An expressionist, southern gothic noir, The Night of the Hunter (adapted by James Agee from Davis Grubb's novel) tracks the devious exploits of self - styled reverend and serial killer Harry Powell (Mitchum) as he gets out of jail and sets out to wed Willa Harper (Shelley Winters), the widow of his deceased
cellmate, and
murder her for her hidden fortune; it falls to her children to stop the madman living in their house.