Cape Fear, the 1962 thriller starring Gregory Peck, is about lawyer Sam Bowden. Max Cady, one of the men he sent to prison is released and starts to stalk Sam and his family for revenge. Same tries to get him arrested after he kills their dog and follows Sam’s daughter Nancy, but they can’t charge him with anything. At the end of his rope, Bowden hires criminals to beat up Max and scare him out of town. However, Max is able to use this to his advantage and charges Sam with assault. The law then decides to disbar Sam and he has to go to the hearings. Fearing that Max will kill Nancy and Peggy while he is away, Sam pretends to go on his flight but instead meets with his family in Cape Fear. Unfortunately, Max tracks them down. Are the Bowden’s doomed or will justice finally prevail?
What is truly creepy about this film is that Max Cady has all traits of a stalker. He annoys the Bowden’s enough so that they fear for their lives, but not so much that he breaks the law. However, stalking was not very well known during the 1960’s, so the justice system didn’t do anything about it. The movie is also a good example of what a good man is capable of if pushed too far. Sam wouldn’t have hired criminals if he could stop Max legally, but since he fears for his family’s safety, he becomes willing to break the law. The suspense doesn’t let go until the climax, where not only does Sam use cunning to beat Cady, he also doesn’t stoop to his level and kill him. The end is delightfully scary when Sam gleefully tells Max there are fates worse than death. Honolulu thriller fans should check out this movie.
More at: Tricia’s Retro Film Reviews
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