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Actors: Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Polly Bergen, Telly Savalas
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Cape Fear (1962) |
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After being released from prison after 8 years, a criminal, Max, begins stalking Sam, the lawyer that put him away, and his family. He fixates on Sam's daughter, Nancy. At first, he just watches and follows them, but as things progress he poisons their dog.
One night, Max picks up a girl in a bar and beats her.
Sam and the cops think they've got Max now, but the girl won't press charges.
Sam offers Max money to leave town, but Max refuses to leave. He also hires thugs to beat Max up, but that doesn't stop him either.
Sam takes his family up river and hides his wife in a houseboat and his daughter in a cabin while he travels for a hearing. However, knowing that Max would go after his family, Sam doubles back to the boat and brings a cop along. Sam and the cop hide along the river while another cop leads Max to the boat and into a trap.
Max waits until dark to make his move. He spots the cops and realizes what's happening. He quietly kills the cops, climbs aboard the boat and cuts it loose, leaving Sam behind.
Sam gives chase until the boat gets caught on some brush.
Having gotten Sam away from Nancy, Max sneaks off the boat, returns to the cabin and drags Nancy into the woods.
Sam catches up to them and he and Max fight. When Max has the upper hand, Sam hits him with a rock and retrieves a gun he lost in the struggle. However, instead of killing Max he lets him live so he can spend the rest of his life in prison.
--Brandon Swenson, Resident Scholar
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A convict (Max Cady) has just been released from prison after serving eight years for rape and battery. He blames Sam Bowden, a successful lawyer and family man, for his prison time. Max Cady starts to stalk Sam Bowden and his family. At first Bowden thinks that Cady is just trying to annoy him, but after Cady poisons the family dog and stalks Sam's daughter at school,Bowden begins to realize that Cady is out for revenge.
--alex nicoll, Resident Scholar
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Sam Bowden (Peck) is a small town attorney, living a quiet life with his wife and daughter until Max Cady (Mitchum) reappears. Cady was sent to prison by Bowden. He wants to destroy Bowden and his life – he thinks terrorizing the entire family will be just revenge for the damage Cady suffered while imprisoned and some compensation for the disruption of his life. Will Bowden do anything to protect his family from this ex-con?
A film noir classic. Perhaps you might be more familiar with the 1991 release. This is the original. Based on the John D. MacDonald thriller.
--ldpaulson, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of Cape Fear (1962) |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie
Actual chase scenes or violence - 26.7%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 33.3%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
Time/Era of Movie:
- 1930's-1950's
Crime & Police Story?
Yes
Crime story:
- hunted by killer/stalker
Criminal enemy is...
- bad vigilante getting revenge
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- a lawyer creature
Age:
- 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- short/standard straight (man)
Body type
- average (man)
Events of movie makes character more...
- cynical
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Body type
- average (woman)
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 80%
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Setting
United States
Yes
Small town?
Yes
Small town people:
- nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- non-gory references to death/punishment
Kind of violence:
- hand to hand
Check here if B&W
Yes
Any profanity?
- None
Is this movie based on a
- book
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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