The Night of the Hunter premieres in Des Moines, Iowa in 1955. The only film directed by actor Charles Laughton is based on an actual 1932 murder case and stars Robert Mitchum, Shelly Winters and Lilian Gish. Though it flops on its release, it is now considered a classic and was selected for preservation for the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 1992.
This Day in Halloween: Charles Laughton's classic thriller "The Night of the Hunter" premieres in Des Moines, Iowa in 1955.