If there were ever a film that could serve as an example of critical reception and box-office performance not determining quality, it would be The Night of the Hunter. The sole directorial effort of English actor Charles Laughton is currently streaming on Tubi, and it's an expressionist fairy tale that embraces the southern gothic and features one of the most terrifying performances by Robert Mitchum. While The Night of the Hunter is now praised by critics and audiences alike, the film received a negative reception upon its release in 1955.