Cape Fear
“Sam Bowden has always provided for his family's future. But the past is coming back to haunt them.”
Synopsis
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.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Theatrical TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2018-12-28
Top Cast
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Nick Nolte
Sam Bowden
Robert De Niro
Max Cady
Jessica Lange
Leigh Bowden
Juliette Lewis
Danielle Bowden
Joe Don Baker
Claude Kersek
Robert Mitchum
Lieutenant Elgart
Gregory Peck
Lee Heller
Martin Balsam
Judge
Illeana Douglas
Lori Davis
Fred Thompson
Tom Broadbent
Zully Montero
Graciella
Craig Henne
Prisoner
Forest Burton
Prisoner
Edgar Allan Poe IV
Prisoner
Rod Ball
Prisoner
W. Paul Bodie
Prisoner
Joel Kolker
Corrections Officer
Antoni Corone
Corrections Officer
Release History & Theatrical Window
Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
November 15, 1991
Wide Cinema Exhibition
September 13, 2021
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$35M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$182.3M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
5.21x
+$147.3M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Martin Scorsese
- Screenplay & Story
- Wesley Strick
- Original Score
- Bernard Herrmann, Elmer Bernstein
- Original Title
- Cape Fear
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 8m
- Production Budget
- $35M
- Worldwide Gross
- $182.3M
- Production Studios
- Amblin Entertainment, Cappa Productions, Tribeca Productions, Universal Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Martin Scorsese
Wesley Strick, John D. MacDonald, James R. Webb
Bernard Herrmann, Elmer Bernstein
Freddie Francis
Thelma Schoonmaker
Barbara De Fina, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall
Department Leadership Roster
Freddie Francis
Director of Photography
Thelma Schoonmaker
Editor
Martin Scorsese
Director
Wesley Strick
Screenplay
Barbara De Fina
Producer
Henry Bumstead
Production Design
Rita Ryack
Costume Design
Leon Delaney
Stunt Coordinator
Bernard Herrmann
Original Music Composer
Elmer Bernstein
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Cape Fear.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Cape Fear
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Cape Fear about?
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.
Who directed Cape Fear?
Cape Fear was directed by Martin Scorsese.
Who stars in Cape Fear?
The principal cast of Cape Fear includes Nick Nolte, Robert De Niro, Jessica Lange, Juliette Lewis, Joe Don Baker.
When was Cape Fear released and how long is it?
Cape Fear was released in 1991 with a total runtime of 2h 8m.
What was the box office and production budget of Cape Fear?
Cape Fear had a reported production budget of $35M and grossed $182.3M at the worldwide box office (5.21 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Cape Fear?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Cape Fear was composed by Bernard Herrmann, Elmer Bernstein.
Is Cape Fear based on a book or true story?
Cape Fear is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "John D. MacDonald".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Cape Fear?
Cape Fear holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: 12 (Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.); GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).