Reverend Harry Powell

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Reverend Harry Powell as portrayed by Robert Mitchum.

Reverend Harry Powell is a fictional character, the villain of Davis Grubb's 1953 novel The Night of the Hunter. He was portrayed by Robert Mitchum in Charles Laughton's 1955 film adaptation, and by Richard Chamberlain in the 1991 made for TV remake. He was voted #29 on the American Film Institute's top 50 villains of all time list.

[edit] Overview

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Powell is an itinerant preacher, con artist and serial killer with a switchblade and a puritanical hatred of women and sex. He had the words "LOVE" and "HATE" tattooed on his knuckles and would use them in a sermon about the internal struggle between good and evil. He would spread the gospel until money ran thin, at which point he would gain the trust of wealthy widows, marry them and kill them for their money. He would then run off (often in a stolen car) and repeat the process. He never thought God would forsake him for his crimes; after all, he was doing God's work and "God's book was full of killin's", as he put it. He roamed the countryside, preaching and leaving a trail of murdered women in his wake, until he was caught for grand theft auto.

While in prison, he met Ben Harper, who had robbed a bank, hidden the money and was sentenced to hang. However, despite the reverend's constant questioning as to the money's location, Harper took the secret to the grave. After Harper's execution, Powell left prison and hunted for the money. He met Harper's widow, Willa, and her children, John and Pearl. He ingratiated himself into the family by pretending to have been the prison chaplain and a good friend of Ben's; Willa and Pearl were smitten, but John didn't trust him. Powell learned that the children knew the location and married Willa so he could have access to the children and find the money. John refused to tell him, however, as did Pearl.

After Willa learned the truth behind her marriage, Powell killed her and dropped her body in a nearby river. After he threatened to kill John, Pearl revealed the secret: the money was in her doll. The children then ran off, doll in tow, and rode down the river on their father's old skiff. John and Pearl drifted down the river for days until stumbling upon a farm run by an old woman, Rachel Cooper, who took care of homeless, orphaned, and abandoned children.

However, Powell had followed their trail and came to the house one day claiming to be the children's father. Rachel was not fooled and pulled a gun on him; he left, but vowed to return later. After nightfall, the desperate preacher charged into the farmhouse only to be shot by Rachel. Yelping in pain, Powell ran into the barn and was arrested the next morning (ironically, John then gave the money to the police). He was put on trial for multiple murders, including Willa's, and was put to death.

[edit] In popular culture

Reverend Powell has become one of cinema's most famed (and influential) villains, mainly due to his tattooed hands and slick, sinister charm. Mitchum's chilling, mercurial performance has reaped widespread acclaim; he later said Rev. Powell was his favorite role.

The tattoos on Powell's knuckles of the words "love" and "hate" have become one of the most iconic images in film history; it has been referenced and parodied in films ranging from Do the Right Thing to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, as well as television shows such as The Simpsons and songs by groups such as The Clash and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.