[DejaJude]

Scared the fire out of me too. You can see I’ve never forgotten it.

Me either, but "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" is still one of my favorite hymns. I think it's beautiful.

[AnAmericanMother]

It's a good old camp meeting hymn. You know it was written by the author for the funeral of two close friends?

The use of it in True Grit is more straightforward, but in Night of the Hunter it's sort of comforting the way Gish's character takes the melody and the meaning away from Mitchum. . . she really is leaning on the Everlasting Arms, and with that strength she shoots the SOB. And good riddance. Love the phone call to the sheriff, "I got something trapped in my barn."