MovieChat Forums > Cape Fear (1962) Discussion > The remake was very good, this was BETTE...

The remake was very good, this was BETTER...

posted 18 years ago by BreeInAZ
7 replies | jump to latest

Having seen the remake in theaters the week it first aired, with my wife, shortly after marrying, we really liked that movie. I also saw it on Laser Disc and cable, so three times, I have viewed it. However, after viewing the original at home in the daytime (thanks TCM and TiVo) with phone call distractions and pauses, this was still BETTER. Sorry, Mr. Scorcese, you are very good, but this original trumped you bi an entire star... the remake was 4 stars... this was 5/5. The terrorizing of the Bowden girl, Nancy was much more scary... the remake was kind of icky with 'Danielle' (Nancy) - neither me nor my wife liked that part at all. I love DeNiro, but something about Mitchum's physical stature, ruthlessness, coyness, evil smile and his EYES made this more believable and... scary.

Maybe it's somewhat dated as far its innocent-daughter appeal, but those were the times we lived in just before our innocence was shattered with JFK's assasination, the Vietnam War, drugs, the sexual revolution, rock music, Watergate, etc. Besides, she had to be innocent for the film's plot to work - Max Cady was going to take away her innocence as revenge against her father... that is essentially the whole krux of the film. The black and white process, using light and shadow perfectly creates a great, spooky, Film-Noir like atmosphere... it actually made it better than the remake in color. Gregory Peck blows away Nick Nolte as far as being the sympathetic protagonist and putting Mitchum on screen in black and white as a villain, even trumps the great Robert DeNiro. Sorry, Bob... Deniro, that is, Mitchum got ya on this one... and yes... I am talking to you. LOL

Ted in Gilbert, AZ

[–] novastar_6 18 years ago

No argument here...I think one thing that REALLY made it work for the scare factor...in the original, Sam Bowden didn't do anything except what he had to do...he testified in court for the sake of the poor woman Cady had raped. In the remake, what did Bowden do? He was Cady's LAWYER! His own lawyer turned against him! While I applaud Al Pacino in And Justice For All for such an act, that movie couldn't have done it any other way, but what is among the FIRST thing a lawyer learns in law school? Win your case, no matter what. So, Sam Bowden clearly wants to be a good lawyer, WHY turn on his client? Granted, you ain't gonna look good for getting a rapist off because everybody's going to believe what they want anyway, but how good is it going to look not even sticking with your client?

And yes, having Cady coming after a poor, little, innocent girl works a hell of a lot better than him seducing a whacko teen from a dysfunctional family...Nancy didn't even look as old as she was supposed to be, she was supposed to be 14 about? She looked about 10 to me and even my mother would agree she didn't look any older than about 12. Now, The Exorcist which came along in 1973 scared the hell out of people to the extent that women were having miscarriages, people were passing out and throwing up...if a movie like that, could have that kind of effect on people in 1973, just imagine how scary THIS movie had to be when it premiered 12 years earlier. Here you have a situation that could happen to anybody who tries to do the right thing, THAT is scary. But to have a guy who does the right thing by turning on his client, that can be scary too, but I think more people would see it as he brought it on himself, that doesn't come off as so frightening.

[–] BreeInAZ 18 years ago

Very good insightful analysis, novastar - and I'll even add to that with Nolte, he was of a large physical stature next to DeNiro, unlike Peck, who is no small guy himself, Nolte looked like he was never in any real danger. Peck had always played in-control, statuesque characters, so when he faces off against Mitchum, it was really close to immasculating and it made us all identify, especially fathers. Nolte tried to act more demure and weak against DeNiro and it didn't work as well, becuase we all knew in real life Nolte could kick DeNiro's butt. Yes, I also agree wholeheartedly... Danielle was nowhere near as sympathetic to audiences as Nancy and thusly, the fear and intimidation we felt was far less for her, too. Having Nancy more naive and innocent made us root for her more and demonize Max Cady even further, which is what it takes to make a good suspenseful thriller - a protagonist we pull for with an emotional attachment deep down in our collective gut - we want to be on the edge. Cape Fear did that back in 1962 and even still does today... that is the hallmark of a great thriller.

Ted in Gilbert, AZ

[–] eeleyebrown 18 years ago

I definitely liked this version better. Robert Mitchum was much scarier as Cady. The use of shadows and darkness was much more effective here and Mitchum looked like a true demon, even more so than earlier in the movie. The scene at the end where he abducts Bowden's daughter ignites the imagination with fear without him even sexually touching her. I can only imagine how movie goers felt at that time watching it in the early 60's.

Early in the remake where we see DeNiro's jailhouse tattoos and chiseled body. You already know he's dangerous and there's gonna be trouble. There isnt the same build-up of tension here except for the anticipation of action, gore and murder. Naturally, his character had to die because of how today's movie audiences think (plus, Hollywood couldnt let it die without a sequel if he lived) but I prefer the original's ending where Cady gets to decay and die in the last place he wants to be.

[–] ClassicSiren 18 years ago

i agree with everything thats been said. i think it is crucial that in the 1st cape fear nacy is naive, gentle and innocent, she probably can't eve contimplate what cady would do to her if he ever got his claws into her, wich for me atleast makes it all the more chilling, especially when he corners her in the little hut on shore, you can c it in her eyes, she's even more terrified because she doesn't know. the other daughter in the 2nd cape fear however, to me she doesn't even seem virginal, she seems like the type that did something naughty in summer camp, and she makes it quite clear that she is attracted to cady.

[–] eeleyebrown 18 years ago

Yes, the original daughter is very virginal while the remake daughter is kind of a "Lolita", probably just discovering her sexuality but not really knowing her hormones are kicking in.

Of course, Juliett Lewis has always had that "trailer park Lolita" effect on screen.

[–] novastar_6 18 years ago

Yeah, now as a parent, which is more terrifying to you? A crazy man who's been in jail for raping and beating a woman, who's coming after your little daughter, your innocent little angel, and she is terrified, has nowhere to go, and virtually nothing to defend herself with (if his wife couldn't beat him with that fireplace poker, there's no way a 14 year old who looks 10 could), or a crazy guy like that coming after your spaced out, whacko teenager who probably doesn't even care what he does anyway?

[–] ClassicSiren 17 years ago

i totally agree