Original is better in my opinion and I say that even as a major Scorsese fan.
Deniro was excellent don’t get me wrong, but, for me, Mitchum was max cady. I didn’t need to see an amped up, ultra violent version of what was already one of the more menacing bad guy characters of cinema.
Now they did some interesting stuff- making nolte riddled with personal problems in contrast to pecks complete straight and narrow but I overall just love the suspense, tension, score, performances of the first one even more than the good remake.
I’m not trying to demean the remake at all. I just find the classic that much better.
Yeah they definitely wanted to push the envelope with the Juliet Lewis stuff. Remember that what was implied in 1962 could be outright depicted in 91. That said, pecks daughter was younger than Lewis and obviously had nothing but revulsion toward cady. Lewis, meanwhile...
Still the original has some risqué stuff for the time. If you don’t find the one scene where he confronts Polly Bergen and tries to proposition her so as to ensure the daughters safety or when he actually corners the daughter disturbing, them I don’t know what to tell you.
One awesome touch that Scorsese and co did in the remake was bring Mitchum, Peck, and Balsam back. And, in a little wink to the audience, make Peck and Balsam douchers while making Mitchum a face.