Danielle Bowden If you hold on to the past, you die a little each day...
Played by Juliette Lewis 
Cape Fear (1991) · 32 quotes
Cape Fear (1991) · 32 quotes
3rd most-quoted character in Cape Fear (1991): in 6 of its 32 quotes
Most scenes with: Max Cady (2), Sam Bowden (2)
My reminiscence: I always thought that for such a lovely river the name was 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.
More lines from Danielle Bowden
2 quotes Danielle Bowden Danielle Bowden 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] The end.
Scenes with Danielle Bowden
3 scenes
I wanted to meet you, see what you're like. I see you're a nice person. That's all.
Danielle Bowden You're not gonna hurt me, are you?
No, I'm not gonna hurt you at all. There's no hurtin' here, Danielle. 'Tween us, there's no anger, nothin'. Just a search for truth. I mean, did you judge me, did you get angry at me when you caught me smokin' the grass? Hmm?
Danielle Bowden No.
But your parents, they judged you. They got plenty angry at you, didn't they?
Danielle Bowden Yeah.
Mm-hmm. They punished you for their sins. What did they do?
Danielle Bowden They, uh... My dad... They just yelled a whole lot and, um... My mom cried... and my Dad said I couldn't drive the Cherokee.
I'd say they punished you for their sins, and you resent that, and you should resent it. But Professor 'Do-Right' has a little advice for you. You shouldn't damn 'em. Don't judge 'em. Just forgive 'em, for they know not what they do.
Danielle Bowden Well, um, why do you hate my father?
I don't hate him at all. Oh no, I pray for him. I'm here to help him. I mean, we all make mistakes, Danielle. You and I have. At least we try to admit it. Don't we?...But your daddy, he don't. Every man carries a circle of hell around his head like a halo. Your daddy too. Every man... Every man has to go through hell to reach his paradise. You know what paradise is?...Salvation. 'Cause your daddy's not happy. Your mommy's not happy. And, you know what? You're not happy. Are you? You know, I think I might have found a companion, a companion for that long walk to the light.
Danielle Bowden [lying on her bed in a shirt and underwear]
This isn't... gonna work, you know.
What isn't going to work?
Danielle Bowden Locking us in, hiding us from the world.
Oh, don't be so dramatic, Danny.
Danielle Bowden Making me stay outta school...
Well, you're going back to school tomorrow. And put some clothes on, you're not a little kid anymore.
Danielle Bowden Yeah, and why am I going back to school tomorrow? What are you gonna do?
That's none of your concern, Danny.
Danielle Bowden Dad... he didn't force himself on me, you know. I know you'd like to think that he did. But I think he was... I think he was just trying to make a connection with me, y'know?
[Alarmed, Sam marches into the room and joins her on the bed]
Now, Danny, I want you to listen to me, all right? [pointing in her face as she tries to look away] No. You understand? No. There will never be any connection between you and Max Cady. You understand that?
Danielle Bowden [laughing slightly]
What?
What are you laughing about? Why are you smiling? I'm asking you a question - did he touch you?
[Danielle smiles, and Sam suddenly grabs her by the face in anger]
Danny, wipe that smile off your face! I'm asking you, did he touch you?! [shaking her] C'mon! [realizing that he has scared her] Oh, n-no, wait, Danny, I'm sorry.
Danielle Bowden No...!
Danielle Bowden [pushing him away]
GET OUT OF HERE! GET OUT OF HERE!
[holding Sam at gunpoint]
The people call Samuel J. Bowden! Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?!
Cady, somebody's got to man the boat. We're heading into unprotected water!
Do you swear?!
Danielle Bowden I'll do it, Dad--
[pointing her the gun]
You sit, Danielle! Don't you make light of your civic duty, darling! You're the jury!
All right, all right, okay! I swear to tell the truth. What do you wanna know?
Was a prior sexual history ever prepared in connection with my defence? Was a prior sexual history ever prepared in connection with my defence?!
It's... [Cady hits him in the face and Danielle is screaming]
[looking in the camera behind him]
I'm sorry, Your Honor. I agree. That was argumentative. [addressing again to Sam] An investigator did prepare a prior sexual history on the alleged victim, true? [looking again behind him] I can ask leading questions, Your Honor, he is a hostile witness! [to Sam] And would you care to tell the court what the gist was of this report?
Cady, it was fourteen years ago. I can't remember that-- [Cady hits him again]
Leigh Bowden
[screams]
How can he answer when you're hitting him like that?!
[to the camera behind him]
Because he's perjurin' himself, Your Honor! He knows damn well exactly what it said! [turns to Sam] Don't you?!
It said that she was promiscuous. It said that she had three different lovers in one month--
At least three! At least three! And did you show this report to the D. A.?!
No, no...
No, huh?! I only discovered it after I petitioned to represent myself, six years into my sentence! But there it was in the court file! But back in '77, you buried it, Counselor! Would you care to tell the jury why?! Would you care to tell the court why?!
TALK TO ME! I'M STANDIN' HERE! [hits Sam again]
Just because she was promiscuous didn't give you the right to rape her! You bragged to me that you beat two prior aggravated rapes! You were a menace!
[screaming]
YOU WERE MY LAWYER! YOU WERE MY LAWYER! That report could've saved me FOURTEEN YEARS!
[disgusted]
YOU SELF-RIGHTEOUS ****! I'm Virgil, Counselor, 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! Can you please quote to me the American Bar Association's Rules of Professional Conduct, Canon Seven?!
"Should ZEALOUSLY represent his client within the bounds of the law"! And I find you guilty, Counselor! Guilty of betrayin' your fellow man! Guilty of betrayin' your country! Guilty of abrogatin' your oath! Guilty of judgin' me and sellin' me out! And 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, Counselor!
