Max Cady

""I wanted you to be just the way you were the last time I saw you.""

- Max Cady in Cape Fear (1962) ""You're gonna learn about loss...""

- Max Cady in Cape Fear (1991). Maximilian Cady, often shortened to Max Cady, is the main antagonist in John D. Macdonald's novel The Executioners, which has been adapted into a film named Cape Fear.

He is portrayed by Robert Mitchum in the 1962 film and Robert De Niro in the 1991 remake.

Films
Cady is an ex-convict who comes back after several years in prison to take revenge on Sam Bowden, the lawyer who helped put him in jail, and his family. It must be noted that in the original film, Bowden testified against Cady in court, while in the remake he was in charge of his defence, but buried a report that could have kept him from serving time. The charges were of sexual abuse and battery (in both films). Also, during his confinement, Cady dedicated himself mostly to studying law, so he won't be caught off guard next time.

Upon leaving jail, he meets Sam Bowden outside the court and has a little chat with him so Bowden can remember who he is and become aware of the fact that it won't be the last time they see each other. Shortly after he starts stalking the lawyer's family, their dog dies from poisoning, but it is not revealed whether or not Max is responsible for that. A few days later, he rapes and beats a young woman, but she refuses to go to court and press charges against him out of fear and shame.

Cady's wife and kid left him while he was convicted, and since he blames Bowden for the loss of his family, he wants him to know what it's like to experience such a loss, which is why he targets the counselor's teenage daughter, presumably with both sexual and criminal intentions.

In the 1991 film, Bowden and his family eventually travel to their houseboat on Cape Fear to escape from Cady after he kills a private investigator named Claude Kersek at their home. Cady secretly tracks them to the boat, climbs aboard and attacks them. After Bowden's daughter Dani sprays him with lighter fluid while he's lighting a cigar and sets him on fire, Cady leaps off the boat into the water to extinguish the flames. However, he manages to pull himself back on board and forces Bowden to engage in a mock trial. A storm causes the boat to rock and catches Cady off guard, allowing Bowden to tackle him and handcuff him to the boat. Bowden's family escapes onto the riverbank and the boat is destroyed when it hits a group of rocks. Bowden grabs a large rock and prepares to drop it on Cady's head, but the current suddenly pulls Cady back out into river while he is talking rapidly in tongues. As Bowden and Cady lock eyes, the piece of debris Cady is still handcuffed to sinks into the water, taking him with it and causing him to drown.

Trivia

 * Robert Mitchum, who played the role in the 1962 version of Cape Fear, was recast in Scorsese's 1991 remake, this time as a law officer. Gregory Peck and Martin Balsam were also recast from the original.