Cape Fear
by J. Lee Thompson
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Gregory Peck, Lori Martin, Martin Balsam, Polly Bergen, Robert MitchumDirector: J. Lee Thompson
Brand: Universal
Cinematographer: Sam Leavitt
Editor: George Tomasini
Producer: Sy Bartlett
Writer: James R. Webb
Writer: John D. MacDonald
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 105 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-09-18
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Universal Studios
Movie Reviews of Cape Fear
Movie Review: Is it strange that I prefer Scorsese?
Summary: 4 Stars
Before you take my title out of context let me say this; I really, really like this film. With that said, I must confess that, while many here seem to consider this superior to Scorsese's 1991 remake, I feel that Scorsese upped the ante so-to-speak and delivered a more suspenseful and ultimately more intelligent thriller. Sure, this is a lot more subtle than Scorsese's (sign of the times my friend) but just because Scorsese added more violence doesn't make his any less effective. Scorsese tapped into something a little more primal, and by adding the layers of Cady's influence on Sam's daughter he managed to make him even more of a predator.
I won't even get into the fact that Scorsese's ending makes MUCH MORE SENSE.
So, this is obviously the 1962 original starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum. For those unfamiliar with the plot, this revolves around a lawyer named Sam Bowden who is being tormented by the recently released Max Cady, a brutal man who Sam helped put away. Determined to make Sam suffer in ways he can't even imagine, Max makes advances and threats towards Sam's wife and daughter, so much so that Sam is forced to step outside the law and take matters into his own hands.
The film, much like Scorsese's, lives and dies in the performances, especially in the man playing Max Cady (in this case, that man is Robert Mitchum). Much like De Niro, Mitchum epitomizes evil with his every movement. Even his southern drawl is abrasive and intimidating. Gregory Peck is not as lucky here. I know that everyone loves him and he is highly regarded as one of the best actors who ever worked, but really, I often find even his most praised work rather bland. He holds his own, but barely here. He doesn't have the sharp magnetism that Nick Nolte brought to Scorsese's film. Nolte and Peck are two VERY different actors. Peck was very understated, subtle and quiet, whereas Nolte often gets on my nerves because of his tendency to overact, BIG TIME. I think that tendency is what made him perfectly suited for this role though, and it is why I am fascinated with what he did. He was able to reign himself in to give a guarded and quiet performance, but it had this underlying layer of spark that simmered below the surface, baring its head at just the right moments. He was able to add layers that Peck forgot about.
I will say this though, J. Lee Thompson was definitely able to add the right amount of tension to this film; and it remains memorable because of that. Even in the ending, which in my opinion suffers from a lack of intelligent structure, Thompson keeps us at the edge of our seat, crippling us almost with a sharp sense of true terror.
In the end I have to say that this is a very good film, I just also have to disagree with all the reviewers who praise this over Scorsese's remake. This is good, but Scorsese's take was superb. Scorsese was able to tie up loose ends, add a little more depth to the plot and find the right actors for the roles, making for a very rewarding experience.
Summary of Cape Fear
A southern lawyer sets a trap on a houseboat for a twisted ex-convict terrorizing his family. Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 09/02/2003 Starring: Gregory Peck John Mckee Run time: 105 minutes Rating: Nr Director: J. Lee ThompsonSuperior to Martin Scorsese's punishing 1991 remake, this 1962 thriller directed by J. Lee Thompson (The Guns of Navarone) stars Robert Mitchum as a creepy ex-con angry at the attorney (Gregory Peck) whom he believes is responsible for his incarceration. After Mitchum makes clear his plans to harm Peck's family, a fascinating game of crisscrossing ethics and morality takes place. Where the more recent version seemed trapped in its explicitness, Thompson's film accomplishes a lot with a more economical and telling use of violence. The result is a richer character study with some Hitchcockian overtones regarding the nature of guilt. --Tom Keogh
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