(United Artists, 1955)  In his sole directorial endeavor, British actor Charles Laughton creates a poetic and unusual parable of greed, corruption, and redemption in this dark allegory of good versus evil. Robert Mitchum stars as Harry Powell, a deranged, self-appointed preacher who terrorizes two children to learn the hiding place of some stolen money while romancing their widowed mother (Shelley Winters). He meets his match in Rachel Cooper (Lillian Gish), a saintly protector of runaway and abandoned children. A combination of delicate grace and steely resolve, Gish had an almost Victorian purity that was perfect for the part. Priased for its stunning imagery from renowned cinematographer Stanley Cortez, “The Night of the Hunter” was added to the National Film Registry in 1992. 7:30 p.m. Free, at the Library of Congress Packard Campus Theater located at 19053 Mt. Pony Rd. in Culpeper, VA. No reservations required. For more information, call 202-707-9994.