Search - Cape Fear on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Violence, Adult Situations, Questionable for Children Movie Release: 1962 DVD Release: 09/18/2001 Format: DVD - Black and White,Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Dual Layered Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 46 mins Studio: Universal Studios Members Wishing: 3 Genres: Thriller, Post-Noir (Modern Noir), Psychological Thriller

After an eight-year prison term for rape and assault, Max Cady (Robert Mitchum) is set free. Immediately making a beeline to Sam Bowden (Gregory Peck), the former prosecutor responsible for Cady's conviction, Cady laconically informs Sam that he intends to "pay back" the attorney for his years behind bars. Conducting a meticulous campaign of terror, Cady is careful to stay within the law. Sam, realizing that Cady intends to wreak vengeance by raping the attorney's wife (Polly Bergen) and daughter (Lori Martin), tries to put the ex-criminal behind bars, but has no grounds to do so. Chief Dutton (Martin Balsam) tries to help Sam with a few strong-arm tactics, but succeeds only in having the courts take Cady's side in the matter. Things come to a head when Sam moves his family to the "safety" of a remote houseboat on Cape Fear river. Cady shows up unannounced and is about to ravage Bowden's wife and daughter and when Sam turns the tables. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Gregory Peck - Sam Bowden
Robert Mitchum - Max Cady
Polly Bergen - Peggy Bowden
Lori Martin - Nancy
Martin Balsam - Chief Dutton

This edition of Cape Fear may not have everything, but nobody will come away disappointed with this Universal DVD release of the taut suspensor. The widescreen letterbox dual-layer transfer was struck from a very clean print; the print has some minor scratches on it but nothing that is too obtrusive. The Dolby Digital 2.0 audio track is pristine and showcases Bernard Herrmann's knock-out score. There are a few extras, the best of which is an original "making of" documentary. Better than the average DVD featurette, it basically contains edited interviews with star/producer Gregory Peck and director J. Lee Thompson. Both men are charming and Thompson displays cheeky good humor as he talks about the production in general, star Robert Mitchum in particular, how Hitchcock inspired him, the issue of censorship, and his positive view of the Cape Fear remake. It's an entertaining and educational featurette but it would've been wise to balance the memories of these two people with archival interview material with other members of the cast and crew, particularly Mitchum. During the Great Depression, the future actor was incarcerated as a teenage hobo in Georgia (where location shooting took place) and put into a chain gang. His crime was homelessness and the state got free labor out of prisoners at a time when unemployment ran rampant. Mitchum never forgot this injustice and was none too happy to be back in Georgia. Supposedly, the grudge he held about it colored his chilling portrayal of a brilliant, charming sociopath who feels he was wronged. His grounded, understated performance is far more chilling than anything Robert De Niro did in the worthy remake. The disc also includes the theatrical trailer, production notes, a poster gallery, biographies, and a rather paltry photo album. ~ Nick Dedina, All Movie Guide