The wedding night, the anticipation, the kiss, the knife, BUT ABOVE ALL... THE SUSPENSE!

Harry Powell marries and murders widows for their money believing he is helping God do away with women who arouse mens carnal instincts. Arrested for auto theft he shares a cell with condemned killer Ben Harper and tries to get him to reveal the whereabouts of the $10000 he stole. Only Bens nine-year-old son John and four-year-old daughter Pearl know the money is in Pearls doll and they have sworn to their father to keep this secret. After Ben is executed Preacher goes to Cresaps Landing to court Bens widow Willa. He overwhelms her with his Scripture quoting sermons and hymns and she agrees to marry him. On their wedding night he tells her they will never have sex because it is sinful. When the depressed confused guilty woman catches him trying to force Pearl to reveal the whereabouts of the money she is resigned to her fate but the children manage to escape downriver with Preacher following close behind.