These days, Johnny Depp might be referenced in day-to-day conversations more for his highly publicised court case against Amber Heard, but there was a time when he was one of the many iconic faces of Hollywood. Having collaborated with the likes of Jim Jarmusch and Terry Gilliam, Depp’s body of work didn’t just contain record-breaking box office hits but also smaller-scale, critically acclaimed gems which demonstrated his true acting talents.
On multiple occasions, Depp has listed the sources of inspiration he holds close to his heart who have fuelled his artistic journey, often singling out major names like Marlon Brando. However, there’s one particular performance by one of the greatest Hollywood legends in history, which was an unforgettably eye-opening experience for Depp.
According to the Pirates of the Caribbean star, the actor in question is none other than Robert Mitchum, who delivered a career-high performance in Charles Laughton’s enigmatic 1955 masterpiece The Night of the Hunter. During a feature conducted by YM Magazine, where Depp responded to questions sent in by his fans, he was asked about the careers that he would like to emulate, and this was the answer that immediately sprung to his mind.
In response to the query, Depp said: “If I could have been a different person, I would have wanted to be Robert Mitchum in Night of the Hunter. He was incredible. I admire him quite a bit. I hate the fact that Hollywood needs to label people ‘bad boys’ or that stupid, used-up word, ‘rebel’.”
Even outside The Night of the Hunter, Depp massively respected Mitchum’as achievements: “When Robert Mitchum first came around, he did whatever he wanted to do, and he was busted and labelled a bad boy. But he was a normal guy who happened to be an actor who didn’t want to change his lifestyle for Hollywood. I think he was the original ‘independent’. He didn’t care what anyone else thought.”
The Night of the Hunter isn’t just an anomaly in Mitchum’s filmography but in Hollywood history in general because that was the only movie Laughton ever directed. Starring Mitchum as a false preacher who infiltrates a family in the pursuit of hidden money, determined to catch and eliminate the two children who see right through his dangerous pretensions.
Laughton conjures up a highly stylised cinematic atmosphere, where shadows loom larger than ever, and evil seems to lurk around every corner. By making us experience the fear from the perspective of the two children on the run from imminent death, The Night of the Hunter conveys an extremely primal feeling of being pursued by an unstoppable force that is only satisfied by total annihilation.
