A short question about love (and hate).

October 25, 2005 8:51 AM

Did the movie NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (discussed here) originate the device of having HATE tattooed on one hand, with LOVE tattooed on the other?

Was this a common prison practice, something in the zeitgeist that NIGHT IN THE HUNTER (and the other films) referenced, or were the tattoos specifically designed to comment on Mitchell's deranged preacher? (He honestly doesn't have a whole lot to do with love, even with his explanation of the tattoo in the context of the film, hence my confusion.)

posted by eschatfische to media & arts (8 comments total)

AFAIK, Night of the Hunter was the originl of the love/hate tattoos.
posted by Jairus at 9:38 AM on October 25, 2005

According to this individual -

In 1955 Robert Mitchum starred in a movie named the Night of the Hunter. In this, he plays a sociopathic traveling preacher (and serial killer) who has LOVE on his left hand and HATE on his right. He even uses them in a brief sermon about the struggle between the two forces. As best I can determine, this originated with that movie, and all the copy-cats I have seen since simply mimicked his image. Sideshow Bob in the TV cartoon series The Simpsons, has only 3 fingers per hand, and has LUV and HAT tattoos (with an umlat over the 'a' as homage to Mitchum. Sailors in the days of tall ships often got tattoos on their hands that said HOLD and FAST on their fingers, either as a totem or a reminder. (I've heard rumors of college athletes with TGIF on their feet, to remind them toes go in first. )
posted by longbaugh at 9:46 AM on October 25, 2005

NotH is based on a book by Davis Grubb. In it, Harry Powell, the preacher, has LOVE and HATE tattooed on his hands. Yes, the film is the first film to use the device, but obviously Grubb "originated" it.

At the same time, the book is "inspired" by real killer Harry Powers. I don't know if Powers had the tattoo'd hands or was a pretend preacher.
posted by dobbs at 9:54 AM on October 25, 2005

NotH is based on a book by Davis Grubb. In it, Harry Powell, the preacher, has LOVE and HATE tattooed on his hands. Yes, the film is the first film to use the device, but obviously Grubb "originated" it.

I wouldn't say that's obvious at all. How do we know Grubb didn't do time or see an ex-con with these tattoos? My money's on it being an old-time prison thing (a meme, if you will) begun by a long-forgotten and forever obscure convict.
posted by scratch at 12:09 PM on October 25, 2005

scratch, you're right. I meant that it's obvious that it had nothing to do with Mitchum (not Mitchell) or Laughton.
posted by dobbs at 12:15 PM on October 25, 2005

The Pogues' Peace and Love has a nice homage.
posted by kirkaracha at 12:34 PM on October 25, 2005

And of course the Blues Brothers movie had "JAKE" and "ELWO OD" tattoos on its main characters...
posted by Vidiot at 9:36 PM on October 27, 2005

And of course Spike Lee did a nice little homage to it, including the aforementioned speech by Michum's character, using 90's vintage four-knuckle gold rings in "Do the Right Thing".
posted by steviehero at 7:51 PM on March 30, 2006