The Wages of Fear (1953) Reviews

The Wages of Fear (1953)
Member Rating:  
Together with Diabolique, The Wages of Fear (Le Salaire de la Peur) earned Henri-Georges Clouzot the reputation as a "French Hitchcock." In truth, Clouzot's ability to sustain suspense may have even exceeded Hitchcock's; when originally released, Wages ran 155 tension-filled minutes. Based on the much-imitated novel by Georges Arnaud, the film is set in Central America. The Southern Oil Company, which pretty much rules the roost in the impoverished village of Las Piedras, sends out a call for long-distance truck drivers. Southern Oil's wages of 2,000 dollars per man are, literally, to die for -- the drivers are obliged to transport highly volatile nitroglycerine shipments across some of the most treacherous terrain on earth. Through expository dialogue, tense interactions and flashbacks, we become intimately acquainted with the four drivers who sign up for this death-defying mission: Corsican Yves Montand, Italian Folco Lulli, German Peter Van Eyck, and Frenchman Charles Vanel. The first half of the film slowly, methodically introduces the characters and their motivations. The second half -- the drive itself -- is a relentless, goosebump-inducing assault on the audience's senses. The winner of the Grand Prix at the Cannes Festival, The Wages of Fear was remade by William Friedkin as Sorcerer (1977). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, (more)
Director(s):
Henri-Georges Clouzot
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
NR
Format(s):
DVD
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Average Ratings

(13 member reviews)  

Member Reviews

Greg H.

The story is timeless, if not well known: Ex pats struggle to survive in a country less romantic than their dreams. One of the great things about this film is that its characters are not the simplistic, shallow creatures of today's films. Every character in the film has compromised things about themselves that one would think are not compromisable. The suspense is genuine, and the black and white film includes scenes that no actor or stuntman would do today. The ending is more dramatic and less realistic than today's film, but it is part of this film's charm.

Yes   |   No


Garth T.

I was unimpressed by this movie after being enticed by the great reviews and "French Hitchcock" quality espoused in the synopsis. The first 30 to 60 minutes is a rather slow introduction to the characters and location, which is not entirely clear and does not contribute to the storytelling. The second half of the film I wouldn't call suspenseful, but rather anxiety driven moments strung together with minimal plot development and modest character development. There's little sense of satisfaction or audience deception at the end of the film, which generally contributes to a good suspense film.

Yes   |   No


Jean S.

Cannot rate; cannot read sub-titles.

Yes   |   No


John K.

First, I think it i important to remember that this is a movie made 57 years ago. It would be easy to dismiss it as a dated b&w but it does provide a modicum of suspense although not on par with what one might see today. In his role, A younger Yves Montand is disliked at times and appealing at other times. The supporting actors are satisfactory in their roles although the acting is at times a bit stiff. The second half of the movie is more suspenseful and the ending is rather easy to foresee.

Yes   |   No


Patricia G.

I was not too sure about this movie...dub foreign, but I was surprised. I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a simple film with great characters. Now this was acting.

Yes   |   No


Howard W.

It is like watching a golf game. Whole movements seem going static, yet every moment sets the audience on the cliff. Wonderful to see the Great Yves Montand. Jewel Classic.

Yes   |   No


David B.

Only the French - an action film with hardly any action. Yet, you can't take your eyes off the film because of the situation the characters find themselves in. This is a true classic of French cinema, and if you like the French films of the 50's and 60's, this is not to be missed.

Yes   |   No


Jonathan B.

Excellent! I saw this movie in the mid-70s at a film festival and always felt that it was an extraordinarily well-done. I recently rented (11/08), wondering if "it'd hold up" to my impression from 30 years ago. It did. The first half is slow and deliberate in setting up the characters and backdrop; the second half is non-stop tension. I highly recommend.

Yes   |   No


Chengen L.

Boring and long. No, very boring and very long. Do not believe the good reviews. I guess they wasted the time and want you to do the same ... :))

Yes   |   No


Alan and Brenda N.

Aside from a lot of very good Japanese movies from Criterion, this falls into the category of another very highly rated movie that left me feeling that I had wasted a couple of hours of my time. The plot was simple minded and the acting amateurish. Where was the suspense? I kept waiting and waiting. The movie seemed dated. Can Yves Montand do more than appear shirtless and puff cigarettes. The love interest was a laughable caricature. Oh so French!

Yes   |   No


 
 
 

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    Member Reviews
    Read all (13)
     
    Greg H.

    The story is timeless, if not well known: Ex pats struggle to survive in a country less romantic than their dreams. One of the great things about this film is that its characters are not the simplistic, shallow creatures of today's films. Every character in the film has compromised things about themselves that one would think are not compromisable. The suspense is genuine, and the black and white film includes scenes that no actor or stuntman would do today. The ending is more dramatic and less realistic than today's film, but it is part of this film's charm.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Garth T.

    I was unimpressed by this movie after being enticed by the great reviews and "French Hitchcock" quality espoused in the synopsis. The first 30 to 60 minutes is a rather slow introduction to the characters and location, which is not entirely clear and does not contribute to the storytelling. The second half of the film I wouldn't call suspenseful, but rather anxiety driven moments strung together with minimal plot development and modest character development. There's little sense of satisfaction or audience deception at the end of the film, which generally contributes to a good suspense film.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Jean S.

    Cannot rate; cannot read sub-titles.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Read All 13 Reviews
       

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