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.
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!
[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.
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...
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.
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.
[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.
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.
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.
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.