Cape Fear is a 1991 American psychological thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is a remake of the 1962 film, which was based on the 1957 novel The Executioners by John D. MacDonald. The film stars Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, Joe Don Baker, and Juliette Lewis. Robert Mitchum has a small role in the film, while Gregory Peck (in his final theatrical film role) and Martin Balsam make cameo appearances, all three having starred in the original film.[2]
The film tells the story of a convicted rapist who, by using his newfound knowledge of the law and its numerous loopholes, seeks vengeance against a former public defender whom he blames for his 14-year imprisonment due to purposefully faulty defense tactics used during his trial.
Cape Fear marks the seventh collaboration between Scorsese and De Niro. The film was a commercial success and became the first Scorsese film to gross more than $100 million. It received generally positive reviews from critics. It was nominated for several awards, including the Oscars and Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor (De Niro) and Best Supporting Actress (Juliette Lewis).
Plot
Maximilian "Max" Cady, a psychopathic rapist, is released from prison after serving a sentence for the rape and battery of a 16-year-old girl. During his trial in Atlanta, Georgia, 14 years earlier, his public defender Samuel "Sam" Bowden was so appalled by Cady's crimes that he hid a report stating that the victim was promiscuous, which might have lightened Cady's sentence or acquitted him altogether. Bowden assumed that Cady, who was illiterate at the time of the trial, would never become aware of the report. Cady was ultimately convicted and given the maximum sentence.
Cady finds Bowden, who is now an attorney in a private practice living in fictional New Essex, North Carolina, with his wife Leigh and their teenage daughter Danielle ("Dani"). Cady moves to New Essex and quickly makes his presence known to Bowden. He tells Bowden that he learned to read in prison, studied law and attempted several unsuccessful appeals of his case representing himself, implying that he knows about the hidden report. He soon begins to stalk and terrorize the Bowden family. After their dog, Ben, is mysteriously poisoned, Bowden tries to have Cady arrested, but Police Lieutenant Elgart states that there is no evidence that Cady is the one who poisoned Ben.
Cady meets Lori Davis, a courthouse clerk who is attracted to Bowden. Cady rapes and nearly beats her to death. Davis refuses to press charges due to fear that her ongoing flirtation with Bowden will become public. Bowden hires private investigator Claude Kersek to follow Cady.
Impersonating her new drama teacher, Cady approaches Dani and kisses her. When Bowden learns of this, he agrees with Kersek to have Cady beaten up to intimidate him and coerce him into leaving town. Before the beating, Bowden gives Cady a final warning to leave him and his family alone and to leave New Essex, threatening physical harm against Cady if the warning is not heeded. He is unaware that Cady uses a hidden tape recorder to record the threat.
Kersek's hired thugs ambush Cady, but Cady unexpectedly fights back and viciously beats them instead. Cady uses his recording of Bowden and exaggerations of his injuries to file for a restraining order against him, which is granted. Cady's attorney petitions the ABA Ethics Committee for Bowden's disbarment, triggering a two-day emergency meeting in Raleigh.
Thinking that Cady may break into the Bowden home while Bowden is away, Kersek and Bowden fake his departure. They wait to see if Cady will break in, at which point they intend to shoot him in self-defense. Cady sneaks in undetected and kills the housekeeper, Graciela. Donning her clothes, he blindsides and kills Kersek before fleeing. After discovering the bodies, the Bowdens flee to their houseboat docked upstate along the Cape Fear River, not knowing that Cady has strapped himself to their car's undercarriage to track their houseboat.
Cast
Robert De Niro as Max Cady
Nick Nolte as Samuel G. Bowden
Jessica Lange as Leigh Bowden
Juliette Lewis as Danielle Bowden
Joe Don Baker as Claude Kersek
Robert Mitchum as Lieutenant Elgart
Gregory Peck as Lee Heller
Martin Balsam as Judge
Illeana Douglas as Lori Davis
Fred Dalton Thompson as Tom Broadbent
Zully Montero as Graciela
Domenica Cameron-Scorsese as Danielle's girlfriend
Информация по комментариям в разработке