‘Cape Fear’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey
March 28, 2023 · Cape Fear (1991) · Crime · Drama · Thriller · 1:43:25 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsSteven Spielberg — Steven Spielberg was originally supposed to direct Cape Fear before it was traded to Scorsese for Schindler's List - describes this as one of the great movie trades of all time that worked out for both directors▶ 2:54
Chris RyanJohn Williams — Imagines a John Williams score for the Spielberg version would have been incongruous - mimics the Jurassic Park theme playing over Max Cady doing sit-ups in jail▶ 3:51
Sean FennesseyMartin Scorsese — Cannot imagine the Steven Spielberg version and is thankful Martin Scorsese directed it instead - calls Scorsese 'our favorite sick fuck' who knows how to show what's demonic about souls▶ 3:47
Most Rewatchable Scene
Chris RyanThe whole night where they're waiting for Cady to show up with the teddy bear, and he shows up dressed as the maid and kills Joe Don Baker▶ 45:47
Sean FennesseyThe scene between Joe Don Baker when he gets made by Cady, then they meet outside the diner and have their one-on-one confrontation▶ 46:09
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsThe Simpsons parody episode 'Cape Feare' which is considered one of the five or six best Simpsons episodes; anytime the bad guy kills the family dog in a movie; Max's tattoo reveals in jail being some of the best tattoo work ever seen in a movie; widescreen TVs making the movie look incredible after being hard to watch on cable▶ 49:30
Chris RyanAt 45 years old, seeing a dog in a movie and knowing the clock is ticking; Martin Scorsese shooting athletic activities, specifically praising the racquetball scene; De Niro's line about moving to California to teach earthquake preparedness▶ 50:44
Sean FennesseyThe 'Bake them away, toys' joke from The Simpsons Cape Fear parody episode; taking Juliette Lewis over other famous people who wouldn't have been right for the role▶ 49:52
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill SimmonsHer character not testifying (despite the explanation that they need her not to testify because otherwise Katie goes to jail)▶ 1:00:07
Chris RyanDefends the character's reasoning as heartbreaking and consistent with how the antagonist operates right on the line of legality▶ 1:00:53
Sean FennesseyDefends the not testifying plot point as realistic for 1991 due to the culture of fear around coming forward with sexual assault▶ 1:00:34
Best Quote
Bill SimmonsEvery man carries a circle of hell around their head like a halo / If you hang on to the past, you die a little every day▶ 1:04:55
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsDe Niro is indisputably the greatest maniac actor we've ever had - citing nine movies where he's a malevolent force including Travis Bickle, Max Cady, Jimmy Conway▶ 1:06:02
Chris RyanMax Cady did what Dr. Hackett could not and brought Lee and Sam back together - he was a great marriage counselor with unorthodox methods▶ 1:05:20
Sean FennesseySam and Lee definitely needed to break up and Sam would have been way happier with Lori (the racquetball lady) - sticking together isn't always the answer▶ 1:05:38
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsFalse internet research that Sarah Jessica Parker was cast and replaced by Juliette Lewis - it's false because Scorsese said she was the first person they cast. They auditioned 500 actresses including Jennifer Connelly, Drew Barrymore, and Reese Witherspoon who were both 15 during filming. Diane Keaton was going to play the wife role.▶ 1:08:54
Sean FennesseyDrew Barrymore said not getting the role was one of her greatest disappointments and that she blew the audition. Glad it wasn't Drew Barrymore because she has such a different energy.▶ 1:09:30
Overacting Award
Bill SimmonsJessica Lange — Jessica Lange for her screaming performance, particularly the 'Why did you bother?' scene and blaming scenes▶ 1:10:42
Chris RyanJessica Lange — Jessica Lange for the extended smoking and face-touching sequences and overall manic behavior▶ 1:11:06
Sean FennesseyJessica Lange — Agrees Jessica Lange's performance is excessive 'even for a movie like this'▶ 1:11:04
Is This Movie Better With
Bill SimmonsJ.T. Walsh — Suggests J.T. Walsh could play the Joe Don Baker part, says De Niro is probably the answer to all questions about who gets utility player roles▶ 1:25:32
Sean FennesseyJ.T. Walsh — J.T. Walsh should be in this movie, doesn't know what part but says 'this is a J.T. Walsh movie'▶ 1:25:19
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsYes, this is one of the top five greatest De Niro death scenes, alongside Heat, Taxi Driver, Joker, Jackie Brown, and Cape Fear▶ 1:27:12
Chris RyanKursick has too much time because it's summer in North Carolina and the Tar Heels aren't playing basketball▶ 1:28:57
Coach Finstock Life Lesson
Bill SimmonsDon't bury evidence when representing someone; explores whether bad people deserve fair representation▶ 1:33:47
Who Won the Movie
Sean FennesseyRobert De Niro — De Niro - agrees that Max Cady is such an iconic figure, though usually picks the director▶ 1:34:37
