Here, I present to you my summer thrillers, based on books, two of which are set in my home state of North Carolina. In this round, we have Cape Fear.
So the story goes like this: Sam Bowden and Max Cady used to be in the army together, and while on a mission in Australia, Sam witnesses Max brutally raping a fourteen-year-old local girl. Sam testifies against him, putting him away for fourteen years of hard labor. Eventually, Sam moved on, married his wife, Carol, and had three kids. Yes, there are three kids instead of one. Oldest Nancy, middle child Jamie, and youngest Bucky. Max, who was married once with a child, but after he was tried and convicted, his wife moved on and got remarried to a plumber, and his kid doesn't even remember him. So Max has come to collect his just due, and he's itching to wreak havoc on Sam's family.
Yes, the premise may sound thrilling and on the edge of your seat, but the execution sucks. Sure, the family gets shaken up when Max poisons the dog, but it's back to your basic family activities. Max only appears in one scene and never appears again until the finale. I guess the author wanted him to be shrouded in mystery, but it never heightens the panic surrounding his character. Sam seems to treat his encounter with Cady as just another day at the park.
Although she plays a pivotal part in both film versions, the teenage daughter, Nancy, doesn't have much of a role (as well as the other kids) in the novel. She is the typical teenage girl who frets and casually dates boys. Not one time does she share a scene with Max, even though she seems to be his main target.
So we go through the middle portion with nothing really going on until we arrive at a bar and have a chat with a woman to whom I refer as "Woman at the Bar." Before I go on, there is just one more pet peeve that I have with this novel, and it is the constant monologues. It's to the point where I ask myself, "Do people really talk like this in real life?" So in this scene in the book, there is yet another monologue where the Woman at the Bar explains her brutal encounter with Max Cady. So as the story goes, she meets up with Max for a good time. She asks too many questions about who he is and what he does to the point where he gets irritated and beats her half to death. Yes, it's not shown, it's explained. In every detail. It just takes away the suspense of it all. Not to mention, The Woman at the Bar is more annoyed than traumatized by what Max did to her. He beat her to a pulp, and there's not an ounce of fear or even a distrust of men. She seems to just waltz into the bar like it's nothing at all.
So, all of a sudden, the middle son, Jamie, gets shot in the arm. This incident actually happened at a summer camp. Yes, Sam and Carol had the brightest idea to drop off their kids at summer camp while there's a psychopath at large. Seriously, that's how careless Sam and Carol are in the novel. And although there is a grave sense of urgency, nothing ever comes of it. Even the son isn't traumatized by the fact that a grown man tried to murder him. He's too happy about the graze on his arm.
Things finally get going when Max rigs the family car, prompting Sam and Carol to take action. Once we get to the climax, Carol uses herself as bait to lure in Max while Sam and a rookie cop target him. So, the plan works...somewhat. Carol gets roughed up while the rookie cop dies from a stab wound. Sam, however, recklessly shoots all around the house until Max gets shot and bled to death in the backyard. That's it. That's the climax of the novel. Are you freakin' kidding me? So after that, the family goes back to normal, enjoying their summer vacation as Sam and Carol contemplate having another child. THE END.
Wow. What a waste of time. I don't see how this is called a 'suspense' novel when there's absolutely no suspense. I actually had to skip a few pages; it was that tedious to read. Other than that, no matter what you think about either film version, at least it's way better than the novel.
Now we get to discuss the 1962 version and, as you know, there were a lot of changes made from the source material. I'm thinking that the screenwriter for the film read the book and was like, "Oh, I have got to punch this up more." And judging by the opening scene, that's exactly what he did.
The film begins with Max walking his way to the courthouse as the booming film score plays, making him a larger-than-life character. The opening scene also subtly establishes Max's true colors. A woman walks by and drops her books, but Max doesn't even bother to help, which shows his total disregard for women. Then two young girls walk by, and Max leers at them, showing how much of a sleazy creep he is.
Max stalks Sam at his workplace, trying to find the right opportunity to confront him, like a tiger waiting for its prey.
Now, the scene where Max confronts Sam could be easily told through narration as Sam recounts the events. Films of that time had a sort of habit of doing that, but I'm glad the scene plays out as it is with an even pace.
