Cape Fear (1962)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Anthony L

  
  Cape Fear is a classic noir that really achieves its intentions. J. Lee Thompson is a director I'm ashamed to say I'm still fairly unfamiliar with although the few films of his I have seen I have loved. It is obvious here that he has mastered the art of light and shadow, the… More
  Cape Fear is a classic noir that really achieves its intentions. J. Lee Thompson is a director I'm ashamed to say I'm still fairly unfamiliar with although the few films of his I have seen I have loved. It is obvious here that he has mastered the art of light and shadow, the film is beautiful throughout and the night scenes are some of the best I've seen before and since. The acting by the two leads is faultless, both are brilliantly cast and effortlessly compelling. Unforgettable and miles ahead of its peers, no wonder Scorsese admired it but remaking it was a brave move!

• AJ V

  
  This is a great thriller, it's exciting and suspenseful, and has a couple of great actors. I highly recommend it.

• Spencer S

  
  A pulse racing epic battle between a criminal and the man who wronged him, Cape Fear is both psychologically frightening and maddening to the senses. Made in the 60's, there is no comparison to the black and white night, so forbidding and frightful that color would ruin a… More
  A pulse racing epic battle between a criminal and the man who wronged him, Cape Fear is both psychologically frightening and maddening to the senses. Made in the 60's, there is no comparison to the black and white night, so forbidding and frightful that color would ruin a perfectly good chase scene.

• Leigh R

  
  Very well done. Not my type of thrill but it was still beautifully done.

• Fernando Rafael Q

  
  Robert Mitchum is an intriguing villain in CAPE FEAR, the original (and better) story of Max Cady, an ex-con in search of revenge on the lawyer who got him in prison, and his family. As Cady, Mitchum is cunning, smart, mysterious and strangely alluring. He carefully creates an… More
  Robert Mitchum is an intriguing villain in CAPE FEAR, the original (and better) story of Max Cady, an ex-con in search of revenge on the lawyer who got him in prison, and his family. As Cady, Mitchum is cunning, smart, mysterious and strangely alluring. He carefully creates an evil scheme, confident in his newfound freedom. His performance in CAPE FEAR is what makes the film special. Max Cady is such a rich character and Mitchum plays him perfectly. Hitchcock collaborator Bernard Herrmann contributed with the iconic score.

• xGary X

  
  A lawyer finds his family terrorized by a brutal woman hating sociopath who blames him for sending him to jail for 8 years. Gregory Peck was the perfect casting choice as the morally upstanding husband and father who finds he must question his principles when the law fails to protect… More
  A lawyer finds his family terrorized by a brutal woman hating sociopath who blames him for sending him to jail for 8 years. Gregory Peck was the perfect casting choice as the morally upstanding husband and father who finds he must question his principles when the law fails to protect them from such a wily and dangerous predator. But it is Mitchum on top form who steals the film and brings a real sense of underlying menace to his character; the scenes he shares with Peck crackle with tension. There's also some strong support from the ever reliable Martin Balsam and Telly Savalas (sporting a full head of hair!) and the family scenes are refreshingly syrup free. With a very memorable score and great showdown featuring a classic closing speech, this is far better than the uncharacteristically crass Martin Scorsese remake.

• Jason S

  
  Excellent thriller that delivers a screen baddie that is one of the greats. It's a chilling movie.

• Pierluigi P

  
  Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum are face to face, pound to pound in this thrilling and terrifying noir with a great score by Bernard Herrmann

• Cindy I

  
  A creepy film about a released criminal who stalks the lawyer who had him put away. Robert Mitchum is chilling as the scary yet somehow charming Cady, and Gregory Peck plays the lawyer. The scenes where Cady is stalking the lawyer's wife and daughter is particularly unsettling.… More
  A creepy film about a released criminal who stalks the lawyer who had him put away. Robert Mitchum is chilling as the scary yet somehow charming Cady, and Gregory Peck plays the lawyer. The scenes where Cady is stalking the lawyer's wife and daughter is particularly unsettling. Better keep the lights on.

