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Cape Fear is a 1962 film about an attorney whose family is stalked by a criminal whom he helped to send to jail. It stars Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum as Max Cady, Polly Bergen, Lori Martin, Martin Balsam, Jack Kruschen, Telly Savalas and Barrie Chase. Image File history File links Cape_fear_(1962). ... John Lee-Thompson, known as J. Lee Thompson (1 August 1914 - 30 August 2002) was a film director, active in both British films and Hollywood. ... John Dann MacDonald (July 24, 1916 – December 28, 1986), writing as John D. MacDonald, was an American writer best known for his series of detective novels featuring protagonist Travis McGee. ... Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an Oscar-winning American film actor. ... Robert Mitchum in Cape Fear Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997) was an American film actor and singer. ... Polly Bergen (born Nellie Paulina Burgin on July 14, 1930, in Knoxville, Tennessee) is an American actress, singer, and entrepreneur. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... George Tomasini (born April 20, 1909, died November 22, 1964) was the genius American film editor who often worked with very closely with film director Alfred Hitchcock. ... Universal Pictures is the main motion picture production/distribution arm of Universal Studios, a subsidiary of NBC Universal. ... is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events Dr. No launches the James Bond film series, the longest-running motion picture franchise of all time, running more than 40 years. ... // Events Dr. No launches the James Bond film series, the longest-running motion picture franchise of all time, running more than 40 years. ... Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an Oscar-winning American film actor. ... Robert Mitchum in Cape Fear Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997) was an American film actor and singer. ... Robert Mitchum as Max Cady in Cape Fear Robert DeNiro as Max Cady in the 1991 remake. ... Polly Bergen (born Nellie Paulina Burgin on July 14, 1930, in Knoxville, Tennessee) is an American actress, singer, and entrepreneur. ... Lori Martin was born Dawn Catherine Menzer on the 18th April 1947 at 10:02am, followed 4 minutes later by her sister Doree. ... Martin Henry Balsam (November 4, 1919 – February 13, 1996) was an American actor. ... Jack Kruschen (March 20, 1922 – April 2, 2002) was a Canadian born character actor who worked primarily in American film, television, and radio. ... Telly Savalas (January 21, 1922 – January 22, 1994) was a prominent Emmy Award-winning American film and television actor whose career spanned four decades. ... Barrie Chase (born October 20, 1933), a dancer and actress, made four television specials as Fred Astaires young partner in the 1960s, taking the place that Ginger Rogers had held thirty years before as Astaires primary dance partner. ...

It was adapted by James R. Webb from the novel The Executioners by John D. MacDonald. It was directed by J. Lee Thompson, and released on April 12, 1962. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Executioners is a thriller novel written by John D. MacDonald, published in 1957. ... John Dann MacDonald (July 24, 1916 – December 28, 1986), writing as John D. MacDonald, was an American writer best known for his series of detective novels featuring protagonist Travis McGee. ... John Lee-Thompson, known as J. Lee Thompson (1 August 1914 - 30 August 2002) was a film director, active in both British films and Hollywood. ... is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Peck, who also served as a producer, was originally offered the role of Max Cady, the story's antagonist. However, he was so against playing a villain at the time that he steadfastly refused the part. He went on to say that he felt audiences would not accept him playing a ruthless character so he instead sought the role of the hero. This casting has led to some of the biggest criticisms of the movie. At 6'3, Peck is clearly the more physically powerful of two leads, although he plays the less aggressive of the two characters. Although by no means a scrawny or short man, Mitchum is noticeably smaller in height and frame than Peck. Mitchum later stated that, in the final fight scene of the movie, Peck once accidentally punched him for real. Mitchum went on to say that he felt the impact of the punch for days afterwards.^{[citation needed]}

It was remade in 1991. Peck, Mitchum and Balsam all appeared in the remake. Most fans of horror cinema regard the original Cape Fear as the scarier of the two^{[citation needed]}. Cape Fear is a 1991 film, directed by Martin Scorsese. ...

Robert Mitchum in Cape Fear

Robert Mitchum from Cape Fear This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ... Robert Mitchum from Cape Fear This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ...

Trivia

• The British censors attempted to ban the film from showing in cinemas. After making 161 cuts, it still nearly garnered an X rating.

• Robert Mitchum, who plays the villain Max Cady, had a real-life aversion to Savannah, Georgia, where the film is set. As a teenager he was charged with vagrancy in Savannah and put on a chain-gang before escaping.

• The scene where Mitchum attacks Polly Bergen's character on the houseboat was almost completely improvised. Before the scene was filmed, the director suddenly asked a crew member: "Bring me a dish of eggs!" Mitchum rubbing the eggs on Bergen was not scripted and Bergan's reactions were real. She also suffered back injuries from being knocked around so much. She felt the impact of the 'attack' for days.

• The outdoor Savannah scenes were filmed first. The indoor scenes and Cape Fear scenes were done at Universal studios.

• Barrie Chase, who plays a drifter picked up by Cady, was a popular dancer and TV personality of the 1950s, and a current dancing companion of Fred Astaire.

• The word "rape" was entirely removed from the script.

• The film enraged the censors, who were worried that "there was a continuous threat of sexual assault on a child". The censors also were concerned that Max Cady looks "too lasciviously" at Bowdon's teenage daughter.^{[citation needed]}

• Lori Martin, who plays Bowdon's daughter, reported having nightmares for weeks after filming the scenes where she is menaced by Cady at school, and when he confronts her in a cabin.

• Hayley Mills was originally considered to play the daughter, but she was on a contract with Disney and was unable to do so.

• When approached to play the villain, Mitchum turned down the role. Convinced Mitchum would still make the perfect Cady, Thompson and Gregory Peck sent him a bottle of bourbon. A couple of days later, Mitchum sent a telegraph to Thompson, which read: "I've had your bourbon. I'm drunk. I'll do it."

• Peck was originally attached to the project as a producer, not an actor. However, he was sought for the role of Max Cady by the studios. Peck, who initially did not consider acting in the film, agreed to appear in the film, but instead asked if he could play the hero. The studios, so happy to have Peck agree to appear in the film, granted his request.

• Thompson had always envisioned the film in black and white prior to production. Being a Hitchcock fan, he wanted to have Hitchcockean elements in the film, such as unusual lighting angles, an eerie musical score, closeups of serious faces, and indicating very little of the violence that Cady has in mind for the family.

• This film was #36 on Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments for its famous scene where Max Cady attacks Sam's family.

• In April 2007, Newsweek selected Robert Mitchum's character as one of the ten best villains in cinema history.

Lori Martin was born Dawn Catherine Menzer on the 18th April 1947 at 10:02am, followed 4 minutes later by her sister Doree. ... Hayley Catherine Rose Vivian Mills (born April 18, 1946) is an English actress. ... This article is about the U.S. cable network. ... The Newsweek logo Newsweek is a weekly news magazine published in New York City and distributed throughout the United States and internationally. ...

See also

• Pedophilia and child sexual abuse in films