Cape Fear (1991)

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Directed by Martin Scorsese.

Starring Joe Don Baker, Robert De Niro, Jessica Lange, Juliette Lewis, Nick Nolte.

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Martin Scorsese's remake of Cape Fear provided the director with a box-office success to follow up the critical success of the previous year's Goodfellas. After serving a lengthy prison sentence for a sexual assault, Max Cady (Robert De Niro) comes calling on the man who served as his public defender, Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte). Max begins a campaign of harassment against the man and his family because Bowden buried a report that would have in all likelihood acquitted Cady of the charges against him. Bowden's shaky ethics continue in his personal life as he is considering beginning an extramarital affair with colleague Lori Davis (Illeana Douglas), since he and his wife, Leigh (Jessica Lange) have had a difficult time coming back together since he has admitted to previous indiscretions. Cady infiltrates the family most insidiously by cultivating a relationship with the Bowden's troubled teenage daughte, Danielle (Juliette Lewis), who is all the more susceptible to Cady's advances because of her parents' problems. Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck, the stars of the original film, have cameo appearances in this version of Cape Fear. De Niro and Lewis were both nominated for Academy Awards for their work in the film. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

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Reviews and discussions

creepy
by critick_chick in critick_chick Blog

liked it.

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"this movie is so creepy i just loved it, it's a psychological thriller, and those are the scariest. this is one of my favorites, and i loved robert de niro in this. " [More]

creepy
by critick_chick in critick_chick Blog

liked it.

Cape Fear (1991, USA, Martin Sc ...
by CinemaRian in CinemaRian Blog

hasn't rated it.

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"When you think of a director doing a movie for the money or the chance to make another film he really wants to make, you generally think of someone going through the motions, lack passions. Although he never explicitly said so, it often thought that Cape Fear was an commercial effort made either to pay back Universal for financing his dream project, The Last Temptation of Christ, or to show that he could direct a hit in order to make more "personal" material like his next film, The Age of Innocence, or both. The surprising thing about Cape Fear is that it's actually worse than a by-the-numbers, phoned in effort- it like the work of a film student who has unending passion, but no judgment. It is so ridiculously over the top that it would be laughable if it were not so damn boring. The problem is not that is commercial (lots of great movies are), it's that it's stupid. The movie is of course a remake of the original Cape Fear, an extremely minor classic directed by J ... " [More]

If Saul Bass Designed the Star ...
by SpoutBlog in SpoutBlog on spout.com

hasn't rated it.

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"Star Wars may have the most famous opening title sequence in film history, but in terms of influence it’s got nothing on the work of Saul Bass. He’s the brilliant graphic designer who gave us the animated credits for Hitchcock’s Vertigo, North by Northwest and Psycho and Scorsese’s Casino, Cape Fear, The Age of Innocence and Goodfellas and most of Otto Preminger’s work, including Exodus, Anatomy of a Murder and The Man With the Golden Arm. You’ve also seen his work at the beginning of West Side Story and Alien and Big and The Seven Year Itch and Spartacus. But what if he had designed the opening credits to Star Wars? Well, it might have looked something like this video, which was created for a school project. Interesting, yes. Creative, yes. Entertaining, yes. Memorable, no. It just goes to show how significant some credit sequences can be, because this is hardly appropriate for George Lucas’ film. And I don’t just mean because the music is all wrong. If this student wanted to go w ... " [More]

movie year countdown #45 - 1962 ...
by Risselada in Risselada Blog

hasn't rated it.

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"This blog entry is part of my “movie year countdown”. To read more about that check out my first Spout filmblog entry.Cape FearThis movie certainly deserves the adjective "Hitchcockian." You can tell the filmmakers had him in mind during every step of the process. The music was even done by Bernard Herrmann! They did it right though, as this film rivals almost any authentic Hitchcock film I've seen.Robert Mitchum plays one of cinema's great creep performances. I know when putting the movie together they tried two give the two lead male roles equal time, but Mitchum just steals it all in every scene he's in. Gregory Peck knew this too, but as one of the producers (I think) he just let Mitchum go at it because he knew what the movie needed.I haven't seen Scorsese's version of Cape Fear yet, but I can totally picture DeNiro in the role as well. Although it's difficult to imagine if it can come close to the original. I'll seek i ... " [More]

Re: hard to scare
by Risselada in HORROR MOVIES 101

hasn't rated it.

"And a very fine group it has become!Ah well no one gets along well all the time. If they do, then they aren't really engaging! Where is the fun otherwise?I try. I try. (I must laugh or face the wrath!). :)Right back atcha!All the more reason for me to search out that remake when I'm done with this one! " [More]

Cape Fear
by HairyLime in HairyLime Blog

liked it.

