The Night of the Hunter
Simon Callow
Oct 2026 · Bloomsbury GB Audio · Narrated by Simon Callow
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3 hr 24 min
Unabridged
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About this audiobook
Bloomsbury Presents The Night of the Hunter, read and written by Simon Callow
The Night of the Hunter (1955) was Charles Laughton's only film as director. Part expressionist horror movie, part luminous fairy tale, it contains some of the most haunting images in cinema. Willa (Shelley Winters) her throat cut and hair streaming out like seaweed, sitting upright in a submerged Model-T Ford. Her children, framed by looming animals, in a downriver flight from Preacher (Robert Mitchum). Preacher on horseback, a silhouetted threat on the horizon. Rachel Cooper (Lilian Gish) keeping watch in the darkness. The Night of the Hunter is revered today, but it failed on its first release, and Laughton never recovered from the disappointment.
Simon Callow traces the life cycle of the film: from its roots in Davis Grubb's bestselling novel, through casting, production, editing, to its ill-fated release and subsequent elevation to classic status. Emphasising Laughton's skill at bringing out the best in a talented cast and crew, and adding his own commentary and interpretive insights, Callow celebrates a unique cinematic achievement.
In his afterword to this new edition, Simon Callow looks back on the film and its continuing influence through references, homages and remakes.
The Night of the Hunter (1955) was Charles Laughton's only film as director. Part expressionist horror movie, part luminous fairy tale, it contains some of the most haunting images in cinema. Willa (Shelley Winters) her throat cut and hair streaming out like seaweed, sitting upright in a submerged Model-T Ford. Her children, framed by looming animals, in a downriver flight from Preacher (Robert Mitchum). Preacher on horseback, a silhouetted threat on the horizon. Rachel Cooper (Lilian Gish) keeping watch in the darkness. The Night of the Hunter is revered today, but it failed on its first release, and Laughton never recovered from the disappointment.
Simon Callow traces the life cycle of the film: from its roots in Davis Grubb's bestselling novel, through casting, production, editing, to its ill-fated release and subsequent elevation to classic status. Emphasising Laughton's skill at bringing out the best in a talented cast and crew, and adding his own commentary and interpretive insights, Callow celebrates a unique cinematic achievement.
In his afterword to this new edition, Simon Callow looks back on the film and its continuing influence through references, homages and remakes.
Bloomsbury Presents The Night of the Hunter, read and written by Simon Callow
The Night of the Hunter (1955) was Charles Laughton's only film as director. Part expressionist horror movie, part luminous fairy tale, it contains some of the most haunting images in cinema. Willa (Shelley Winters) he...
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About the author
Simon Callow is one of Britain's foremost stage and film actors. He has written acclaimed biographies of Charles Laughton and Charles Dickens, and a three volume biography of Orson Welles, as well as the memoir Love Is Where It Falls. He has written on acting in Being an Actor and Shooting the Actor, which tackles the subject of acting for the screen. My Life in Pieces, an alternative journalistic autobiography, incorporates some of his widely read journalism with memoir. He has also written several shorter books: Shakespeare on Love, Oscar Wilde and His Circle and Dickens' Christmas. He was awarded CBE for Services to Acting in 1999.
Simon Callow is one of Britain's foremost stage and film actors. He has written acclaimed biographies of Charles Laughton and Charles Dickens, and a three volume biography of Orson Welles, as well as the memoir Love Is Where It Falls. He has written on acting in Being an Actor and Shooting the Ac...
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