Robert Mitchum in the The Night of the Hunter (1955)
Will you come?
When there are no more sweets
For your cracked lips,
But a teathfull mouth?
Will you come?
When your scorched hands
Clumsily carve a lilac
In the common blood.
Will you come?
When she wraps your finger
In a dead wheat leaf,
When the spouse marries you
And dances on her smelly toes…
Will you come?
When God, drenched in love,
Walks among us and sits,
On the electric chair?
Will you raise as we did,
The treacherous knife of life ?
From which more will be brought
Into this brothel of horrors,
Where all shadows are poisoned
By a fatherless sun,
So will you come?
Son, will you come?
S.C.R.I.B.E.
P.S. : This poem was inspired by The Night of the Hunter. The plot focuses on a corrupt minister-turned-serial killer who attempts to charm an unsuspecting widow and steal the money hidden by her executed husband.
The director, Charles Laughton was a major Hollywood star in the early days of the film industry. He appeared in some 65 films, such as Ruggles of Red Gap, Island of Lost Souls, Mutiny of The Bounty, Witness for the Prosecution, The Private Life of Henry VIII, and The Canterville Ghost, all must-watch movies. Apart from a one-week job on Burgess Meredith's The Man on the Eiffel Tower, The Night of the Hunter remains Laughton's only film, and one of the most achieved piece in Cinema History.
Because of the distributor's complete failure to support the film, it was not a commercial success and Laughton took it very much to heart, never directing again. Years later, Robert Mitchum said that Laughton was his favorite director, and that Night of the Hunter was his favorite film, out of all the films he had ever made.
This article was edited and developed thanks to @crescendoofpeace 's rich film culture and attention to details. Go visit her Steemit, where she is dedicated to creating more peace in our world :)
"The Night of the Hunter," was Charles Laughton's only credited film as director, but he was also an uncredited director of "The Man on the Eiffel Tower."
"The Night of the Hunter" was hardly his only film, as he was a major Hollywood star in the early days of the film industry, having appeared in some 65 films. He was also a writer and producer.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001452/
And yes, the film is a classic in every sense, and Robert Mitchum was brilliant as the corrupt minister, as was Lillian Gish as the childrens' grandmother.
The scene where Mitchum starts singing outside their home at night, and Lillian Gish joins in to allay the fears of the children, as he is stalking them all, remains one of the most brilliant and nervewracking scenes in cinematic history; Mitchum's masterful display of a sinister psychopath, with Gish's understated but defiant and determined protector of her daughter's children, each in the most pivotal and beautifully acted role of their lives, in one of the best cast films of all time.
One of my very favorite films. Thank you for your post.
Hey, thank you so much for your precision! I would hardly qualify "L'homme de la Tour Eiffel" as a film directed by Charles Laughton though, as he only worked a week as a director on that film which does not do justice to his visionary talent.
I was focusing on the directing career, but you're right to evoke his astronomical filmography! Ruggles of Red Gap, Island of Lost Souls, Mutiny of The Bounty, are my personal three favorite. :)
Yes, I agree with your take on "L'homme de la Tour Eiffel," which is why I specified that he was "a" director, and not "the" director. ;-)
I was mostly directing my comment to those too young to know of Laughton's place among Hollywood "royalty," as I'm guessing the majority of Steemians, when presented with the name Charles Laughton, wouldn't have a clue who he was.
He turned in so many stellar performances that I have a hard time even choosing my favorites, but to your list, I would add "Witness for the Prosecution," "The Private Life of Henry VIII," and "The Canterville Ghost."
And I remain sad that Laughton's performance in "I, Claudius" was never completed, because I so loved the 1976 version with Derek Jacobi and John Hurt. And I have always loved Merle Oberon. If von Sternberg could have just gotten his ego under control, it could have been a truly great film, but c'est la vie, it was not meant to be.
The saddest thing of all, however, was United Artists complete failure to support "The Night of the Hunter" when it came out, which had they done so would have made a great impact. But as the Art Director, Hilyard Brown, commented in a later documentary, they were simply not intelligent enough to do so.
Despite their blunder, "Night of the Hunter" was hailed as one of the ten best films of the year.
Sadder still, because the film was not a commercial success, Charles Laughton took it very much to heart, and never directed again, despite a clear gift for it.
Years later, Robert Mitchum said that Laughton was his favorite director, and that "Night of the Hunter" was his favorite film, out of all the films he had ever made.
Oh yes, you're absolutely right, I'm new here and did not think about that. Young folks NEED to hear the complete story. Would you mind if I edited the article quoting you (and giving your handler of course)? I know it's hard to pick any film Laughton's appeared in, so many classics. Witness for the Prosecution, of course, Billy Wilder!! I haven't watched the 76 version of "I, Claudius" but I sure will. John Hurt was an outstanding actor... There is something so fascinating about unfinished films or unreleased ones. It's almost a sub-genre of cinema History. You know, Erich von Stroheim's Queen Kelly, Terry Gilliam's The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, and also the Jodorowsky's crazy Dune project! There are part of the legend too. :)
I don't mind at all, edit away. ;-)
And in 1976's "I, Claudius," Hurt played Caligula, so you can just imagine. Perhaps not as over-the-top as Malcolm McDowell's big screen take, but then McDowell actually refused to do some of the things director Tinto Brass, was asking, so who knows where it could have gone had he and several of the other actors not balked.
I was born in Hollywood, CA, and raised in L.A., so I take my film history seriously, though I am not an expert by far. But I have always loved good cinema.
I'm gonna watch it asap! Oh McDowell was such a great Caligula!! Perfect as a paranoid egotic Tyrant in this orgiastic mess. I love him in many films. You're from Hollywood? Well that's a nice way to start your life, just next to the Sunset Boulevard. <3 I'm French btw, like Les frères Lumières^^.
LOL - I was actually born on Sunset Boulevard. The hospital where I was born sits on the corner of Sunset and Edgemont. ;-)
McDowell is indeed an excellent actor, and I've enjoyed him in many films as well. And he can do over-the-top roles better than almost anyone.
The Lumiere brothers were incredible innovators for their day. Thanks for reminding me of them.
I enjoyed the few excursions we took to France while I was living in Luxembourg. Hopefully one day in the future I'll have the chance to visit again and explore it more fully.
Have a great day and Steem on!
The last verse was lit!
Thanks!
I got to check that movie for sure man. Really nice poem too... :) Tanks for sharing :) It seems you can be quite productive too :) Keep up the good work :)
Thanks bud! Oh I'm far from your own productivity rate, but working ^^
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Yaaaay, I'm honored :)
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Great poem. The repeating open lines give this a lyrical nature. I wonder if that is played out in the movie. Not a film I've seen but one I will check out now.
thanks so much @damianjayclay! I love repetitive music and poetry. The rythmic and indeed solemnity of it. No the line is not played out in the movie, that you definitely should watch, it's a life-changing film, and maybe you'll write a poem too. :) It's more the way the film analyzes the general relationship inbetween adults and infants that inspired me this work.