• Lady D

  
  Certainly wasn't expecting this to that great, seeing as Cape Fear (The remake) is one of my favourite films, but I really enjoyed it. It was inevitable to compare the two and I still prefer the newer version, but was very impressed by Robert Mitcham in this, not quite so… More
  Certainly wasn't expecting this to that great, seeing as Cape Fear (The remake) is one of my favourite films, but I really enjoyed it. It was inevitable to compare the two and I still prefer the newer version, but was very impressed by Robert Mitcham in this, not quite so impressed with Gregory Peck. There were variations in the story, which was good as it meant that it wasn't quite so predictable.

• Michael G

  
  Excellent score, great acting.

• Danny R

  
  A brutal, suspenseful classic noir masterpiece where a revenge-seeking convict who has just been release from prison after serving an eight-year term for rape and assault, he preys upon the sensibilities of the small-town attorney who help put him away, Gregory Peck in a superlative… More
  A brutal, suspenseful classic noir masterpiece where a revenge-seeking convict who has just been release from prison after serving an eight-year term for rape and assault, he preys upon the sensibilities of the small-town attorney who help put him away, Gregory Peck in a superlative performance as the righteous attorney Sam Bowden who is terrorized by the convict Max Cady, a psychotic-rapist who is more animal than a man, he is chillingly played by Robert Mitchum in a brilliant study in sadism, Bowden is a man of the law who is respected and admired and now is forced to examine his own values and sink lower than he thought possible in order to protect his family from the pursuit of the monstrous Cady, who is now stalking his beautiful wife, played nicely by Polly Bergen and his teenaged daughter, played by young Lori Martin in a excellent turn. Bowden is legally powerless to keep Cady from playing his deadly game of cat and mouse, but all the these events will lead to a heart-stopping climax aboard a houseboat on the Cape Fear river. Brilliant direction by J. Lee Thompsom with a outstanding supporting performances by Martin Balsam, Telly Savalas and Barrie Chasse, but Robert Mitchum steals the film outright he creates a unstoppable force of pure hate, a representation of all we fear and loathe in a almost graceful subtlety, he is evil to core, Mitchum so immersed himself so fully into the skin and psyche of this beast of a man that he never seems like he's acting. A magnificently haunting score by Bernard Herrmann and stunning black & white cinematography by Sam Leavitt. This is dark cinema at its best. Highly Recommended.

• Mike T

  
  Extremely dark suspense film with a brilliant performance by Robert Mitchum.

• Doctor S

  
  Scorsese's remake was good and DeNiro was plenty scary, but he's no match for supercreep Robert Mitchum as one of the most menacing villains you'll ever encounter. And don't even try to compare Nick Nolte vs Gregory Peck or I may get a laugh hernia.

• Marcus W

  
  It's said that a hero is only as good as the villain, which means Gregory Peck is the original Superman considering his nemesis in this film...Max Cady is intelligent, devious, evil and portrayed flawlessly by Mitchum. The way he torments Peck's family while staying within… More
  It's said that a hero is only as good as the villain, which means Gregory Peck is the original Superman considering his nemesis in this film...Max Cady is intelligent, devious, evil and portrayed flawlessly by Mitchum. The way he torments Peck's family while staying within the law is beautiful to watch, and it's this tension that builds and builds until... Essential viewing.

• Sean L

  
  I'd be lying if I said I didn't prefer the remake, but this classic version was worth seeing for the suspenseful direction and the acting of Gregory Peck and Robert Mega-Badass Mitchum. The performances carry this movie and make it pretty enjoyable.

• alan j

  
  enjoyed the remake better.but Mitchum's performance quite realistic and scary

• Barry L

  
  Very edgy movie with some great performances. Good to see the big boys slumming it with psychological films like this.

• nathometer

  
  An interesting suspense movie.

Read all 19 featured audience ratings