Which verse was Max Cady saying when he was drowning?

Which verse was Max Cady saying when he was drowning? - You Are Not Alone Quote Board on Brown Wooden Frame

In the ending of Cape Fear (1991), when Sam handcuffed the legs of Max Cady and he started drowning we see him saying something in non-English language and it seemed to me something related to God.

In this clip that “strange shouting” starts at 1:21.

As the movie is of neo-noir genre, that ending of Max Cady with those “sounds” must be having some hidden meaning in it.

So, what was he saying? And what was the importance of that “saying” at the end of his life?



Best Answer

The non-English part is not in the script but this is "speaking in tongues".

Glossolalia or speaking in tongues is a phenomenon in which people speak words that are apparently in languages unknown to the speaker. One definition used by linguists is the fluid vocalizing of speech-like syllables that lack any readily comprehended meaning, in some cases as part of religious practice in which it is believed to be a divine language unknown to the speaker.

Wikipedia


In the remake, Bowden is able to handcuff Cady's ankle to a railing in the houseboat before it hits submerged rocks and begins to break apart. The two exchange blows with rocks, and Bowden savagely attempts to bring a large rock down on Cady's head. Before he can do so, though, Cady is washed out into the river, still cuffed to part of the houseboat, madly crying out and speaking in tongues, and Bowden then watches as Cady is pulled to the bottom of the river and drowns.

Wikipedia


From the script which does not have this element of speaking in tongues...

 Sam watches, bloody and transfixed on the riverbank as Cady -- just his
 head visible now  -- regresses to the choir boy he once was, long ago. 
 In a small voice he begins to sing:

     "On Jordan's stormy banks I stand
      Oh, who will come with me?"

 It's a revival song from Cady's youth, 
 and he renders it in a reedy, eerie, almost beautiful alto:  

     "I'm bound for the promised land.
      I'm bound for the promised land."                "



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What Max Cady says?

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 : It's not necessary to lay a foul tongue on me my friend.

What does the ending of Cape Fear mean?

Cady studied law while he was in prison and also appealed for himself but failed. He is released from prison after 14 years and plans to take revenge on Sam. He tracks him down and terrorizes him, lurking near his house. The family dog is killed mysteriously and Sam tried to frame Cady but there is no evidence.

Where was the original Cape Fear filmed?

Locations for the 1962 \u201cCape Fear\u201d were shot in and around Savannah and at a marina in northern California, according to Internet Movie Database. (The seedy hotel, however, where Mitchum hangs out, is none other than the \u201cMother Bates\u201d house from the movie \u201cPsycho\u201d on the Universal Studios lot.)

Which version of Cape Fear is better?

It should be noted both takes on Cape Fear are great with the films being tense, stylish thrillers with some fantastic performances. When it comes to sheer intensity, however, Cape Fear 1991 comes out on top.



Cady Drowns - Cape Fear (10/10) Movie CLIP (1991) HD




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Brett Sayles, Thirdman, Luis Quintero, Thirdman