The film stars Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, Joe Don Baker, and Juliette Lewis.

[2] The film tells the story of a convicted violent rapist who, by using his newfound knowledge of the law and its numerous loopholes, seeks vengeance against a former public defender whom he blames for his 14-year imprisonment due to purposefully faulty defense tactics used during his trial.

Maximilian "Max" Cady, a psychopathic rapist, is released from prison after serving out a sentence for the rape and battery of a 16-year-old girl.

Cady tracks down Bowden who is now a private practice attorney living in New Essex, North Carolina, with his wife Leigh and their teenage daughter Danielle ("Danny").

He tells Bowden that he learned to read in prison, studied law and attempted several unsuccessful appeals of his case representing himself, implying that he knows about the hidden report.

Cady's attorney petitions the ABA Ethics Committee for Bowden's disbarment, triggering a two-day emergency meeting in Raleigh.

Danny sets Cady on fire by squirting lighter fluid onto him as he lights a cigar, causing him to jump off the boat to extinguish the flames.

Beating Bowden and getting him to confess to hiding the report 14 years earlier, Cady scolds him for failing to do his duty as an attorney before sentencing him "to the ninth circle of hell."

As the boat sinks, Cady speaks madly in tongues and sings the hymn "On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand."

[4] Although Scorsese had previously worked with Nolte in New York Stories (1989), he originally envisioned Harrison Ford in the role of Sam Bowden.

Drew Barrymore and Reese Witherspoon both auditioned for the part of Danielle Bowden and Spielberg reportedly wanted Bill Murray to play Cady.

Cape Fear collected $10.5 million during its opening weekend, ranking in first place at the box office, beating out Curly Sue.

The site's critics consensus reads: "Smart and stylish, Cape Fear is a gleefully mainstream shocker from Martin Scorsese, with a terrifying Robert De Niro performance.

"[11] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

[13] Roger Ebert gave the film three stars, commenting:Cape Fear is impressive moviemaking, showing Scorsese as a master of a traditional Hollywood genre who is able to mold it to his own themes and obsessions.

But as I look at this $35 million movie with big stars, special effects and production values, I wonder whether it represents a good omen from the finest director now at work.

[citation needed] In the 2003 film Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, the Seamus O'Grady prison introduction scene is a direct reference to Max Cady's prison-set intro.