Mitchum did it with suggestiveness; the remake was all overt. So it was very creepy, but in a strange way, not as scary.
Also the ending in the first one was better. He had the cuffs slapped on him and was horrified about being sent back to prison.
The modern remake turned it into modern violence porn ending in him needing to be shot down.
Same with Ransom. The original was a masterpiece. The father was a pillar of strength, the cops were good guys. Great story.
The Mel Gibson one made the dad a little bit psycho, and the cop was corrupt and turned out to be the kidnapper.
They screw up a lot of good movies.
I love Mitchum but, I’m sorry, breaking egg shells over Polly Bergen’s breasts, isn’t exactly “suggestiveness,” lol. Surely, after Night of the Hunter, his most terrifying performance. What an actor.
Mitchum also had Gregory Peck, Martin Balsam and Telly Savalas in the
movie as well. DeNiro had no chance to look anything but second rate compared to that group.