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Cape Fear

Cape Fear

Now he had only one weapon left—murder!

19627.51h 45m

Overview

Sam Bowden witnesses a rape committed by Max Cady and testifies against him. When released after 8 years in prison, Cady begins stalking Bowden and his family but is always clever enough not to violate the law.

Directed by J. Lee Thompson
Written by John D. MacDonald, James R. Webb
Produced by Sy Bartlett
Box OfficeBudget: $35.0MRevenue: $103.0M

Top Cast

Gregory Peck

Gregory Peck

Sam Bowden

Robert Mitchum

Robert Mitchum

Max Cady

Polly Bergen

Polly Bergen

Peggy Bowden

Martin Balsam

Martin Balsam

Police Chief Mark Dutton

Lori Martin

Lori Martin

Nancy Bowden

Jack Kruschen

Jack Kruschen

Attorney Dave Grafton

Telly Savalas

Telly Savalas

Private Detective Charles Sievers

Barrie Chase

Barrie Chase

Diane Taylor

Paul Comi

Paul Comi

Garner

John McKee

John McKee

Officer Marconi

Themes & Keywords

small townpsychopathpoisonex-detaineeboatfilm noirlawyerkilling a doglistening to the radioaggressiveintensethreat to familyfamily terrorized

About Cape Fear

Cape Fear is a thriller, drama film released in 1962 exploring themes of small town, psychopath, poison, ex-detainee, boat, film noir. Directed by J. Lee Thompson, it stars Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Polly Bergen. Sam Bowden witnesses a rape committed by Max Cady and testifies against him. When released after 8 years in prison, Cady begins stalking Bowden and his family but is always clever enough not to violate the law.

Movies Similar to Cape Fear

Discover titles like Cape Fear — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to Cape Fear

If you enjoyed Cape Fear, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of Cape Fear.

Cape Fear
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Cape Fear(1991)

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Sam Bowden is a small-town corporate attorney. Max Cady is a tattooed, cigar-smoking, Bible-quoting, psychotic rapist. What do they have in common? 14 years ago, Sam was a public defender assigned to Max Cady's rape trial, and he made a serious error: he hid a document from his illiterate client that could have gotten him acquitted. Now, the cagey Cady has been released, and he intends to teach Sam Bowden and his family a thing or two about loss.

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Spanning the years 1945 to 1955, a chronicle of the fictional Italian-American Corleone crime family. When organized crime family patriarch, Vito Corleone barely survives an attempt on his life, his youngest son, Michael steps in to take care of the would-be killers, launching a campaign of bloody revenge.

Funny Games
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When Ann, husband George, and son Georgie arrive at their holiday home they are visited by a pair of polite and seemingly pleasant young men. Armed with deceptively sweet smiles and some golf clubs, they proceed to terrorize and torture the tight-knit clan, giving them until the next day to survive.

Insomnia
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Insomnia(2002)

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Two Los Angeles homicide detectives are dispatched to a northern town where the sun doesn't set to investigate the methodical murder of a local teen.