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Title: How Could It Possibly Have Been A Success?
Review: Night of the Hunter was Charles Laughton's attempt to elevate himself from actor to AUTEUR while at the same time getting on a film set with Bob Mitchum.In so doing, the faded, ill-humored, child-hating British star made other predictable moves:Turned direction of the childrens' scenes over to others because he lacked interest in them;Attached Lillian Gish as a stamp of respectability on the tawdry mess;Attempted to prove himself artistically and intellectually superior to young American Orson Welles in his startlingly transparent imitation of Citizen Kane's visual and allegorical qualities;Broke the rule about writing what you know;Substituted garish cliches for passion;Held his subjects and audience in utter contempt.Fifty years later, reviewers still don't have the guts to kick this dog.
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