Cape Fear (1962 film)

Cape Fear is a 1962 American psychological thriller film starring Robert Mitchum, Gregory Peck, Martin Balsam and Polly Bergen. It was adapted by James R. Webb from the novel The Executioners by John D. MacDonald. It was directed by J. Lee Thompson and released on April 12, 1962. The movie concerns an attorney whose family is stalked by a criminal he helped to send to jail.

After spending eight years in prison for rape, Max Cady Robert Mitchum is released. He promptly tracks down Sam Bowden Gregory Peck, a 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 Bowdens family. He kills the Bowden family dog, though Sam cannot prove Cady did it. A friend of Bowdens, police chief Mark Dutton Martin Balsam, attempts to intervene on Bowdens behalf, but he cannot prove Cady guilty of any crime.Bowden hires private detective Charlie Sievers Telly Savalas. Cady brutally attacks a promiscuous young woman named Diane Taylor Barrie Chase when she brings him home, but neither the private eye nor Bowden can persuade her to testify. Bowden hires three thugs to beat up Cady and persuade him to leave town, but the plan backfires when Cady gets the better of all three. Cadys lawyer vows to have Bowden disbarred. ........

Source: Wikipedia