Welcome to Wild Card Wednesday! We have an installment of the original vs. remake series I do with Tiffany A. White. This month’s movie is Cape Fear. I will talk about the original today and Tiffany will talk about the 1991 remake at her blog on Friday.
I’ve spent a whole month trying to figure out how to talk about Cape Fear because it’s one of my favorite movies. Let’s start with the basics.
Cape Fear is a 1962 movie which starred Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Martin Balsam, Telly Savalas, and Polly Bergen. The film was directed by J. Lee Thompson. Thompson is also known for directing The Guns of Navarone, which also starred Gregory Peck.
Summary: (homemade)
Sam Bowden (Peck) is a small town attorney who has always relied on the legal system to dole out justice.
Max Cady (Mitchum) is a violent sociopath just released from prison after serving eight years on rape charges.
Eight years earlier, Sam Bowden called the police to stop Max Cady from raping a woman. Bowden later testified against Cady in court.
Gregory Peck
as Sam BowdenCady blames Bowden for the eight years he lost in prison, and he’s ready for serve up some revenge. Max Cady poisons the Bowden dog and stalks Sam Bowden’s wife and daughter.
But, in the eyes of the law, Bowden can’t prove Cady has done anything. Cady has been careful to do everything but break the law.
Robert Mitchum
as Max CadySam Bowden must go against his principles and make his own justice to stop Max Cady from destroying his family…and getting away with it.
Watch the Trailer:
Many well known actors wanted to be part of Cape Fear. Rod Steiger was interested in the Max Cady role.
Charlton Heston, John Wayne, Jack Palance, James Coburn, and Charles Bronson were all considered for the role of Sam Bowden. Charlton Heston was originally cast, and Gregory Peck was a last minute replacement.
Charleton Heston
Cape Fear was a controversial film fifty years ago in 1962. The word rape had to be removed from the script even though that’s exactly what Max Cady intended to do to Sam Bowden’s wife and daughter.
That Max Cady intended to rape Bowden’s daughter–a child–was also controversial in that era. While Cady’s intent is very obviously implied, it’s nowhere near as explicit as the 1991 remake.
The Bowden Family
Cape Fear is based on a novel written by John D. MacDonald in 1957. The novel was originally titled The Executioners, but the title has now been changed to Cape Fear.
The novel appears to still be in print. Unfortunately, it is not available on Kindle, so I did not read it as research for this post.
In the novel, Sam Bowden encounters Max Cady while serving as a JAG Lieutenant overseas in 1943. He witnesses Cady assaulting a young Australian girl.
Cady is sentenced to life imprisonment at Leavenworth Prison. In 1957, Cady’s sentence is commuted, and he tracks down Sam Bowden to ruin his life.
According to the reviews on Amazon dot com, the characterization in MacDonald’s novel is very good. Perhaps it will be out on Kindle at some point. I’d like to read it.
Bottom line on the original Cape Fear: even if you have seen the 1991 version and think it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread, you need to watch the original. It’s a classic. Robert Mitchum’s and Gregory Peck’s performances still hold up after fifty years. The movie is intense and shocking at times.
Floor is open. Have you seen Cape Fear? Which version? If you’ve seen both versions, which do you prefer and why?
Be sure to visit Tiffany A. White on Friday when she reviews the 1991 remake of Cape Fear.
on ,
wmsimon said:
The remake left me bored. The only other thing I’d seen with Gregory Peck at that point was TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, and the character Sam Bowden is *very* different from Atticus Finch.
Robert Mitchum as Cady was evil incarnate. No one, not even Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter, has ever come close in my mind.
on ,
Catie Rhodes said:
It has been many years since I saw the remake. One thing I liked was the tattoos they had drawn on Robert Deniro. I also liked the way they portrayed Sam Bowden’s daughter (who was played by Juliette Lewis). Other than that, I don’t remember a lot about it.
I agree that Robert Mitchum was awesome as Max Cady. The only time I’ve seen Mitchum be more scary is in Night of the Hunter (1955). If you’ve never seen Night of the Hunter, you need to. Especially if you loved Mitchum’s performance as Max Cady.
Thanks for stopping by.
on ,
donnagalanti said:
Thanks for posting the 1962 trailer! I havent seen the 1st version but now want to. The 1991 movie was good (how could it not be with Nolte and DiNiro!) but not excellent. My dad retired along the Cape Fear river and we fish on it and this movie always gives it a dark, mysterious feel for me,
on ,
Catie Rhodes said:
You really should watch the original Cape Fear. Like you, I saw the remake before I saw the original. I was completely blown away by the original. IMHO, it’s scarier than the remake.
