The Illustrated Man Behind Bars

Film Details:

• Film Title: Cape Fear
• Film Year: 1991
• Character Name: Max Cady
• Cinematography: colorFilm
• Scorsese Cameo? false

Here is more information about the costume and how it informs the character:

• Clothing Articles: Shiny red Speedo
• Hairstyle: Greasy
• Props: Prison bars, makeshift gym equipment, vengeance
• Costume Style: Casual Dress
• Facial Hair? false
• Bare Chested? true
• Tattoos? true
• Headwear? false

• IMDB Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101540/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
• Other Source: "Robert De Niro's Best, Worst and Craziest Performances" (via Rolling Stone)

In what Rolling Stone, describes as a “sweaty, deliberately overbaked movie, dripping with atmosphere” in their rundown of Bob’s good, bad and ugly movie roles, Bob’s memorable first impression as Max Cady in Cape Fear packs a punch. Here we see our antihero undergoing a strenuous exercise regiment behind bars, covered in flash-art tattoos and perspiration. The menacing aspect of this predatory display communicates a sense of imminent danger, not unlike the boxing matches in Raging Bull. (P.S. This performance was ranked as “ugly”, but it seems befitting a movie that is, indeed, “sweaty, [and] deliberately overbaked”.)

Did you know? While it’s obvious that this is yet another time Martin Scorsese has featured Bob’s muscles his movies, this is the second appearance of Bob’s bowl cut in his film career, first being his breakout role as Johnny Boy.

See Also:

• In the Ring