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.
Directed by Martin Scorsese
prison
small town
child abuse
rape
houseboat
cigar smoking
remake
revenge
stalking
lawyer
psychological thriller
fear
rebellious daughter
rapist
private detective
killing a dog
threat to family
family terrorized
Rank
#30 in 1991·#2527 overall
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Letterboxd
3.7 / 5
Where to Watch
Cast
Robert De Niro
Max Cady
Nick Nolte
Sam Bowden
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
Rod Ball
Prisoner
Crew
Martin Scorsese
Director
Wesley Strick
Screenplay
Bernard Herrmann
Original Music Composer
Elmer Bernstein
Original Music Composer
Thelma Schoonmaker
Editor
Freddie Francis
Director of Photography
Kathleen Kennedy
Executive Producer
Frank Marshall
Executive Producer
Ellen Lewis
Casting
Henry Bumstead
Production Design
Rita Ryack
Costume Design
Skip Lievsay
Supervising Sound Editor
Popular Reviews
2122 reviews
fresh__fish
8.0★ · 06/06/25
why is he kinda like the immortal snail 😭
why is he kinda like the immortal snail 😭
2
Sarish DeotalePRO
7.9★ · 05/11/25
super uncomfortable
super uncomfortable
2
Adrian LopesPRO
8.4★ · 01/22/26
A menacing Robert De Niro with a funny southern twang, terrorizes his old attorney and his family. I wish Scorsese did more horror movies. I loved this.
A menacing Robert De Niro with a funny southern twang, terrorizes his old attorney and his family. I wish Scorsese did more horror movies. I loved this.
1
Vivi
9.0★ · 01/03/26
Un vero capitano affonda sempre con la sua barca
Un vero capitano affonda sempre con la sua barca
1
Lisbeth_sally
5.0★ · 12/13/25
My least favourite Scorsese film so far. Idk this just wasn’t for me
My least favourite Scorsese film so far. Idk this just wasn’t for me