How cool that you’ve actually been to that area of the US. I’ve never been as far east as the Carolinas. I would really like to go someday to look around.
on ,
Julie Glover said:
I have seen neither version. I love old movies, though. Gregory Peck is one of my favorites–an excellent actor who played a variety of roles well. It sounds like the 1962 film would be my pick. Thanks, Catie!
on ,
Catie Rhodes said:
Oh, if you’ve never seen this, you should watch it. Especially if you like old movies. Netflix streaming doesn’t have it, so I rented it from Amazon. But you might see if your library has the DVD to loan out.
on ,
Patricia Yager Delagrange said:
I have to watch the Gregory Peck version. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it. I love the new one and being a Peck fan, I’ll bet I will enjoy the original.
Thanks, Catie.
on ,
Catie Rhodes said:
I think you will love the original. The director was a Hitchcock fan, so he tried to use lighting and soundtrack in the style of Hitchcock. It’s a very moody and atmospheric effect.
on ,
susielindau said:
I don’t know how I missed this movie! Loved the trailer and how they sort of over sell it!
Wonderful actors in it. It is amazing how far we have come in what is socially acceptable in the movies.
You should bring the link to this post to my Use Me and Abuse Me post today!
on ,
Catie Rhodes said:
Trailers have really changed, haven’t they? LOL
I didn’t see the original Cape Fear until I went to college (in my late 20s). I got interested in the history of cinema and took several classes that allowed me to study old movies. Cape Fear became one of my favorite movies at that time.
I will definitely visit your Use Me and Abuse Me post today.
on ,
August McLaughlin said:
An oldie and goodie! I’ve seen and enjoyed both versions.
on ,
Catie Rhodes said:
How cool and good for you. I really enjoy old movies. I don’t watch them every day, but I go through periods where I watch a lot of them.
on ,
Tiffany A White said:
I know this may come as a shocker, but I haven’t seen the original!! I totally want to now. I think I found it on my OnDemand when I was looking for the remake to rewatch for our blog series. I need to go back and check it out.
First of all, I do like Gregory Peck, and I can’t believe the list of names who wanted to be a part of this movie! That just goes to show how great the writing is. I also found it quite interesting that they had to remove the word “rape” from the script–nice tidbit. Culture and comfort levels with certain acts sure have come a long way since the ’60s (not that we’re comfortable with rape… you know what I mean).
GREAT post, Catie!
on ,
Catie Rhodes said:
I found Cape Fear on Dish On Demand, iTunes, and on Amazon. I ended up renting it on Amazon because I don’t have an Apple TV on my office TV. (the horror, the horror)
The word rape. It is so interesting to me how much things have changed. I have noted that on regular TV (not HBO), they now use the word dick. And the sexual innuendoes…wow. We were watching Teen Wolf last night, and Scott’s mother found his condom stash. I wonder if they would have shown that in the 80s?
I love the movie Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. If you’ve never seen this movie, you should. It was one of the first movies that had a barrage of really nasty language in it. When they tried to release the movie, there was a lot of controversy with the MPAA ratings system.
Glad you enjoyed the post, and I hope you get a chance to watch the original Cape Fear.
on ,
Tiffany A White said:
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf… I’ve heard of it. Thanks for the recommendation!
on ,
Marcia said:
Cape Fear is my all-time favorite movie! I’ve seen both and love both! Robert Mitchum and Robert Dinero are both evil, but I think I’d lean toward Dinero as being more so. I liked Jessica Lange better than Polly Bergen, too. I loved the suspense and the thrills. Great job reviewing this, Catie, as always. Can’t wait for Tiffany’s post on Friday!
on ,
Catie Rhodes said:
Like you, I enjoyed both the remake and the original of Cape Fear. Because I studied the original in college, I’ve watched it more times than the remake. But one of the things I remember liking about the remake was Jessica Lange and Juliette Lewis as Sam Bowden’s wife and daughter. I liked their interpretation of the roles a little better than the original. Of course, with the original you’re looking at a reflection of the time–1962.
on ,
Marcia said:
I agree, Catie. The 60s had a lot to do with the acting, as well as the writing. I guess that’s the reason I love both versions. I did like Jessica Lange’s and Juliet Lewis’ characters better than the early version, but both films m their special make their own special marks.
on ,
pamelavmason said:
Now I need to see this. Robert Mitchum was such an excellent actor – as was Gregory Peck . There’s a depth to Mitchum’s darkness and that lopsided smile that can cause chills down the spine.
I love these film noirs from the 50′s and 60′s. They suggest so much with subtlety, versus the explicitness we have in movies today. My imagination is better than anything I could see on screen.