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"I'd seen the original version with Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum years ago, I'd read the book by John D. MacDonald on which it was based (definitely much less interesting that either film version, don't you love when a mediocre source material spawns a much superior work when translated to film - The Godfather, Kiss Me Deadly also come to mind), and I've seen the Simpsons spoof with Sideshow Bob numerous times, but I had yet to see this remake from start to finish (I'd always caught a little bit of it here and there, but never was quite drawn in enough to commit). The other night I finally got around to watching the whole thing from start to finish, and while it is a bit overblown in places, I was impressed by quite a lot of it. Some interesting reviews here on Spout, be sure to check out MaryMcilwain's 'Joe Don Baker' tribute, and Quint makes an interesting point about the film echoing 'Frankenstein' (which hadn't occurred to me before, but I can definitely see it now). While De ... " [More]

The Unsung Glory of Joe Don Baker
by marymcilwain in Dollar Video Curator

is neutral about it.

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"Joe Don Baker is a hero of a movie star. Why? Well, Joe Don is not afraid to play what he is. With rutty face in various stages of bloat and constant can of beer in hand, he is true to his essence, heroically taking on the lesser role again and again. The handsome starring role, the funny-man lead, or any sympathetic character? You will find none of these in Joe Don’s repertoire. He’ll break every rule without regret, unapologetically leave porn on the couch, and fill those size 40 pants every time, all for the good of the movie. So wave that American flag and settle your fat ass down onto your beer-stained-couch with potato chips between the cushions. Joe Don, we salute you with a triple feature!!! The Films: Fletch, Cape Fear (1991), Mitchell Viewing order importance: Mitchell is the finale, always FletchJoe Don stars opposite funny man Chevy Chase as corrupt police Chief Captain Karlin. Who else could play the enemy in a Chevy Chase vehicle? Everyone knows that Chevy is go ... " [More]

Top 5 Title Sequences
by chesterfilms in chesterfilms Blog

loved it.

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"I guess we could call this the Saul Bass Memorial List. Here goes.1. Vertigo (1958)2. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)3. Se7en (1995)4. Fahrenheit 451 (1966)5. Cape Fear (1991) " [More]

Re: Hannibal Lecter vs Norman B ...
by Puhnner in HORROR MOVIES 101

disliked it.

"Off the subject a bit and call me a heretic, but I always enjoyed Brian Cox as 'Hannibal Lecter' (in Michael Mann's Manhunter ; in fact, I enjoyed this film much more so than Red Dragon), much more than Sir Anthony Hopkins, whose performance seemed to peak for me in the Silence of the Lambs and descend further and further into Sir Anthony playing Hopkins playing Hannibal playing Sir Anthony as the series progressed ( maybe, blame it on the Director instead of Hopkins ). I also found Manhunter much more effective than Red Dragon; and Hannibal only so much fetid bilgewater under the bridge ( hell, even the book stunk ). Brian Cox seemed more real person than the 'super hero' that Lecter became ( I have not seen Hannibal Rising ), similar to Mitchum' Max Cady in Cape Fear compared to De Niro's Cady in Cape Fear.There, I have said it, but it remains only my opinion and subject to the same lack of insight with which all my opinions are formed and proffered.. " [More]

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Review by All Movie Guide

All Movie Guide

lost interest.

Emphasizing dark brutality and family dysfunction, Martin Scorsese reconceived the early-'60s noir thriller Cape Fear (1991) for the far more jaded '90s. Rather than an attack on familial bliss, rapist Max Cady's vendetta against the Bowdens brings the existing rot to the surface; the diseased justice system provides an assist in the person of not only Nick Nolte's ex-public defender and philandering husband Sam Bowden, but also a slyly recast Gregory Peck as Cady's new attorney, and Robert Mitchum as a sheriff. The latent corruption reaches a peak in the creepy "seduction" scene between Robert De Niro's Cady and Juliette Lewis' Danielle Bowden; rather than a threatened innocent, she is a nubile, willing accomplice in Cady's game. Though Cady's Biblical vengeance, hellfire and brimstone tattoos, and legitimate beef with Sam initially make him a compelling villain, the over-the-top violence and horror movie grossness ultimately undermine the story's chilling elements, turning it into a rote genre piece that pales next to Scorsese's earlier work. Executed with technical aplomb, complete with Bernard Herrmann's original 1962 score recreated by Elmer Bernstein, Cape Fear became Scorsese's biggest box-office success (and fodder for a hilarious parody on TV's The Simpsons). ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

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