The Night of the Hunter quotes

View Quote Lord, save little children. You'd think the world would be ashamed to name such a day as Christmas for one of them and then go on in the same old way. My soul is humble when I see the way little ones accept their lot. Lord, save little children. The wind blows and the rain's a-cold. Yet they abide...They abide and they endure.

View Quote Birdie Steptoe: [after finding Willa's body] They'll think it was me. They'll think it was poor old Uncle Birdie. Ah, if you could have seen it, Bess, down there in the deep place, with her hair waving soft and lazy like meadow grass under flood water, and that slit in her throat, like she had an extra mouth. You're the only human mortal I can go to, Bess. If I go to the law, they'll hang it on me. Sweet heavens, save poor old Uncle Birdie.

View Quote Now, you remember children how I told you last Sunday about the good Lord going up into the mountain and talking to the people. And how he said, 'Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.' And how he said that King Solomon in all his glory was not as beautiful as the lilies of the field. And I know you won't forget, 'Judge not lest you be judged,' because I explained that to you. And then the good Lord went on to say, 'Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly, they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Wherefore by their fruits, ye shall know them.'

View Quote Willa: Harry?
Powell: I was praying.
Willa: Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know. I--I thought...
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 weddin' night. Ain't that right now?
Willa: No, no, no. [She crosses her hands over her breasts]
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. Get up! Now go look at yourself yonder in that mirror. Do as I say! Look at yourself! What do ya 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: I-I, no.
Powell: It's the business of this marriage to mind those two you have now, not to beget more.
Willa: Yes.
Powell: All right, you can get in bed now, stop shiverin'.
Willa: [praying] Help me to get clean, so I can be what Harry wants me to be.

View Quote Powell: Where's the money hid?
John: [after hitting Powell on the head with a hairbrush] Pearl, you swore you wouldn't tell. You swore, you swore, you swore!
Pearl: You hit Daddy with a hairbrush.
Powell: Now you see, we just can't have anything to do with John. You and me will go on down to the parlor, girl.

View Quote Powell: Good evening, John. Your mother and I are getting married tomorrow in Sisterville. She wants me to be a daddy to you and your sister.
John: You ain't my dad, you'll never be my dad.
Powell: When we get back, we're all going to be friends and share our fortunes together, John.
John: [shouting] You think you can make me tell, but I won't, I won't, I won't! [slaps a hand over his mouth]
Powell: Tell me what, boy?...We aren't keeping secrets from each other, are we, little lad?...Well, it don't matter. We've got a long time together, boy.

View Quote [after Rachel pulls a shotgun on him] All right, but you haven't heard the last of Harry Powell yet. The Lord God Jehovah will guide my hand in vengeance. Devil! You whores of Babylon! I'll be back, when it's dark.

View Quote Ben: What religion do you profess, Preacher?
Powell: The religion the Almighty and me worked out betwixt us.
Ben: I'll bet.
Powell: Salvation is a last minute business, boy...If you's to let that money serve the Lord's purpose, He might feel kindly turned towards ya...Now don't you think the Lord might change his mind if you was to... [Ben falls asleep]

View Quote Ben: First, swear you'll take care of little Pearl, guard her with your life, boy. Then, swear you won't never tell where the money's hid, not even your Mom.
John: Yes, Dad.
Ben: Do you understand?
John: Not even her?
Ben: You got common sense. She ain't. When you grow up, that money will belong to you. Now, stand up straight, look me in the eye. Raise your right hand, now swear. 'I'll guard Pearl with my life,'...'And I won't never tell about the money.'...You Pearl, you swear too. [Pearl nods]

View Quote John Harper: [hitting Powell with the doll] Here! Here! Take it back. Take it back. I don't want it. It's too much. Here! Here!

View Quote Rachel: What's wrong, John?
John: He ain't my Dad!
Rachel: No, and he ain't no Preacher, neither.

View Quote Powell: The night before your father died, he told me what he did with that money. That money's at the bottom of the river, wrapped around a twelve-pound cobblestone.
Willa: I feel clean now. My whole body's just a-quivering with cleanness.

View Quote Powell: John made a sin. John told a lie. The liar is an abomination before mine eyes. [takes out his knife]
Pearl: It's in my doll. It's in my doll!
Powell: [laughs] The doll. Why sure. The last place anyone would think to look.

View Quote [about Powell] It's a mighty good man would go out of his way to bring a word of cheer to a grieving widow.

View Quote [about John's present to her of an apple] That's the richest gift a body could have.