Ever see Gaslight with Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer and Joseph Cotten? Ultimate manipulation.
on ,
Catie Rhodes said:
I loved your comment. I know a little about Robert Mitchum’s history, and he had a darker shadow side. I think he drew on this a lot in his acting, especially with the noir films you mentioned. I agree with you that the subtlety of older cinema is nice–especially when compared to how explicit our entertainment is today. In Cape Fear, it is very obvious early on what Max Cady’s intent is with Sam Bowden’s wife and daughter.
I have never seen Gaslight. I’m going to look it up and watch it next chance I get. You just can’t beat those classic noir films.
on ,
alandhopewell said:
I’ve seen both, but the original far outshines the remake;Robert Mitchum is nearly reptillian in his performance, gone way past creepy.
(The original aired recently on THIS Network.)
on ,
Catie Rhodes said:
Oooh, reptilian is a description for Robert Mitchum’s performance in this film. The only film where I found him more frightening was Night of the Hunter. Thanks for your comment.
on ,
alandhopewell said:
I saw NIGHT OF THE HUNTER at the age of eight, and saw Robert Mitchum standing in the corner of my bedroom at night for a year.
on ,
Dave said:
I haven’t seen this nor the remake. My bad eh? Geez!
on ,
Catie Rhodes said:
Shame, shame. You really ought to give it a try…unless you hate old movies.
on ,
Dave said:
Nope. I love the old movies. I just finished watching The Philadelphia Story. I can’t therefore explain why I have passed on this film thus my shame.
on ,
David N. Walker said:
I haven’t seen the remake, but I can’t imagine Nolte and DeNiro doing the job Peck and Mitchum did. I’ve also read the book several times, since John D. MacDonald is one of my all-time favorite writers. There are so many old books that the industry for some reason will not redo as ebooks. Makes me mad that they won’t – and I think they’re missing a mint by being so stodgy.
Anyway, Catie, run to a half-price bookstore and buy this book. You’ll find it worth your while.
on ,
Catie Rhodes said:
There were things I did like about the remake, but if I had to choose between it and the original…well, I watch the original every year or two. I have only seen the remake once. So there’s your answer.
I am so glad you recommended The Executioners. I am going to go to half-price bookstore and find it. I try to avoid reading paper books because it makes my hands hurt. (I suspect I am developing either carpal tunnel or arthritis.) But sometimes I just have to suck it up if there’s a paper book I want to read.
on ,
Rhonda Hopkins said:
I’ve seen both and loved both. I saw the remake first, so I’m not sure I would have liked it as well if I’d seen it after the original. I’m a big fan of Nolte, DeNiro, Peck and Mitchum, so I guess it’s no surprise I like both versions.
on ,
Catie Rhodes said:
I am a huge Robert DeNiro fan. I have watched The Godfather II and Goodfellas numerous times. And Robert Deniro was–for me–one of the highlights of the remake.
Like you, I saw the remake before I saw the original. Perhaps that’s why I always say I liked the remake. When I watched it, I had no basis of comparison. Even as much as I love the original, though, I still think the remake has its merits.
on ,
Stacy Green said:
I haven’t seen the original, but I know I need to. I did love the remake, although it’s been a long time since I’ve seen it. I just remember being thoroughly scared and entertained. And DeNiro was awesome in it.
on ,
Catie Rhodes said:
You really should. I remember not being very enthusiastic about watching the original–in college–but being blown away by it. The worst thing about this viewing of the original is that it was a $2.99 rental. Netflix didn’t have it and neither did Dish on Demand. If you do watch the original, let me know what you think.
on ,
newsy1 said:
I saw the original years ago and loved it. 99% of the time the originals are better than re-makes. Of course re-makes today appear to be popular because good writing is scarce and original ideas even more scarce. Great post. I stopped by from susie’s party.
on ,
Catie Rhodes said:
You’re right about originals usually being better. And you have a good point about the remakes–though I think there’s more to it than that. I think nobody wants to go to the effort to write anything good anymore. Glad you enjoyed the post and thanks for stopping by.
Pingback: Robert Mitchum’s Life of Crime | Catie Rhodes
Pingback: Friday FabOoolousness – “Vengeance is Mine” | Tiffany A White's Ooo Factor
on ,
Lauralynn Elliott said:
I saw the remake, which is very creepy. I’m really interested in seeing the original now. The interaction between Cady and the daughter is really icky in the remake, and I was wondering how that was handled in the original.
on ,
Catie Rhodes said:
Well, in the original there is very little interaction between Cady and the daughter. About mid-movie, the daughter meets Cady for the first time. He terrorizes her, but they do not otherwise interact. Then, of course, there’s the scene at the end where he threatens her virtue. So, the interaction between Cady and the daughter is very different in the original. Thanks for stopping by.