The story in the '62 film version is the typical revenge thriller. Sam was simply a lawyer who put Max away, and Max wants to get even.
Alfred Hitchcock was actually in talks to direct, and considering the tawdry subject of the film, this would've been right up his alley. But scheduling conflicts got in the way, and that's when director J. Lee Thompson, who was a fan of Hitchcock's work, stepped in.
The film was produced by Gregory Peck's production company, Melville Productions. So it may, Gregory Peck was cast as the lead. This would also mark his second acting role, playing a lawyer when he starred in To Kill A Mockingbird in the same year. Gregory Peck, of course, does a solid job as Sam Bowden, fitting in nicely into the good guy role.
For the role of Carol, now Peggy Bowden, actress Polly Bergen was one of the last actors to be cast. From what I observe, it's a very passable role that any actress could play; however, Polly Bergen does a good job of what she's given. Though there is one thing that I liked about the book, yes, I'm going to throw a bone here, is the witty banter between Sam and Carol, which seems to be missing in the film version. I also liked the fact that she wasn't the typical hysterical woman, and she had an intelligence about her, which made her and Sam a great team when it came to problem-solving. And another thing, I liked that she was very fearless and gung-ho about killing Max Cady, making her fiercely protective of her family, and quite frankly, an all-out badass to be honest. Sadly, she just wasn't given much to do here.
For the role of Nancy, J. Lee Thompson wanted Hayley Mills, who worked with him in his previous film, Tiger Bay, but she was unavailable, so Lori Martin was cast in the role instead. Unfortunately, Thompson gave her a really hard time on the set, all because he couldn't cast Mills in the role, but this was at a time when she was mostly known for her Disney projects, which would probably be a bit jarring to some viewers to see her in a film where a rapist is stalking her. So, I think Lori Martin is really solid in the role, capturing the innocence and vulnerability of her character, especially in the scenes between her and Robert Mitchum, which are the most effective and bone-chilling moments of the film.
As they were developing the character of Max Cady, the studio execs didn't want to portray Max as a war veteran because it might reflect badly on the military. Even though it was well past the 1940s and well into the early 1960s, this was still a very patriarchal time. As for the casting, actor Telly Savalas screen-tested for the role but eventually went for the role of Private Eye Charlie Sievers instead. From how he's described in the novel, I think actor Yul Bryner would've been good as Max Cady, as he would portray a rather intimidating villain in the film, Westworld. However, Peck and Thompson had their eye on Robert Mitchum, who was known to be a film noir staple at the time. Mitchum wanted no part of it, but Gregory Peck and his production team lured him in with a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of bourbon. Robert Mitchum knocks it out of the park as the sleazily maniacal Cady. He's very slow and methodical, and from that cold stare, you know he's up to no good. Like I said previously, Max and Nancy shared no scenes together, but Screenwriter James R. Webb amps up the tension by adding in cat-and-mouse scenes to really show how much of a dangerous threat Max truly is. Furthermore, having Sam's daughter to be his one and only target adds more to the suspense, considering what he's capable of.
After his fair of stalking and harassing Sam, Max has his eye on at The Woman At The Bar, a drifter named Diane. Instantly enraptured by his southern charm, Diane tags along with him.
But as it follows the events of the book, we know something's bad going to happen.
After her horrible ordeal, the police convince Diane to testify, but, worried about having to recount what Max did to her in each agonizing detail in the newspapers, Diane refuses and gets the hell out of Dodge. The police do a piss poor job of convincing her, by the way. Showing her various photos of Max's victims really didn't help much, and, of course, it would scare her off, so the police really messed up Sam's chances of protecting his family, which led Sam to take drastic measures, such as hiring some thugs to beat Max up at the behest of private eye Charlie Sievers. But they are no match for Cady, as he takes them out one by one. With fewer options available, Sam hides his family in their boathouse. This is where the climax of the film takes place.
It's not long until Max scopes out their location. This is where he slowly transforms into an animalistic caveman as he takes off his shirt and swims towards the houseboat like a shark. He kills the cop on duty and bursts his way in to attack Peggy.
While molesting her and shaking her around like a ragdoll, Max pushes Peggy aside and has his sights on his true target, Sam's daughter Nancy.
