Cape Fear (1991)

A convicted rapist, released from prison after serving a fourteen-year sentence, stalks the family of the lawyer who originally defended him.

Director:

Martin Scorsese

Writers:

John D. MacDonald (novel), James R. Webb (earlier screenplay)

Stars:

Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 19 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert De Niro	...	Max Cady
Nick Nolte	...	Sam Bowden
Jessica Lange	...	Leigh Bowden
Juliette Lewis	...	Danielle Bowden
Joe Don Baker	...	Claude Kersek
Robert Mitchum	...	Lieutenant Elgart
Gregory Peck	...	Lee Heller
Martin Balsam	...	Judge
Illeana Douglas	...	Lori Davis
Fred Dalton Thompson	...	Tom Broadbent
Zully Montero	...	Graciella
Craig Henne	...	Prisoner
Forest Burton	...	Prisoner
Edgar Allan Poe IV	...	Prisoner
Rod Ball	...	Prisoner

Storyline

Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte)is a small-town corporate attorney/"Leave It to Beaver" type family-man. Max Cady (Robert De Niro) is a tattooed, cigar-smoking, bible-quoting, rapist. What do they have in common? Fourteen years, ago Sam was a public defender assigned to Max Cady's rape trial, and he made a serious error: he hid a document from his illiterate client that could have gotten him acquitted. Now, the cagey, bibliophile Cady has been released, and he intends to teach Sam Bowden and his family a thing or two about loss.

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Plot Keywords:

revenge | violence | houseboat | home invasion | bible quote | 

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Taglines:

He learned to read.

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Genres:

Crime | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, and for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 November 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cabo de miedo

Filming Locations:

Florida, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$79,100,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$103,200,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Amblin Entertainment, Cappa Films, Tribeca Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo (as Dolby Stereo SR)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the auditorium scene between Robert De Niro and Juliette Lewis, it was De Niro's idea to put his thumb in her mouth.

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Goofs

When Sam throws the anchor in the water it's attached to an iron chain. Minutes later the anchor is only attached to rope, and Max is able to cut it loose with a knife.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Danielle: My reminiscence. I always thought that for such a lovely river the name is mystifying: "Cape Fear". When the only thing to fear on those enchanted summer nights was that the magic would end and real life would come crashing in.

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Crazy Credits

Later half of the credits are played to the sound of nighttime crickets.

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Alternate Versions

SPOILER: When the movie was originally shown on network television, the blood left by Kersek's killing was optically removed by censors and replaced by a clean tile floor.

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Connections

Referenced in Brimstone (2016)

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Soundtracks

Per te d'immenso giubilo
From the opera "Lucia Di Lammermoor"
Written by Gaetano Donizetti (as Donizetti)
Courtesy of Everest Records

User Reviews

Released ex-con blames an advocate for his prison and schemes an insidious vendetta on his family

Gripping and extraordinary psycho-thriller with an unforgettable Robert De Niro who suffers incarceration and seeks revenge as a nasty criminal and believably creepy . This thriller has a clear reminiscent to previous remake based on John MacDonald's novel titled ¨The executioners¨ and adding riveting psychological layers . It concerns on Max Cady (Robert De Niro, also producer , role formerly performed by Robert Mitchum) a psycho ex-convict excellently played by De Niro , who released from jail after fourteen years accuses a Southern lawyer , a magnificent Nick Nolte, for his several years imprisoned and plans a malevolent vengeance ,vowing make a living hell for his wife (Jessica Lange , anterior role by Polly Bergen) and daughter (Juliette Lewis , previously performed by Lori Martin). Nolte is helped by the chief Inspector (the politician Fred Dalton Thompson , formerly interpreted by Martin Balsam) and he hires an astute detective (Joe Don Baker , role of Telly Savalas) to watch him . Meanwhile, Max Cady/De Niro plays to cat and mouse with his family which is increasingly menaced .

This exciting film with interesting screenplay by Wesley Strick contains psychological characterization , grisly triller , tense situations and is pretty entertaining , though overlong . It's brilliant , atmospheric and slickly developed , almost a masterpiece . Phenomenal and artistic main titles by Saul Bass , Hitchcock's usual . Lavishly produced by the great Steven Spielberg and Barbara De Fina , Scorsese's ordinary producer . Awesome performance from De Niro as a self-educated wacko with ominous purports , though sometimes hands the role overblown and overacting way . Major asset are the continuous suspense and marvelous acting though at the ending becomes into an unbelievable terror film . Casting is frankly awesome with exceptional performances, especially by Nolte as a wily advocate at law , Jessica Lange as suffering wife and Joe Don Baker as a tough eye-private . Brief star cameos by Gregory Peck , Robert Mitchum and Martin Balsam who starred the classical version (1962) by J. Lee Thompson and screenplay by James R. Webb , still daring for his time . Musical score by Elmer Berstein based on the soundtrack composed by the master Bernard Herrmann with a similar style from Hitchcock music films . Sensational and colorful cinematography in Panavision by the excellent and veteran British cameraman Freddie Francis . The motion picture is splendidly directed by Martin Scorsese , one of the best contemporary filmmakers . It's a must see for Robert De Niro and Nick Nolte fans. The film is one of the best thrillers from the 90s in spite of being a remake . Rating : Better than average, well worth watching .