“Cape Fear” is a thriller film about an ex-con recently released from prison who stalks and terrorizes the attorney (and his family) who sent him to the big house. J. Lee Thompson (“The Guns of Navarone” 1961) tightly directed this thriller with nary a dull moment in the entire 106 minute running time. The excellent screenplay by James R. Webb was adapted from the 1957 novel “The Executioners” by John D. McDonald.
The talented cast delivered exceptional performances: Gregory Peck as the upstanding attorney, Robert Mitchum chilling the audience as the heavy of the piece, Polly Bergen and Lori Martin as Peck’s wife & daughter, respectively, as well as Martin Balsam, Telly Savalas, Jack Kruschen, Barrie Chase, Paul Comi, Page Slattery, Will Wright, Joan Staley, and Edward Platt as the judge. Platt later became famous as the Chief on the NBC and CBS sitcom “Get Smart” (1965-1970).
The very watchable “Cape Fear” was popular in theatrical release for Melville Productions, Talbot Productions, and Universal Pictures. The outstanding musical score was penned by Bernard Herrmann. The exceptional cinematography was handled by Sam Leavitt, with location shoots in Savannah, Georgia, and Stockton and Universal City, California. Director Martin Scorsese released a remake of the same name in 1991 starring Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, and Jessica Lange.
Cape Fear (1962)
cinema
My Review
“Cape Fear” is a thriller film about an ex-con recently released from prison who stalks and terrorizes the attorney (and his family) who sent him to the big house. J. Lee Thompson (“The Guns of Navarone” 1961) tightly directed this thriller with nary a dull moment in the entire 106 minute running time. The excellent screenplay by James R. Webb was adapted from the 1957 novel “The Executioners” by John D. McDonald.
The talented cast delivered exceptional performances: Gregory Peck as the upstanding attorney, Robert Mitchum chilling the audience as the heavy of the piece, Polly Bergen and Lori Martin as Peck’s wife & daughter, respectively, as well as Martin Balsam, Telly Savalas, Jack Kruschen, Barrie Chase, Paul Comi, Page Slattery, Will Wright, Joan Staley, and Edward Platt as the judge. Platt later became famous as the Chief on the NBC and CBS sitcom “Get Smart” (1965-1970).
The very watchable “Cape Fear” was popular in theatrical release for Melville Productions, Talbot Productions, and Universal Pictures. The outstanding musical score was penned by Bernard Herrmann. The exceptional cinematography was handled by Sam Leavitt, with location shoots in Savannah, Georgia, and Stockton and Universal City, California. Director Martin Scorsese released a remake of the same name in 1991 starring Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, and Jessica Lange.