Boy, this shows that you can still make a scary movie without a lot of blood, profanity and whatever. Hollywood didn't learn that, however, featuring all of it less than a decade after this was made. The Martin Scorcese re-make of this movie is exactly what I'm talking about.

This original Cape Fear was legitimately scary, thanks to the performance of Robert Mitchum, who doesn't need to resort to the f-word to be a tough, sick and really an evil character as he stalks Gregory Peck and his wife (Polly Bergen) and daughter (Lori Martin).

Bergan and Martin are two women I don't see too much in films which is too bad. They did a lot more TV work than movies. Another thing you don't see much anymore - a nice, sympathetic policeman - was also portrayed in here nicely by Martin Balsam.

The ending has some holes in it, to be sure, but overall it offers a good 106- minute suspense story.

For me, one of the best thrillers you could ever hope to see, Robert Mitchum somehow manages to top the sheer malevolence of his characterisation of the deranged preacher in the classic "Night Of The Hunter" with his portrayal of the vengeful Max Cady out to terrorise the family of the man whose testimony put him in jail, Gregory Peck's straight - arrow attorney at law, Sam Bowden.

The difference between the preacher and Cady and what takes Cady's evil to a different level again, is his obvious intent to corrupt Bowden's young daughter as he sees her for the first time painting her parents' boat. Before that it's difficult to tell just what shape his revenge will take but once the idea fixes in his mind, impossible as it might seem in a Hollywood feature from 1961, he clearly intends to carry out his plan, although he's not above attacking Peck's wife as a diversionary tactic.

Almost as much a study in how a good man can be brought almost to murder as in the psychopathic behaviour of a bad man, the story moves inexorably towards its nerve-shredding climax in the dark waters of the canal to where Peck unwisely lures Mitchum. We see Peck's Bowden gradually slip down almost to Cady's sub-human level, compromising in the process his years of legal training never mind his common decency as a happily married family man. In one of the great closing shots in cinematic history (in my opinion),he stops just short of this as he reclaims his humanity although just how he and his clearly traumatised family come back from this I personally couldn't imagine.

Everywhere you look there are fine performances, from Polly Bergen who tries to be her husband's moral compass but who likewise goes all points west the closer Cady gets to her daughter, young Lori Martin is excellent as the terrorised daughter in question, while there are solid characterisations in support by a folically-gifted Telly Savalas as the Bowdens' appointed private detective and Martin Balsam as the supportive police chief with a special nod to the little known Barrie Chase, the bar-room floozy Cady casually picks up and uses / abuses almost as practice for what's to come. Peck as you'd expect is excellent but it's undoubtedly Mitchum's film. Bulked up and brutish, sodden and unkempt, with no qualms about beating up and presumably raping women as well as casually breaking the neck of the policeman sent to play family bodyguard, it's all in the nuance and intent as up until the climax you barely see him lift a finger against anyone. I defy your skin not to crawl as he smears the terrified Bergen's breasts with raw eggs on the houseboat.

Credit director J Lee Thomson for a masterfully helmed thriller , one so good that Hitchcock himself could hardly beat it, the action and tension all the better for being filmed in "Psycho-esque" black and white and accompanied by another terrific Bernard Hermann soundtrack.

This is a terrific movie--and one you can't stop watching once it gets into full swing. It's what you want in a suspense film--taut, exciting, some fine performances and a sense that this could be real. The film begins with a lawyer (Gregory Peck) being approached by an ex-con (Robert Mitchum). It seems that eight years earlier, Mitchum was sent to prison based, in part, on Peck's testimony in court. While at first Mitchum says nothing the least bit threatening, Peck knows that Mitchum's repeatedly appearing around Peck and his family is no coincidence--it's meant as a threat. Unfortunately, since Mitchum really hasn't done anything, the police are helpless--but Peck knows that sooner or later, Mitchum is going to hurt him--and he repeatedly implied it might just happen to Peck's wife or young daughter. So what's Peck to do....just wait until the worst happens? Well, see the film to find out for yourself. You won't regret it--it's a very, very good movie.

Why did I like this? Well, of course the great acting (especially by Mitchum--who was great at playing menacing and evil) and writing were a big part of it. I also noticed that the sound track really heightened the tension and soon realized it was HEAVILY inspired by the score from "Psycho"--you can easily hear the similarities yourself. Regardless, all the parts fit together great and make for a satisfying film...provided it doesn't scare the pants off you!