Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Max Cady: "I am like God, and God like me. I am as large as God, He is as small as I. He cannot above me, nor I beneath Him be." Silesius, 17th Century.

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Max Cady: I ain't no white trash piece of shit. I'm better than you all! I can out-learn you. I can out-read you. I can out-think you. And I can out-philosophize you. And I'm gonna outlast you. You think a couple whacks to my guts is gonna get me down? It's gonna take a hell of a lot more than that, Counselor, to prove you're better than me!

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Danielle: If you hold on to the past, you die a little each day...

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

[last lines]
Danielle: [voiceover] We never spoke about what happened, at least not to each other. Fear, I suppose, that to remember his name and what he did would mean letting him into our dreams. And me, I hardly dream about him anymore. Still, things won't ever be the way they were before he came. But that's alright because if you hang onto the past you die a little

every day. And for myself, I know I'd rather live.
[whispers]
Danielle: The end.

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Max Cady: I'm Virgil and I'm guidin' you through the gates of Hell. We are now in the Ninth Circle, the Circle of Traitors. Traitors to country! Traitors to fellow man! Traitors to GOD! You, sir, are charged with betrayin' the principles of all three! Quote for me the American Bar Association's Rules of Professional Conduct, Canon Seven.
Sam Bowden: "A

lawyer should represent his client... "
Max Cady: "Should ZEALOUSLY represent his client within the bounds of the law." I find you guilty, counselor! Guilty of betrayin' your fellow man! Guilty of betrayin' your country and abrogatin' your oath! Guilty of judgin' me and sellin' me out! With the power vested in me by the kingdom of God, I sentence you to the Ninth Circle of

Hell! Now you will learn about loss! Loss of freedom! Loss of humanity! Now you and I will truly be the same...

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Max Cady: Counselor! Come out, come out, wherever you are!

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Max Cady: It's not necessary to lay a foul tongue on me my friend. I could get upset. Things could get out of hand. Then in self defense, I could do something to you that you would not like, right here.

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Max Cady: Every man... every man has to go through hell to reach paradise.

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Claude Kersek: No, you're scared. But that's okay. I want you to savor that fear. The South evolved in fear; fear of the Indian, fear of the slave, fear of the damn Union. The South has a fine tradition of savoring fear.

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Max Cady: Are you my friend? Are you my friend?
Claude Kersek: No I'm not your friend.
Max Cady: Well, see, I like to plan my comings and goings with friends, so if you're planning my comings and goings I'd call that presumptuous, in fact I'd call it downright rude.

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

[first lines]
Danielle: My reminiscence. I always thought that for such a lovely river the name is mystifying: "Cape Fear". When the only thing to fear on those enchanted summer nights was that the magic would end and real life would come crashing in.

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

[Max Cady bares his heavily tattooed body]
Lieutenant Elgart: I don't know whether to look at him or read him.

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Sam Bowden: [they first meet - Sam is about to start his car when suddenly a hand reaches in and snatches the keys. It's Max Cady!]
Max Cady: [smiling] Free as a bird. You go wherever you want with whomever.
Sam Bowden: I'd like my keys back, please.
Max Cady: Could it be you don't remember me?

Sam Bowden: I remember you. You were at the movies the other night.
Max Cady: I'm disappointed. I'm hurt.
Sam Bowden: I would like my keys.
Max Cady: Max Cady. You look the same. Maybe 15 pounds heavier. But they say the average man gains a pound a year till he's about... Come on. Gains a pound a year till

he's about 60. Me? I dropped a pound every year in my sentence.
Sam Bowden: Atlanta. July 1977?
Max Cady: You got it.
[looks at keys and adds]
Max Cady: Fourteen years since I held a set of keys.

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Claude Kersek: Well, gee golly gosh. I sure am sorry I offended you, you white trash piece of shit.

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Max Cady: I understand, I'm not your type, too many tattoos. Thing is, there isn't much to do in prison except desecrate your flesh.

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Max Cady: Are you a cop? Or were you a cop? Or were you not good enough to remain on the force? Cause you know what? That's the feeling I'm getting here.

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Sam Bowden: He says we're fugitives!
Danielle: What does that mean?
Sam Bowden: That means we're doing something right!

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Max Cady: So, here we are, two lawyers for all practical purposes talking shop.
Sam Bowden: How much do you want, Mr. Cady?
Max Cady: How much do I want what?
Sam Bowden: How much money do you want?
Max Cady: Money? Counselor, do I look destitute to you?
Sam

Bowden: Well I'm open to discussion within reasonable limits.
Max Cady: You ever been a woman?
Sam Bowden: What?
Max Cady: A woman... some fat, hairy hillbilly's wet dream.

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Max Cady: [Danielle throws scalding grease over Max] Danielle, were you about to offer me something hot?
[Lights a flare and holds it aloft]
Max Cady: Let's get something straight... I spent fourteen years in an eight by nine foot cell surrounded by people who were less than human. My mission in that time was to become more than human
[lets

boiling wax drip on his skin]
Max Cady: ... so you see! Granddaddy used to handle snakes in church, Granny drank strychnine. I guess you could say I had a leg up, genetically speaking.

Cape Fear
Cape Fear

Max Cady: You learn about loss.