Guide Note

Cape Fear was adapted from the novel The Executioners by John D. MacDonald.

Fast Facts

1. Original Release Date: April 12, 1962
2. Director: J. Lee Thompson
3. Starring: Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Max Cady, Polly Bergen
4. Run Time: 105 min
5. April 2007 Newsweek picked Robert Mitchum's character to be one of the top ten villains in movie history
6. Remake Release Date: November 13, 1991
7. Director: Martin Scorsese
8. Starring: Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, Juliette Lewis, Joe Don Baker, Robert Mitchum, Gregory Peck
9. Run Time: 2hrs 8min
10. Parodied in the episode Cape Feare of The Simpsons

Eight years ago, District Attorney Sam Bowden (Gregory Peck) helped to convict Max Cady (Robert Mitchum) of assaulting a young woman. For eight years Cady has been obsessed with getting revenge against Bowden, studying the law that once served to keep him prisoner. After being released from prison, Cady begins to terrorize the Bowden family, stalking Sam's daughter and poisoning the family dog. Bowden suspects Cady, but cannot prove any wrong doing. Bowden must protect his family from an ex-con bent on revenge, but this time, the law is not on his side.

• Martin Scorsese
• Robert De Niro
• Nick Nolte
• Jessica Lange
• Juliette Lewis