Nancy tries to defend herself with a firepoker, but Max grabs hold of her. He forces her outside until he sees Sam, his ultimate true target, and pushes her aside to go after him.
He grabs the gun, wounds him with a gunshot, and...doesn't kill him. Sam goes on this long speech about how Max is going to spend the rest of his life in prison, and, just like that, the Bowden family drives off to safety. That's it. That's the end. Wow, what a disappointing ending to an overall decent film. It's actually way more anti-climactic than the book. Now I wouldn't say that the film is perfect. It's very of its time, and it has this moral compass of "Thou Shalt Not Kill," which leaves no excitement in the ending. Not that Sam had to kill Max, but it just needed to be more engaging instead of some half-ass speech.
Now, it's time to discuss the 1991 version, and, spoiler alert! This is my favorite adaptation.
First and foremost, I would like to talk about the amazing credit sequence. It starts off with this liquid, watery effect, superimposed with these unsettling images. The updated score is now accompanied by Elmer Bernstein, and it's freakin epic! This time it comes with a mighty force. Then we transition to Danielle, the Bowdens' teenage daughter, reciting her short story, which sets up the events of the film.
That's when we get to our next transition of Robert Deniro as Max Cady, pumping iron in his jail cell. This comes to show that this version of Cady means business, and he's not taking ANY prisoners.
Of course, there are some changes to the main story, but director Martin Scorsese made sure to make Max's revenge a bit more personal this time. Sam was actually Max's defense attorney, but because of the heinous nature of the crime, Sam concealed the evidence that would've cleared Max. Unsurprisingly, he rots in prison for fourteen years. And what was this evidence that would've gotten Max off the hook? Before I answer that, I'm going to go on a tangent. So, there's your warning. This evidence involved the victim being promiscuous, to which I say, Why the fuck does that even matter? Why would anyone think that just because a woman has had a few sexual partners, she deserves to be savagely beaten and raped? Sure, Sam did screw Max over by not revealing this evidence, but why is that relevant to the case? Why would Max get away with this crime? Because the girl was promiscuous? I don't get it. And that's what makes this version a whole lot more interesting to me. The book and the 62' film seem to uphold the justice system to a higher standard, but in this version, it criticizes it and shows how corrupt the justice system really is. For instance, both Sam and Max use the law to one-up each other; that's how broken the system is. It's misconceived, mishandled, and everybody gets hurt in the end. Diane went through hell in the 62' version. When the police interviewed her, there was no empathy, no comfort. They just pressured her to testify against Cady, not knowing that she had to go through a lot of therapy and counseling just to get through the process.
Then there's Sam's law clerk, Lori, in this version played by Illeana Douglas, who's a very underrated actress, by the way. She's more than just some woman at the bar; she's an actual character.
Lori is witty, bubbly, personable, and overall likable. Sure, she has a crush on Sam, who is a married man and is a bit flirtatious, but it's all fairly innocent, and in most cases, it happens to the best of us. Lori eventually becomes a character you care about.
Knowing that Sam won't reciprocate her feelings, Lori goes to a bar all on her lonesome...until she meets Max. It starts off innocent. Max with his cool, suave, southern charm, Lori with her girlish bubbliness. Oh no, nothing goes wrong here...
But once they hit the bedroom, the worst is yet to come. This time, the scene is not described in heavy detail like the book, nor is it unseen like the original. The scene is shown in full view, and it's disturbing to watch.
Max doesn't just beat her; he utterly destroys her, and I think the reason why he targeted Lori was not because he wanted to get his fix, but because he wanted to send a message to Sam. If anyone's close to him, whether that be a family member or a colleague, he'd hunt them down just to get the message clear. Not only is Lori's suffering disturbing, but it's also sad. The once bubbly, perky law clerk is now battered, bruised, and traumatized. So what would prevent Lori from testifying against Max? Well, the answer is Lori was openly flirting with her employer, to which I say, Why the fuck does that matter? Sure, it could also be that Lori would be uncomfortable being cross-examined by her colleagues, but still, this woman was basically savaged and beaten half to death, isn't that evidence enough? It all just comes to show that the law continues to fail women.
The Bowdens aren't your happy-go-lucky 1950s family like the book and the original. There's actually a lot of angst and turmoil that's hidden beneath their perfect facade.
