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Cape Fear

  • 1962
  • Passed
  • 1h 46m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
30K
YOUR RATING
Robert Mitchum, Gregory Peck, Polly Bergen, and Lori Martin in Cape Fear (1962)
Watch Trailer
Play trailer2:08
1 Video
99+ Photos
DramaThriller

A lawyer's family is stalked by a man he once helped put in jail.A lawyer's family is stalked by a man he once helped put in jail.A lawyer's family is stalked by a man he once helped put in jail.

  • Director
    • J. Lee Thompson
  • Writers
    • John D. MacDonald
    • James R. Webb
  • Stars
    • Gregory Peck
    • Robert Mitchum
    • Polly Bergen
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    30K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • J. Lee Thompson
    • Writers
      • John D. MacDonald
      • James R. Webb
    • Stars
      • Gregory Peck
      • Robert Mitchum
      • Polly Bergen
    • 194User reviews
    • 87Critic reviews
    • 76Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:08
    Watch Trailer

    Photos130

    Gregory Peck and Polly Bergen in Cape Fear (1962)
    Lori Martin in Cape Fear (1962)
    Gregory Peck in Cape Fear (1962)
    "Cape Fear" Robert Mitchum 1961 Universal
    "Cape Fear" Robert Mitchum 1961 Universal
    "Cape Fear" Robert Mitchum 1961 Universal
    "Cape Fear" Robert Mitchum, Barry Chase 1961 Universal
    "Cape Fear" Robert Mitchum 1961 Universal
    "Cape Fear" Robert Mitchum, Barry Chase 1961 Universal
    "Cape Fear" Robert Mitchum, Polly Bergen 1961 Universal
    "Cape Fear" Robert Mitchum, Polly Bergen 1961 Universal
    Robert Mitchum and Barrie Chase in Cape Fear (1962)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Gregory Peck
    Gregory Peck
    • Sam Bowden
    Robert Mitchum
    Robert Mitchum
    • Max Cady
    Polly Bergen
    Polly Bergen
    • Peggy Bowden
    Lori Martin
    Lori Martin
    • Nancy Bowden
    Martin Balsam
    Martin Balsam
    • Police Chief Mark Dutton
    Jack Kruschen
    Jack Kruschen
    • Attorney Dave Grafton
    Telly Savalas
    Telly Savalas
    • Private Detective Charles Sievers
    Barrie Chase
    Barrie Chase
    • Diane Taylor
    Paul Comi
    Paul Comi
    • Garner
    John McKee
    • Officer Marconi
    Page Slattery
    • Deputy Kersek
    Ward Ramsey
    Ward Ramsey
    • Officer Brown
    Edward Platt
    Edward Platt
    • Judge
    Will Wright
    Will Wright
    • Dr. Pearsall
    Joan Staley
    Joan Staley
    • Waitress
    Norma Yost
    • Ticket Clerk
    Mack Williams
    • Dr. Lowney
    Tom Newman
    • Lt. Gervasi
    • (as Thomas Newman)
    • Director
      • J. Lee Thompson
    • Writers
      • John D. MacDonald
      • James R. Webb
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Gregory Peck later said regarding Robert Mitchum, "I had given him the role and had paid him a terrific amount of money. It was obvious he had the better role. I thought he would understand that, but he apparently thought he acted me off the screen. I didn't think highly of him for that."
    • Goofs
      Animal sounds heard along the river when the private detective hands over the suitcase to Mrs Bowden are not those of the local fauna. One can distinctly hear the laughing voice of the kookaburra, a bird found only in Australia.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Max Cady: [Bowden has shot Cady and is holding the gun on him] Go ahead. I just don't give a damn.

      Sam Bowden: No. No! That would be letting you off too easy, too fast. Your words - do you remember? Well I do. No, we're gonna take good care of you. We're gonna nurse you back to health. And you're strong, Cady. You're gonna live a long life... in a cage! That's where you belong and that's where you're going. And this time for life! Bang your head against the walls. Count the years - the months - the hours... until the day you rot!

    • Connections
      Edited into The Making of 'Cape Fear' (2001)

    User reviews194

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Good drama made great by an excellent Mitchum
    Sam Bowden is a lawyer who, eight years ago, acted as a witness against Max Cady to put him behind bars. Released from prison, Cady has studied the law and is set on terrorising the Bowdens without actually overstepping his legal rights. As Cady toes the line with increasingly worrying results, Browden begins to cross the line to deal with him and protect his family.

    Having seen the remake first I wanted to go back and see it done originally. My first impression was that the remake had done some elements better than this. For example Nolte's lawyer is a lot less clean-cut than Pecks'. Also the sexual threat to the daughter is a lot more played out in the remake. Getting past this I saw how this was actually a better film in many ways. As a drama it moves along at a good pace – not jumping from one thrill to the next but not dragging either.

    The film can only hint at the deeds of Cady because of the censors but it is clear even to the blind that Cady is a monster. This ups the tension as everything is slowly build to and we don't get a bloody or sexually shocking scene as a pay-off, no, here the tension is build on top of other tension. The direction is good, giving a dark feel to the look of the film as well as hinting constantly. Even if some of the thrills are signposted it still works well.

    However, without Mitchum's performance this would be a very different film. With the help of De Niro's sneer or menacing tattoos, he is still a better Cady. He is on top form – where De Niro wore his threat large, Mitchum hints at it under a veneer of casual disinterest, making the threat seem bigger when he acts. Peck is good even if his character is too clean-cut when he should have been pushed further over the line for my tastes. Bergen doesn't have much to do, but her final scene with Mitchum is powerful and she really lets rip. Martin is perfectly cast – she looks like a child but also is `developed' enough to be a sexual role for Mitchum to prey on. It is easy to watch her as Mitchum closes in on her, almost licking his lips, but that's the power of the film.

    Overall this manages to be powerful and thrilling despite the censors and is a really good drama. However it is totally carried by a monstrous yet subtle performance by Mitchum. De Niro was good in the role but once you've seen this you'll realise that menace can be acted subtly and not just by sneering and getting tonnes of tattoos.
    helpful•40
    5
    • bob the moo
    • Dec 5, 2002

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    FAQ7

    • What is Cape Fear about?
    • Is Cape Fear based on a book?
    • What does the title mean?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 15, 1962 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Executioners
    • Filming locations
      • Savannah, Georgia, USA
    • Production companies
      • Melville Productions
      • Talbot Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $3,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 46 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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    Robert Mitchum, Gregory Peck, Polly Bergen, and Lori Martin in Cape Fear (1962)
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