Movies Referenced (64)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodfellas (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 6:46 |
| John Wick (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:36:16 |
| Walking Tall (2004) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 46:21 |
| Angel Heart (1987) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:07:57 |
| From Hell (2001) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 5:52 |
| Miami Vice (2006) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:15:45 |
| Taxi Driver (1976) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 38:30 |
| Casino (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 14:19 |
| Creed (2015) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:36:16 |
| Frankenstein (2025) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 14:45 |
| Joker (2019) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:27:31 |
| Mad Dog and Glory (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 14:28 |
Directors Referenced (11)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Scorsese | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 36 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets | ▶ 2:02 |
| Steven Spielberg | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan | ▶ 2:54 |
| Don Baker | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Blade Runner, RoboCop | ▶ 45:56 |
| Brian De Palma | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Body Double, Dressed to Kill, The Bonfire of the Vanities | ▶ 56:36 |
| George Miller | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 21:13 | |
| Ingmar Bergman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | The Seventh Seal | ▶ 37:54 |
| James Ivory | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Call Me by Your Name, The Remains of the Day | ▶ 21:26 |
| Jonathan Demme | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married | ▶ 5:29 |
| Michael Bay | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Armageddon | ▶ 13:20 |
| Sidney Lumet | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | 12 Angry Men | ▶ 21:00 |
| William Friedkin | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | To Live and Die in L.A., The French Connection, The Exorcist | ▶ 21:19 |
Actors Referenced (83)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert De Niro | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 46 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver | ▶ 2:35 |
| Nick Nolte | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 27 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Warrior | ▶ 2:35 |
| Joe Don Baker | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 18 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | GoldenEye, Cape Fear | ▶ 1:59 |
| Jessica Lange | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Tootsie, The Postman Always Rings Twice | ▶ 2:35 |
| Juliette Lewis | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Cape Fear, Natural Born Killers | ▶ 18:02 |
| Bill Murray | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Lost in Translation, Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom | ▶ 32:14 |
| Migs Govea | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons | Ocean's Eight | ▶ 30:01 |
| Reese Witherspoon | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons | Walk the Line, Legally Blonde | ▶ 48:08 |
| Robert Mitchum | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Out of the Past | ▶ 18:25 |
| Gregory Peck | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | To Kill a Mockingbird, Roman Holiday | ▶ 18:25 |
| Robert E. Lee | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Trading Places | ▶ 41:50 |
| Anthony Hopkins | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The Silence of the Lambs | ▶ 5:29 |
Writers Referenced (10)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Manson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood | ▶ 16:24 |
| Damien Chazelle | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Whiplash, La La Land, First Man | ▶ 37:35 |
| Peter Bart | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Revenge of the Nerds, Fun with Dick and Jane | ▶ 8:53 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 2:20 | |
| John Milton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:07:30 | |
| Nancy Meyers | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | It's Complicated, Something's Gotta Give, Private Benjamin | ▶ 21:21 |
| Nora Ephron | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Julie & Julia, When Harry Met Sally... | ▶ 21:17 |
| Ryan Coogler | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Black Panther, Creed | ▶ 1:37:15 |
| Thomas Harris | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal Rising, Manhunter | ▶ 5:21 |
| Wesley Strick | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Cape Fear | ▶ 1:20:00 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freddie Francis | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | The Elephant Man, The Straight Story | ▶ 7:25 |