell, a preacher and psychotic serial murderer who one day gets married to Willa Harper, newly widowed and mother of two. Willa's previous husband has just been hanged for robbing a bank and killing two men in the process, and Harry is hoping to get his hands on the hidden money. And then it gets really messed-up.
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Probably RobertMitchum's Robert Mitchum's best-known performance was in this extremely creepy suspense-horror film from 1955. It's the one where he has "Love" and "Hate" [[KnuckleTattoos tattooed across his knuckles]]. He plays Harry Powell, a preacher and psychotic serial murderer who one day gets married to Willa Harper, newly widowed and mother of two. Willa's previous husband has just been hanged for robbing a bank and killing two men in the process, and Harry is hoping to get his hands on the hidden money. And then it gets really messed-up.
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* {{Expy}}: Many villains are based on Mitchum's performance as Powell, such as Kane from ''[[{{Poltergeist}} Poltergeist II: The Other Side]]'' and Caleb from BuffyTheVampireSlayer. Even ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''' Sideshow Bob gets in on the action in one episode, and Music/TheClash give him a ShoutOut in "Death or Glory".
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* {{Expy}}: Many villains are based on Mitchum's performance as Powell, such as Kane from ''[[{{Poltergeist}} Poltergeist II: The Other Side]]'' ''PoltergeistIITheOtherSide'' and Caleb from BuffyTheVampireSlayer.''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. Even ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''' Sideshow Bob gets in on the action in one episode, and Music/TheClash give him a ShoutOut in "Death or Glory".
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* TheAtoner: [[spoiler: Rachel has stated that she "lost her son's love" a long time before the story started. She seems to be looking after the kids as a way to make up for her previous actions.]]
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* TheAtoner: [[spoiler: Rachel has stated that she "lost her son's love" a long time before the story started. She seems to be looking after the kids as a way to make up for her previous actions. All in all, this just demonstrates that she's a better person than most of the other adults in the film. She knows she did something wrong and now she's trying to make it right, and she doesn't deny her sins.]]
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* TheAtoner: [[spoiler: Rachel has stated that she "lost her son's love" a long time before the story started. She seems to be looking after the kids as a way to make up for her previous actions.]]
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** Rachel Cooper, smart enough to see the inconsistencies in Powell's sob story, smart enough to pull a shotgun on him.
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proper size
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[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Night_of_the_hunter.jpg]]
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[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Night_of_the_hunter.jpg]]
Probably RobertMitchum's best-known performance was in this extremely creepy suspense-horror film from 1955. It's the one where he has "Love" and "Hate" [[KnuckleTattoos tattooed across his knuckles]]. He plays Harry Powell, a preacher and psychotic serial murderer who one day gets married to Willa Harper, newly widowed and mother of two. Willa's previous husband has just been hanged for robbing a bank and killing two men in the process, and Harry is hoping to get his hands on the hidden money. And then it gets really messed-up.
One of the all-time classics of American cinema, and CharlesLaughton's [[OneBookAuthor sole film as a director]].
----
!!This film provides examples of:
* AdultsAreUseless: Pretty much everyone except Rachel [[spoiler: and even she admits she "lost her son's love" a long time ago.]]
** Especially Willa, who [[spoiler: doesn't lift a hand in her own defense when Harry kills her, despite knowing full well he's likely to kill her children next.]]
* AuthorFilibuster: Invoked. Rachel ends the film with a sermon about how children can recover from any psychological trauma, blithely ignoring that at least two of her foster children have quietly gone insane. The Hays code insisted that the children be all right at the end.
* BadHabits
* TheBluebeard: Lampshaded during the finale.
* {{Brainwashed}}
* BrokenPedestal: Say what you will about the stepfather, but the kids' real father is no screaming hell either. And Uncle Birdie turns out to be utterly useless.
* CallOnMe: Uncle Birdie tells John this at one point, but when the time comes he's passed out drunk.
* ChildrenAreInnocent: They abide, too.
* CoolOldLady: Rachel
* CreepyBasement
* {{Determinator}}: John will do anything to keep his father's secret.
* DevilInPlainSight
* ExecutiveMeddling: Which he never outright stated it, it's clear that CharlesLaughton had a different ending intended than the one that was seen on-screen, which borders almost on a [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment BLAM]] at times. Because of the Hays Code, he had to make hasty edits to make it up to their standards.
* {{Expy}}: Many villains are based on Mitchum's performance as Powell, such as Kane from ''[[{{Poltergeist}} Poltergeist II: The Other Side]]'' and Caleb from BuffyTheVampireSlayer. Even ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''' Sideshow Bob gets in on the action in one episode, and Music/TheClash give him a ShoutOut in "Death or Glory".
