Robert Mitchum was very eager for the part of the preacher in The Night of the Hunter. When he auditioned, a moment that particularly impressed Charles Laughton was when Laughton described the character as “a diabolical shit.” Mitchum promptly answered, “Present!” Later on in life, Robert Mitchum, who was usually indifferent to such matters, said that Charles Laughton was his favorite director and indicated that this was his favorite of the movies in which he had acted. The Night of the Hunter has become a cult classic since its release, and is widely regarded by film critics and historians and modern filmmakers as one of the most important pictures of the 1950s. Preacher’s “LOVE” and “HATE” tattoos have become a well-known cultural reference and are often imitated or parodied in films and television. In 1992, The Night of the Hunter was selected for inclusion in the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress and was number 34 on the list of AFI’s 100 Years, 100 Thrills.  Roger Ebert once wrote, “It is one of the most frightening of movies, with one of the most unforgettable of villains, and on both of those scores it holds up … well after four decades.”

(Source: mattybing1025)