Cape Fear (1962)

Directed by

J. Lee Thompson

Genre

drama film, film noir, horror film, crime film, mystery film, thriller film

Country

United States

Runtime

1h 46m

Rated

PG

Rating

7.5 of 10 from 641 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

An attorney and his family are targeted for revenge by a violent ex-convict he helped put away. The stalker methodically intimidates and terrorizes them, pushing the family to their limits.

tensesuspensefuldarkmenacingpsychologically unsettlingslow-burngrittyclaustrophobic

What happens

Cape Fear is a 1962 American southern gothic psychological thriller film directed by J. Lee Thompson, from a screenplay by James R. Webb, adapting the 1957 novel The Executioners by John D. MacDonald. It stars Gregory Peck as Sam Bowden, an attorney and family man who is stalked by a violent psychopath and ex-con named Max Cady (played by Robert Mitchum), who is bent on revenge for Bowden's role in his conviction eight years prior. The film co-stars Polly Bergen and features Lori Martin, Martin Balsam, Jack Kruschen, Telly Savalas, and Barrie Chase in supporting roles. Produced by Peck's company Melville Productions and distributed by Universal Pictures, the film includes several key cast and crew who had previously worked with director Alfred Hitchcock, including editor George Tomasini and composer Bernard Herrmann. J. Lee Thompson's direction was also strongly influenced by Hitchcock. The film was released on June 15, 1962. It received positive reviews from critics, who highlighted Peck and Mitchum's performances. A remake of the same name was released in 1991, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Nick Nolte and Robert De Niro in the lead roles. Peck, Mitchum, and Balsam all appeared as different characters in the remake. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

More like this

• Psycho (1960)
• 13 West Street (1962)
• Experiment in Terror (1962)
• The Conversation (1974)
• Rear Window (1954)
• Marnie (1964)
• Dial M for Murder (1954)
• The Couch (1962)