* FilleFatale: Ruby, who has some serious psychological problems.
* FlashBackEcho: Done more subtly than many recent cases. At the end of the film when [[spoiler: Harry is being arrested]], John's freak-out, begging them not to take him away, and [[spoiler: throwing the money]], echoes what he was feeling but didn't fully express when his father was being arrested at the [[BookEnds beginning of the film.]]
* TheGreatDepression
* {{Grimmification}}: Notably the bible verses and children's songs used to eerie effect.
%%** Can we have some detail? Preferably from somebody who's read the full version of the book? (Which is out of copyright in the US, incidentally--just written in a [[{{Understatement}} unique style]].)
* GuessWhoImMarrying: Just about the wickedest stepfather in anything ever, that's who!
* HenpeckedHusband: Walt Spoon, who notably has to endure his wife ignoring his presence to tell half the town about [[spoiler: how she ignores him during sex.]]
* HeroicVow: John has sworn not to tell anyone where the stolen money is, and has to remind Pearl of this frequently. [[spoiler: The finale reveals this is a pointed subversion: all John had to do all along was return the money to the police and Powell wouldn't have been a threat. Keeping the secret caused the deaths of at least two people, including John's mother.]]
** Of course, the movie seems to be trying to point out just how shitty it was for John's father to put that burden on his young son in the first place.
* {{Hypocrite}}: A town ''full'' of them, exemplified by Mrs. Spoon.
* ImplacableMan: "Don't he ever sleep?"
** [[spoiler: He's also shot point blank by a surprised Rachel during the climax. He shrieks and flees, but is still alive the following morning.]]
* IronicNurseryTune: "There Once Was a Pretty Fly"
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: The heavy handed Mrs. Rachel Cooper.
* KnifeNut: He doesn't like it when you touch it...
* KnightTemplar: Harry Powell...perhaps?
* KnuckleTattoos: Possibly the ur-example.
* LargeHam: Harry Powell. "JOHN DOESN'T MATTER!"
* TheLoad: Pearl, who, even for a four-year-old, is pretty useless throughout the film.
* ManipulativeBastard: Harry
* MeaningfulName: The Spoons (the wife's name is Icey), who sell ice cream.
* NeverMessWithGranny: Rachel [[spoiler: pulls a shotgun on Powell when he goes after John.]]
* NostalgiaFilter: The adorably quaint little town.
* OffscreenTeleportation: With LampshadeHanging
* OneBookAuthor, in regard to Charles Laughton's directorial career (The original release received a poor reception from both audiences and critics)
* OnlySaneMan: John Harper, although even he has his crazy moments. Mr. Spoon sometimes has moments, but his wife is swift to fix ''that''.
* SceneryPorn: The riverboat scene.
* SerialKiller
* SinisterMinister: Harry maintains that he's doing God's work. Then again, he's nuts. [[spoiler: Rachel doesn't fall for the act for a moment.]]
* SmugSnake: Mrs. Spoon really needs to die. Harry's a smug bastard, too.
* SoundtrackDissonance: ''Leanin', leanin', safe and secure from all alarm...''
* StockParodies: Harry's tattoos have become one of these.
* TheyCallMeMisterTibbs: "''Preacher'' Harry Powell."
* TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse: Harry Powell.
* TorchesAndPitchforks: The film's climax has the Spoons leading an angry lynch mob against Powell.
* WhyDidYouMakeMeHitYou
* YoureNotMyFather
----
Probably RobertMitchum's best-known performance was in this extremely creepy suspense-horror film from 1955. It's the one where he has "Love" and "Hate" [[KnuckleTattoos tattooed across his knuckles]]. He plays Harry Powell, a preacher and psychotic serial murderer who one day gets married to Willa Harper, newly widowed and mother of two. Willa's previous husband has just been hanged for robbing a bank and killing two men in the process, and Harry is hoping to get his hands on the hidden money. And then it gets really messed-up.
One of the all-time classics of American cinema, and CharlesLaughton's [[OneBookAuthor sole film as a director]].
----
!!This film provides examples of:
* AdultsAreUseless: Pretty much everyone except Rachel [[spoiler: and even she admits she "lost her son's love" a long time ago.]]
** Especially Willa, who [[spoiler: doesn't lift a hand in her own defense when Harry kills her, despite knowing full well he's likely to kill her children next.]]
* AuthorFilibuster: Invoked. Rachel ends the film with a sermon about how children can recover from any psychological trauma, blithely ignoring that at least two of her foster children have quietly gone insane. The Hays code insisted that the children be all right at the end.