Sam Bowden is far from a straight-laced good guy. As mentioned above, he is an unsavory lawyer who screwed over his client. Also, not too long ago, he had an affair on his wife. So it shows that Sam is a very flawed character, but it doesn't make him a bad person. Max, in a way, represents Sam's atonement, facing his shortcomings but also overcoming them to save his family.
Originally, Martin Scorsese wanted Harrison Ford in the role, and I can definitely see that. He matches the same energy as Gregory Peck's strong, suave everyman type. However, Ford was more interested in playing Max Cady, I guess, so he wanted to break away from being typecast as the hero all the time. That's when Nick Nolte stepped in, and he actually fought to get the role. Since Nolte is known for playing the tough guy, it's a good change of pace that he plays a less action-oriented and yet still commanding role. I feel like the flaws in Sam's character bring out the best in Nick Nolte's performance. You can tell that he's a man who seeks atonement for the wrong that he's done by fighting off Max Cady's manipulations and winning his family over, which makes Sam a much more interesting character than in the book and original.
Leigh, formerly known as Carol, has a lot more agency than her '62 counterpart. From what we know about Leigh is that she's prone to emotional fits. Still, you really can't blame her, considering that her husband had an affair on her and that the psychopathic Max Cady has poisoned her dog and is stalking her family, again on Sam's accord.
Furthermore, this makes Leigh a very sympathetic character, especially when it's mentioned that she went through a long depression due to her marriage crisis.
In the climax, she tries to reassure Max that she knows what it's like to be in isolation, even though Max is too much of a sociopath to let her get through to him. But at least she tried using her empathy to save her family, which makes her the emotional core of the film.
Diane Keaton was in talks to play Leigh Bowden, but didn't get the part. Eventually, the legendary Jessica Lange, who wanted to work with Martin Scorsese, won the part, and boy, does she act her ass off. By giving Leigh more dimension and more to work with, it gives the opportunity to let Lange's acting prowess shine.
Danielle, formerly known as Nancy, is now an angsty teen with hidden desires. She is not quite the dutiful daughter like in the original, and throughout the film, she's pretty much at odds with her dad. Just like any other typical '90s teen, she likes to smoke pot, listen to rock n' roll, and has a passion for creative writing. The thing about Danielle is that she's an observer. She's not just some kid who hangs around the background; she knows things. She's...curious. And it's that curiosity that leads her to Max Cady. Danielle is not terrified of him; she's more fascinated. I actually find that to be even more disturbing. Yes, I will talk about "that scene," but I'll save that for the Max Cady section.
Danielle eventually takes the wool from her eyes and sees what a monster Cady truly is, which prompts her to take drastic measures for survival. I have to hand it to Danielle; she is quite the ultimate badass during the climax.
Christina Applegate, Shannon Doherthy, Reese Witherspoon, Winona Ryder, and Drew Barrymore were sought out for the role of Danielle Bowden.
Now we have crossed into the final boss of the section. Without further ado, here is Robert De Niro as Max Cady. Holy crap! His whole performance is like a hellish rollercoaster ride. I would literally go on and on about how insanely good his performance is, but first, let's explore the many machinations of Max Cady.
In this updated version, Cady is a loud, abrasive fundamentalist who labels himself as the punisher of law and justice. He even has tattoos to prove it. Plus, there is nothing scarier than a psychopathic fundamentalist with a god complex. Max, this time, isn't quiet in his approach; he makes his presence known.
First, he becomes a nuisance, cackling loudly in the movie theater, smoking his cigar, just to fuck with Sam. Then there's the creeping and stalking that soon leads to him poisoning Leigh's poor dog. Soon, Max Machinations becomes more violent and confrontational. First, there's the attack on Lori, and then, Max does the most despicable thing of all...he attempts to seduce Sam's teenage daughter.
Ok, now it's time to talk about "that scene.
Initially, it was going to be a typical chase scene similar to the original, but Scorsese decided to make it a seduction instead, which I find to be twice as disturbing. At first, it does seem like it's building up to be a chase scene as Danielle saunters quietly into the auditorium. When she sees Max, Danielle is scared, but slowly, she is swept up by his impeccable southern charm. Again, I would like to point out how amazing Juliette Lewis' acting is. She's scared, she's shy, she's awkward, she's intrigued. She has all these emotions, and she still comes off as authentic. This was her moment to shine.
