Cape Fear (1962)

Director:

J. Lee Thompson

Writers:

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

Release Date:

1962 (Norway)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The Original Masterpiece Of Revenge, Confrontation And Murder!

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Lawyer | Dog | Rape | Bowling | Backwoods

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	Sam Bowden
Robert Mitchum	...	Max Cady
Polly Bergen	...	Peggy Bowden
Lori Martin	...	Nancy Bowden
Martin Balsam	...	Police Chief Mark Dutton
Jack Kruschen	...	Attorney Dave Grafton
Telly Savalas	...	Private Detective Charles Sievers
Barrie Chase	...	Diane Taylor
Paul Comi	...	George Garner
John McKee	...	Officer Marconi
Page Slattery	...	Deputy Kersek
Ward Ramsey	...	Officer Brown
Edward Platt	...	Judge
Will Wright	...	Dr. Pearsall
Joan Staley	...	Waitress
Norma Yost	...	Ticket clerk
Mack Williams	...	Dr. Lowney, Veterinarian
Thomas Newman	...	Lt. Pete Gervasi
Alan Reynolds	...	Attorney Vernon
Herb Armstrong	...	Waiter
Bunny Rhea	...	Pianist
Cindy Carol	...	Betty (as Carol Sydes)
Alan Wells	...	Young blade
Allan Ray	...	Young blade
Paul Levitt	...	Police operator
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jack Elkins	...	Pedestrian (uncredited)
Joseph Jenkins	...	Janitor (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Extra at Bar / Table Extra at Bar (uncredited)
Marion Landers	...	Cross (uncredited)
Bob Noble	...	Pedestrian (uncredited)
Jack Richardson	...	Deputy (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Al Silvani	...	Man (uncredited)
Josephine Smith	...	Librarian (uncredited)
Hal Taggart	...	Juror (uncredited)

Directed by
J. Lee Thompson

Writing credits
John D. MacDonald		(novel "The Executioners")
James R. Webb		(screenplay)

Produced by
Sy Bartlett	....	producer

Original Music by
Bernard Herrmann

Cinematography by
Sam Leavitt		(as Samuel Leavitt)

Film Editing by
George Tomasini

Art Direction by
Robert F. Boyle		(as Robert Boyle)
Alexander Golitzen

Set Decoration by
Oliver Emert

Costume Design by
Mary Wills

Makeup Department
Virginia Darcy	....	hair stylist (as Virginia D'Arcy)
Franz Prehoda	....	makeup artist
Thomas Tuttle	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Ernest B. Wehmeyer	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ray Gosnell Jr.	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Corson Jowett	....	sound
Waldon O. Watson	....	sound

Stunts
John McKee	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Léo L. Fuchs	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Robert Willoughby	....	special still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Bob Bain	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Melville-Talbot Productions

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1962) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1962) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1991) (worldwide) (VHS)
• Universal Home Video (2001) (Brazil) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles

Also Known As:

The Executioners (USA) (working title)
2 gigantes sygrouontai (Greece) [el]
Círculo do Medo (Brazil) [pt]
Cabo de miedo (Venezuela) [es]
Cabo do Medo (Brazil) [pt]
Ein Köder für die Bestie (West Germany) [de]
El cabo del terror (Spain) [es]
Farlig främling (Sweden) [sv]
Frygtens terror (Denmark) [da]
Il promontorio della paura (Italy) [it]
Korkusuzlar (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Le cap de la terreur (France) (literal title) [fr]
Les nerfs à vif (France) [fr]
Rt straha (Serbia) [sr]
Tuomitun kosto (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1962) (uncut) | Finland:K-16 (1969) (cut) | Finland:K-16 (1992) (uncut) | West Germany:18 (nf) | Germany:16 (re-rating) | Brazil:16 | Argentina:16 | Canada:PG (video rating) | Chile:18 | Norway:16 (1962) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:Approved (Certificate #20038)

Filming Locations:

Savannah, Georgia, USA

Company:

Melville-Talbot Productions

Trivia:

According to Robert Mitchum, during the filming of the final fight scene between he and Gregory Peck, Peck once accidentally punched him for real. Mitchum, knowing that Peck didn't mean to and ever the professional, refused to break character and continued filming the scene. However, upon entering his trailer, Mitchum said he "literally collapsed" due to the impact of the punch and said that he felt it for days after wards. According to Mitchum: "I don't feel sorry for anyone dumb enough who picks a fight with him (Peck)."

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sam is at the boat dock he goes into the shop and gets some thinner. As he is leaving the shop he has the thinner in his left hand. Then when he confronts Caty the thinner is gone and then he takes his daughter down the stairs the thinner is never seen again.

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!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: Sideshow Bob Roberts (#6.5)" (1994)

Stick With This One: The Original

Boy, this shows that you can still make a scary movie without a lot of blood, profanity and whatever. Hollywood didn't learn that, however, featuring all of it less than a decade after this was made. The Martin Scorcese re-make of this movie is exactly what I'm talking about.

This original Cape Fear was legitimately scary, thanks to the performance of Robert Mitchum, who doesn't need to resort to the f-word to be a tough, sick and really an evil character as he stalks Gregory Peck and his wife (Polly Bergen) and daughter (Lori Martin).

Bergan and Martin are two women I don't see too much in films which is too bad. They did a lot more TV work than movies. Another thing you don't see much anymore - a nice, sympathetic policeman - was also portrayed in here nicely by Martin Balsam.

The ending has some holes in it, to be sure, but overall it offers a good 106- minute suspense story.