* BadHabits
* TheBluebeard: Lampshaded during the finale.
* {{Brainwashed}}
* BrokenPedestal: Say what you will about the stepfather, but the kids' real father is no screaming hell either. And Uncle Birdie turns out to be utterly useless.
* CallOnMe: Uncle Birdie tells John this at one point, but when the time comes he's passed out drunk.
* ChildrenAreInnocent: They abide, too.
* CoolOldLady: Rachel
* CreepyBasement
* {{Determinator}}: John will do anything to keep his father's secret.
* DevilInPlainSight
* ExecutiveMeddling: Which he never outright stated it, it's clear that CharlesLaughton had a different ending intended than the one that was seen on-screen, which borders almost on a [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment BLAM]] at times. Because of the Hays Code, he had to make hasty edits to make it up to their standards.
* {{Expy}}: Many villains are based on Mitchum's performance as Powell, such as Kane from ''[[{{Poltergeist}} Poltergeist II: The Other Side]]'' and Caleb from BuffyTheVampireSlayer. Even ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''' Sideshow Bob gets in on the action in one episode, and Music/TheClash give him a ShoutOut in "Death or Glory".
* FilleFatale: Ruby, who has some serious psychological problems.
* FlashBackEcho: Done more subtly than many recent cases. At the end of the film when [[spoiler: Harry is being arrested]], John's freak-out, begging them not to take him away, and [[spoiler: throwing the money]], echoes what he was feeling but didn't fully express when his father was being arrested at the [[BookEnds beginning of the film.]]
* TheGreatDepression
* {{Grimmification}}: Notably the bible verses and children's songs used to eerie effect.
%%** Can we have some detail? Preferably from somebody who's read the full version of the book? (Which is out of copyright in the US, incidentally--just written in a [[{{Understatement}} unique style]].)
* GuessWhoImMarrying: Just about the wickedest stepfather in anything ever, that's who!
* HenpeckedHusband: Walt Spoon, who notably has to endure his wife ignoring his presence to tell half the town about [[spoiler: how she ignores him during sex.]]
* HeroicVow: John has sworn not to tell anyone where the stolen money is, and has to remind Pearl of this frequently. [[spoiler: The finale reveals this is a pointed subversion: all John had to do all along was return the money to the police and Powell wouldn't have been a threat. Keeping the secret caused the deaths of at least two people, including John's mother.]]
** Of course, the movie seems to be trying to point out just how shitty it was for John's father to put that burden on his young son in the first place.
* {{Hypocrite}}: A town ''full'' of them, exemplified by Mrs. Spoon.
* ImplacableMan: "Don't he ever sleep?"
** [[spoiler: He's also shot point blank by a surprised Rachel during the climax. He shrieks and flees, but is still alive the following morning.]]
* IronicNurseryTune: "There Once Was a Pretty Fly"
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: The heavy handed Mrs. Rachel Cooper.
* KnifeNut: He doesn't like it when you touch it...
* KnightTemplar: Harry Powell...perhaps?
* KnuckleTattoos: Possibly the ur-example.
* LargeHam: Harry Powell. "JOHN DOESN'T MATTER!"
* TheLoad: Pearl, who, even for a four-year-old, is pretty useless throughout the film.
* ManipulativeBastard: Harry
* MeaningfulName: The Spoons (the wife's name is Icey), who sell ice cream.
* NeverMessWithGranny: Rachel [[spoiler: pulls a shotgun on Powell when he goes after John.]]
* NostalgiaFilter: The adorably quaint little town.
* OffscreenTeleportation: With LampshadeHanging
* OneBookAuthor, in regard to Charles Laughton's directorial career (The original release received a poor reception from both audiences and critics)
* OnlySaneMan: John Harper, although even he has his crazy moments. Mr. Spoon sometimes has moments, but his wife is swift to fix ''that''.
* SceneryPorn: The riverboat scene.
* SerialKiller
* SinisterMinister: Harry maintains that he's doing God's work. Then again, he's nuts. [[spoiler: Rachel doesn't fall for the act for a moment.]]
* SmugSnake: Mrs. Spoon really needs to die. Harry's a smug bastard, too.
* SoundtrackDissonance: ''Leanin', leanin', safe and secure from all alarm...''
* StockParodies: Harry's tattoos have become one of these.
* TheyCallMeMisterTibbs: "''Preacher'' Harry Powell."
* TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse: Harry Powell.
* TorchesAndPitchforks: The film's climax has the Spoons leading an angry lynch mob against Powell.
* WhyDidYouMakeMeHitYou
* YoureNotMyFather
----