But this is when the scene gets really uncomfortable. Now that Max has shown his intellectual and chivalrous side, he has got Danielle hook, line, and sinker. She is now trapped in his web, and that's when he entices her...then kisses her. It got me to wonder that this is probably what happened to the girl he assaulted those many years ago. Just from that encounter, Max leaves a lasting impression on Danielle.
This time, Sam decides to take action and hires a couple of thugs to take Max down a peg.
Not only does Max take them down one by one, but he senses Sam hiding behind an alleyway and makes a long speech about how he will conquer all, beating down any mere man who challenges him. It's a really chilling monologue, and De Niro absolutely sells it. Although he knows he's hiding, he doesn't attack Sam physically. Oh no. He uses the LAW on his side.
Special mention to Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck, who made cameo appearances. This time, Robert Mitchum is on the side of good, portraying Lieutenant Elgart, who's working with Sam, and Gregory Peck is a sleazy, holier-than-thou lawyer who represents Max in his restraining order case.
Yes, you heard that right. Max puts a restraining order against Sam. So not only is Sam's job on the line, but Max has the power to stalk, harass, and possibly kill Sam whenever he pleases. Let's just say that Sam is royally fucked, and he has to try every method to keep Max at bay.
Before we get to the climax, let's talk about the pure awesomeness of Robert De Niro. He is beyond dynamite!
You won't believe this, but Bill Murray of all people was approached to play Max Cady. Murray was known for playing in comedies at the time, so it would've been jarring to see him in this type of role. Not that he would've been bad, he can play well in serious dramatic roles, but playing a heinous psychotic criminal like Cady, I still question that.
Other actors such as Nicholas Cage (very interesting choice), Brad Dourif (another interesting choice), and Jack Nicholson were also considered.
But then there's Willem Dafoe, a definite runner-up, as he would match Max's chaotic, unhinged depravity.
De Niro's performance is so memorable that it might even overshadow Mitchum's portrayal. Yes, I know that's a controversial take, but I think Robert De Niro's version of Max Cady is much scarier, in my opinion. Think about this, Mitchum is sneaky like a snake. He slicks, he slithers, until he eats his prey. De Niro, on the other hand, is like a wild, feral animal that jumps and claws at your face. He's unpredictable, and that's the reason why he's so intimidating.
This was Robert De Niro's movie, fair and square, and he comes in like a hurricane. He plays a character that you're repulsed by, but at the same time, you can't keep your eyes off him. That's how great his performance is.
Now we finally get to the Rising Conflict as Sam is on the lookout with the help of private investigator Claude Kersek.
But as you all know, as it happened in the book and the original, Max kills Kersek, and even kills Danielle's beloved maid, Graciela. So, this prompts the Bowden family to flee on their houseboat, but just in the nick of time, Max finds them. How, you may ask? He hides under their car. There's a moment where he gets out from under the car, and a woman has a look that reads, "What the fuck?" I just couldn't help but laugh.
After Danielle sets him on fire, sending him down into the ocean, Max springs out like a bat out of hell. Now, riddled with these Freddy Kruger-like burn sores, Max has unveiled himself as the monster he truly is, no longer hiding under a suave southern facade.
Okay, I'm just gonna say it right off the bat, the consensus says that this is the better adaptation. I've said it once, and I'll say it again. Hell, not even a year later or so, after the film, The Simpsons, yes, The Simpsons did a parody of this movie. If The Simpsons make a parody of your film, you've got a classic on your hands.
Iconic lines, Iconic scenes, great writing, great acting, this is, hands down, one of the best remakes so far.
I heard there was a TV series in development, starring Javier Bardem as Max Cady, Amy Adams as Leigh/Amanda Bowden, and Patrick Wilson as Sam/Tom Bowden. Yeah, those are good actors, and I'll know they'll do an awesome job, but I don't think it will be half as good as the 1991 version. It's at the top of the charts for me, and it's one of Martin Scorsese's best films.
My Last Word: The '91 version all the way. Highly recommend it.
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