The Night of the Hunter (1955)

Robert Mitchum: Harry Powell

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Quotes 

• Rev. Harry Powell : [when he notices John staring at the words "love" and "hate" tattooed across his knuckles]  Ah, little lad, you're staring at my fingers. Would you like me to tell you the little story of right-hand/left-hand? The story of good and evil? H-A-T-E! It was with this left hand that old brother Cain struck the blow that laid his brother low. L-O-V-E! You see these fingers, dear hearts? These fingers has veins that run straight to the soul of man. The right hand, friends, the hand of love. Now watch, and I'll show you the story of life. Those fingers, dear hearts, is always a-warring and a-tugging, one agin t'other. Now watch 'em! Old brother left hand, left hand he's a fighting, and it looks like love's a goner. But wait a minute! Hot dog, love's a winning! Yessirree! It's love that's won, and old left hand hate is down for the count!

• [repeated line] 

  Rev. Harry Powell : [singing]  Leaning... leaning... safe and secure from all alarms. Leaning... leaning... leaning on the everlasting arms.

• Rev. Harry Powell : Chiiilll... dren!

• Willa Harper : [Willa and Harry's wedding night]  Harry?

  Rev. Harry Powell : I was praying.

  Willa Harper : I'm sorry. I didn't know. I thought...

  Rev. Harry Powell : You thought, Willa, that the moment you walked in that door, I'd start to paw at you in that abominable way that men are supposed to do on their wedding night. Ain't that right, now?

  Willa Harper : No, no, no.

  Rev. Harry Powell : I think it's time we made one thing perfectly clear, Willa. Marriage to me represents the blending of two spirits in the sight of Heaven. Get up, Willa.

  Willa Harper : Harry, what...?

  Rev. Harry Powell : Get up. Now go look at yourself yonder in that mirror. Do as I say. Look at yourself. What do you see, girl? You see the body of a woman, the temple of creation and motherhood. You see the flesh of Eve that man since Adam has profaned. That body was meant for begettin' children. It was not meant for the lust of men! Do you want more children, Willa?

  Willa Harper : I... no.

  Rev. Harry Powell : It's the business of this marriage to mind the two you have now. Not to beget more. Alright, you can get in bed now. Stop shivering.

  Willa Harper : [praying]  Help me to be clean, so I can be what Harry wants me to be.

• Rev. Harry Powell : There are things you do hate, Lord. Perfume-smellin' things, lacy things, things with curly hair.

• Rev. Harry Powell : Open that door, you spawn of the devil's own strumpet!

• [Pearl reaches to touch Powell's switchblade] 

  Rev. Harry Powell : No, no! Don't you touch that, little lamb. Don't touch my knife, that makes me mad. That makes me very, very mad.

• Rev. Harry Powell : Not that you mind the killings! There's plenty of killings in your book, Lord...

• Rev. Harry Powell : Lord, you sure knew what you were doing when you brung me to this very cell at this very time. A man with ten thousand dollars hid somewhere, and a widder in the makin'.

• Ben Harper : What religion do you profess, preacher?

  Rev. Harry Powell : The religion the Almighty and me worked out betwixt us.

• Rev. Harry Powell : Now just tell me. Where's the money hid?

  Pearl Harper : But I swore I promised John I wouldn't tell.

  Rev. Harry Powell : John doesn't matter! Can't I get that through your head, you poor, silly, disgusting little wretch.

• Rev. Harry Powell : I can hear you whisperin' children, so I know you're down there. I can feel myself gettin' awful mad. I'm out of patience children. I'm coming to find you now.

• Icey Spoon : What could have possessed that girl?

  Rev. Harry Powell : Satan.

  Icey Spoon : Ah.

• Rev. Harry Powell : There's too many of them. I can't kill the world.

• Rev. Harry Powell : She'll not be back. I reckon I'm safe in promising you that.

• Rachel Cooper : Where's your Mrs?

  Rev. Harry Powell : Uh, she run off with a drummer... durin' prayer meetin'.

• Rev. Harry Powell : Salvation is a last-minute business, boy.

• Rev. Harry Powell : Speak boy, where's it hid? Speak. Speak, or I'll cut your throat and leave you to drip like a hog hung up in butcherin' time.

• Rev. Harry Powell : ...you devils, you whores of Babylon!