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Max Cady
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Max Cady is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the John D. MacDonald novel The Executioners. He was portrayed by Robert Mitchum in Cape Fear (1962 film) and Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's Cape Fear (1991 film).Best films
(1991)Played by the actors
Filmography of Max Cady (2 films)
Add to a movie listCape Fear (1991)
, 2h3Directed by Martin Scorsese
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Horror, Crime
Themes Films about sexuality, Rape in fiction
Actors Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, Juliette Lewis, Joe Don Baker, Robert Mitchum
Rating72%
Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte) is a lawyer in the quiet town of New Essex, North Carolina. Max Cady (Robert De Niro) is a former client whom Bowden defended 14 years earlier when he was working as a public defender in Atlanta. Cady was being tried for the violent rape and battery of a young woman. Bowden, appalled by Cady's crime, buried crucial evidence about the victim—that she was promiscuous—which might have lightened Cady's sentence or even secured his acquittal, violating his ethical and professional duty as a defense attorney. Cady was illiterate at the time and unaware of Bowden's actions. After his release from prison, Cady tracks down Bowden. The former convict learned to read and studied law in prison, and even assumed his own defense, unsuccessfully appealing his conviction several times. Cady hints strongly that he has learned about Bowden burying the report, stating that the judge and prosecutor in his case did their jobs while Bowden betrayed his own client.
Cape Fear (1962)
, 1h41Directed by J. Lee Thompson
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Horror
Themes Psychologie
Actors Robert De Niro, Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Nick Nolte, Martin Balsam, Juliette Lewis
Rating76%
After spending eight years in prison for rape, Max Cady (Robert Mitchum) is released. He promptly tracks down Sam Bowden (Gregory Peck), a Georgia lawyer whom he holds personally responsible for his conviction because Sam interrupted his attack and testified against him. Cady begins to stalk and subtly threaten Bowden's family. He kills the Bowden family dog, though Sam cannot prove Cady did it. A friend of Bowden's, police chief Mark Dutton (Martin Balsam), attempts to intervene on Bowden's behalf; but he cannot prove Cady guilty of any crime.