Cape Fear (1962)

[happyfilmluvguy]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055824/

A friend of mine asked me last night if I wanted to see a movie. I said sure, what film? Since he works at Universal Studios, he's able to go in the backlot of the studio. Last night I had the great privilage of seeing Cape Fear starring Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck in their spine tingling drama on the big screen in the Universal Backlot. A film which was made by Universal was having a screening. My friend had no idea what it was or who was in it or what year it was made. He thought it was a horror monster type film. When he told me the title, I told him it was an old film noir detective type story in black and white. He seemed kind of disappointed yet interested in seeing it. When we got to the screening room, it had already begun, but we weren't missing a thing yet.

When the film ended and the lights turned on, I looked behind us to see who else was in the theater. Turns out we were the youngest people in the theater. I asked my friend what he thought of the film, and he said it was the first old film he'd really seen and that he was actually into it. A bit of a surprise to him. There's nothing like seeing a movie on a screen bigger than your living room and there was nothing better than to see Cape Fear on that same screen.

What do you like about this masterpiece thriller?

 

[Doctor Strange]

This is the only movie in which Robert Mitchum is actually scarier than he is in "The Night of the Hunter"!

This movie totally creeped me out when I first saw it many years ago - it's a very effective thriller.

 

[Jack Scorpion]

Mitchum is my favorite actor, so of course I dig. His panama is something else, too. +Peck is such a good "Father and Husband" figure. I am a big fan of the psychological horror genre in general... where the action is subordinate to the potential action.

Cat People is another favorite. Night of the Hunter of course, as well. But both of those movies have a touch of the fantastic in them. Cape Fear is the staple realistic psychological horror situation.

 

[Flitcraft]

Check out Mitchum's use of space- he's always invading Peck's personal space, but never in a way that Peck could ever accuse him of anything without looking foolish.
Also, see how relaxed Mitchum usually looks- he's holding all the cards and he's got all the time in the world- much different from DeNiro's cartoonish remake.
Not really sure what DeNiro was thinking with his characterization, but that may be for another thread......

 

[cookie]

Cape Fear

The Bobby de Niro remake is good and scary to boot!

 

[Flitcraft]

Man, I don't know- I usually like DeNiro, but I thought his version was way over the top- more like in the ozone.
Check out the '62 version- Mitchum was scary more because of what he didn't say- he had more of a subtle sinister quality. Plus, he acted like he had all the time in the world to accomplish his goal.
DeNiro palyed it much more hyped up, I'll give you that, but some of the scenes- holding on to the bottom of a moving vehicle for hours, smoking dope with the daughter, seemed designed more to shock, but wound looking kind of silly...

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Man, I don't know- I usually like DeNiro, but I thought his version was way over the top- more like in the ozone.
Check out the '62 version- Mitchum was scary more because of what he didn't say- he had more of a subtle sinister quality. Plus, he acted like he had all the time in the world to accomplish his goal.
DeNiro palyed it much more hyped up, I'll give you that, but some of the scenes- holding on to the bottom of a moving vehicle for hours, smoking dope with the daughter, seemed designed more to shock, but wound looking kind of silly...

I'd have to agree - I think the 1962 version with Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum was head and shoulders above the remake. The remake was sleazier and didn't seem to have that much suspense to it.

 

[HadleyH]

I'd have to agree - I think the 1962 version with Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum was head and shoulders above the remake. The remake was sleazier and didn't seem to have that much suspense to it.

I second that.

 

[jazzzbaby]

The remake was watchable, and it held it's own with entirely different standards. However, it does not in any manner hold a candle to the original.

There was some brilliant acting & film making in the original Cape Fear...and I sure would have loved to have been in the movie theater back in the day watching that film. It frightens me now...and back in the day it would have scared the H-E-double L out of me, to the point of sleepless nights I am sure.

It's really a magnificently creepy film with Mitchum being so menacing & dangerous. I had seen on TCM when they were speaking to the actress, Polly Bergen, about her role as the wife of Gregory Peck. She was speaking of the scene on the houseboat and how it was completely out of control. She wasn't expecting Mitchum to be so violent, but she went along with it because it was the part he& she had to play. She was really shaken up afterwards.

I just read this Trivia Fact on the IMDB for this film:
Polly Bergen suffered minor bruises in a scene where her character struggles with Robert Mitchum's character. He was supposed to drag her through various doors on the set, but a crewmember mistakenly left all those doors locked, so that when Mitchum forced Bergen through the doors, she was actually being used as a ram to push them open.

Here is more trivia as well, that I found interesting especially the last one:
* J. Lee Thompson originally wanted Hayley Mills to play Nancy Bowden, but Mills couldn't because she was contracted to Walt Disney. Thompson still wishes that he had Hayley Mills play Nancy.

* Gregory Peck was originally approached to play the role of Max Cady , but he said he did not want to play the villain and instead asked for (and received) the role of the hero, Sam Bowden.

* According to Robert Mitchum, during the filming of the final fight scene between he and Gregory Peck, Peck once accidentally punched him for real. Mitchum, knowing that Peck didn't mean to and ever the professional, refused to break character and continued filming the scene. However, upon entering his trailer, Mitchum said he "literally collapsed" due to the impact of the punch and said that he felt it for days after wards. According to Mitchum: "I don't feel sorry for anyone dumb enough who picks a fight with him (Peck)."

* The hotel where Mitchum takes Barrie Chase is "mother's house" from Psycho (1960), where Martin Balsam met his demise two years earlier.

 

[cookie]

Cape Fear

Thanks that info was great - are we about to detour now into Psycho country ? EEEk EEK EEEEK!

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

fftopic: At Universal Studios for Halloween this past year, they had a special backlot tour (they have a normal backlot tour on regular days). This time they let us off and allowed the riders of the tram to walk about "some" of the sets. They had a maze set up. But we got to walk past "mother's house" and the Bates Motel. The house is actually not that large.

back on topic, if you ever get the chance to see this film on the big screen, definitely consider it. Seeing Robert Mitchum peaking out of the bushes with frog-like eyes was a treat, thanks to my friend.