The Original Cape Fear

• Directed by J. Lee Thompson
• June 15, 1962
• Based on the 1957 novel The Executioners by John D. MacDonald

A family is stalked by a criminal that the father helped send to prison.

Classics have as much to offer now as they did when first seen. Take for example the original Cape Fear. It touches on issues and concerns many express today despite how long ago it was made. The major element propelling the story is about how the law can’t always protect you and sometimes it’s up to the individual to protect themselves.

Our main players are lawyer Sam Bowden (Gregory Peck) and the criminal Max Cady (Robert Mitchum) whom Bowden testified against and is now seeking revenge. Cady has spent his time preparing for the very day when he would get out and while he is clearly a threat, he is also well within the law in all he does. He is not some boob blundering his way through plot contrivances. Rather Cady is a cold and smart man who is besting Bowden in an area he thought he knew better. He is everything that Bowden is not.

One thing that really sells this is that we have two very different actors in two very different parts. Nobody would ever mix up Gregory Peck with Robert Mitchum. Gregory Peck was almost always clean cut and upper crust. On the other hand Robert Mitchum largely built his career as a bit of a movie tough guy and a devilish rogue which he continued at times to his real life. They are polar opposites.

Aside from Mitchum and Peck, we have some other familiar faces of the era-if you watched the good stuff. Martin Balsam is local police chief Mark Dutton, Telly Savalas (WITH HAIR!) is private detective Charlie Sievers whom Bowden hires, and Edward Platt (“Chief” on the television series Get Smart).

The weakest of the cast was Lori Martin (not from anything I can think of) as Bowden’s daughter Nancy. I felt she was too matter of fact and a bit stiff to be a child from any period. Then again this was made in the early ‘60s so this bad kid character was common.

Cape Fear just builds slowly. Cady with each perfect move becomes a greater threat. He taunts and teases and outwits the connected Bowden. This man has laid out a carefully crafted plan and is more dangerous than his cool exterior would make it appear. He is unnerving and disturbing. This is one of those movies that will hook you pretty quick quickly and keep you there. It is a noir psychological thriller of the finest caliber.

We have law enforcement that wants to do their duty. We have a father that’s simply trying to protect his family. We have a man seeking revenge. And we have a slimy lawyer (Jack Kruschen) who is more interested in helping the criminal than he is in protecting the public. All things either still being dealt with today or just general concerns of the public as well as stuff the audience can identify with.

You get a real sense of the characters. You understand what drives and just simply motivates them. Cady may be a monster but you can understand the monster. Bowden’s motivations are not that hard to discern either. They stay within character and the story never takes the lazy way with them to get something to happen.

Cape Fear is a fantastic bit film meeting. It has great well-rounded characters and an engrossing story. And most importantly, it never lets up. This is a must-see film!