The Wages of Fear

1955 "Dynamic Tremendous Shattering."
8.2| 2h28m| PG-13| en| More Info
Released: 16 February 1955 Released
Producted By: Véra Films
Country: Italy
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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In a run-down South American town, four men are paid to drive trucks loaded with nitroglycerin into the jungle through to the oil field. Friendships are tested and rivalries develop as they embark upon the perilous journey.

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Director

Henri-Georges Clouzot

Production Companies

Véra Films

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The Wages of Fear Audience Reviews

Alicia I love this movie so much
Scanialara You won't be disappointed!
Console best movie i've ever seen.
Nicole I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.
getsmartoc Just watched this out of date, over acted piece of utter nonsense. What on Earth are all these other reviews talking about? Did we watch the same movie?There are "real" classics out there, one's from the same period that dated well, showed the period and the issues of the day and dealt with them in a real and honest way...and then there these are "arty" classics that just go and over do the story, the dialogue and the characters to...well, I don't know why they do it but I can say that I don't get why they do "it". This must be an arty classics because I just didn't get "it" and I don't understand the people that have watched this in the last 40 years and pretended to get "it" as well. There is nothing real about this movie, the story is passable, okay, but there is no insight into the time or place of the movie, the dialogue is plain ridiculous, and the casting is terrible...(did anyone look at, and understand, who/what Linda's character was supposed to be in the first 5 minutes of the movie? She was badly cast and then given a terrible role to play on top of that). Vanel's transition from tough old street thug to corny coward was...well, it was hilarious actually (that was a source of a few laughs, truth be told). I think only O'Brien Luigi and Bimba are well played and we get saved the silly dialogue of the others with these characters. Mario was...such a shallow and repulsive character to me that I won't even go into how out-dated this kind of "hero" is in this day and age. Who should want to watch this movie? Those that want to see what being "cool" meant to a man in the 50's and how women (and a really beautiful one at that) where/should be treated by such macho men like Mario (this is a real women beater's showcase here). All in all a rubbish movie and if I could have those two and a half hours back I would surely ask.
Vonia The Wages of Fear (French: Le Salaire de la Peur) (1953) Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot 8/10 Wasted first hour, Some boring and dated parts, Forced and rushed ending, Ironically fitting. But complaints end there. From psychology standpoint, Effective, telling Human nature inquiry. Cowardice, pride, Four men are "paid to be scared", But paid very well. Nitroglycerin transport, One wrong move ends all. "To fear is to be human", But is it worth it? These men find out the hard way. Once started, hang on! Clouzot sets up key scenes well, No Michael Bay here, More subtle suspense and thrill. Slow but steady wins the race. Choka (long poem) is an epic storytelling form of poetry from the Waka period, an unrhymed poem with the 5-7-5-7-5-7-5-7...7 syllable format (any odd number line length with alternating five and seven syllable lines that ends with an extra seven syllable line). #Choka #PoemReview
elvircorhodzic THE WAGES of FEAR is a cruel and sarcastic approach a existential thriller. The director plays with human psychology, whereas the protagonists travel through without hope and seek salvation. The action takes place around the four drivers who in two trucks transporting nitroglycerin at a great distance through the South American jungle, but the roads are full of potholes and obstacles which is very problematic because their cargo is very sensitive and can explode at the slightest impact.In the first third of the film develops the somewhat perverse drama in an isolated town where poverty is visible at every step. This part creates the necessary atmosphere and character development. Relationship between the protagonists are not explained. Each one acts on impulse and in their own way to cope with the agony brought by poverty and unemployment. As rescue appears cruel form of economic and corporate imperialism. On one side is a fear and hostility by the local population (cheap labor) to the oil company. For Europeans who live there, jobs, no matter how dangerous it was, the rescue or escape from the everyday agony. Then comes the sudden turn in a story that gets qualities of existential and adventurous thriller.Excitement, tension, danger and ice uncertainty.This is a strange blend of action and human reactions. The path of salvation through a nightmare. This approach awakens the worst and the best in man. The lack of sentimentality has contributed to the reality of the experience. This is a harsh struggle for survival.I wondered whether the protagonists actually brave, or just desperate and hopeless. End of the film did not need to be so ironic. Well, probably it was a low blow to the Hollywood thriller. Yves Montand as Mario is brave and ruthless character. In the end, his madness cost him life. Charles Vanel as Jo is a former gangster at all costs trying to flee the city. It's too dangerous to work and quite a coward when push comes to shove. I would not say that his life is more valuable. Peter van Eyck as Bimba is a character who does not have a specific goal in life. If he survives the accident would not have known what later. Very resourceful character in desperate situations. Folco Lulli as Luigi is diligent and cheerful man. He is faced with disease and in dangerous job offer see only salvation. Véra Clouzot as Linda is incredibly beautiful and pretty maid. A faithful lover. Enjoy the woman while she cleans floors is humiliating, but this scene is the responsibility of the atmosphere and theme of the film.Every little bump, blow or elevated tone in this film stops the heart.
Tweekums Opening in a remote South American town we are introduced to a group of expats who have gone there seeking their fortunes but ended up broke; what little work they find might be enough to feed them but it won't get them out of town let alone back home. The town supplies workers for the American Southern Oil Company (SOC). When there is an explosion at one of SOC's wells it is determined that the only way to put the fire out will be to blow it out using nitro-glycerine… the problem is they don't have specialised transporters and the well is a few hundred miles away over rough roads. Four men are required to drive two trucks there; the slightest bump could cause an explosion that would mean instant death but the $2000 per man would pay for them to get home.The four men are a young Corsican named Mario, an older Parisian named Jo, who travel in the larger truck, and Italian named Luigi and Bimba, a Dutchman who had survived being a prisoner of the Nazis, in the second truck. Once they set off the tensions rise, especially when Jo gets more and more afraid as they come across various dangers.This film may be over sixty years old but it is still impressively tense. The first half serves to introduce us to the characters and show the boredom and desperation of their lives… this is emphasised when one of the expats who is not offered the job hangs himself and Jo does something, we don't see what, to ensure one of the selected drivers doesn't turn up so he can go himself. The characters aren't particularly likable; they are frequently arguing and protagonist Mario treats the woman who loves him with contempt… still once they are on the road it is hard not to care for them and wonder who, if any, among them will survive. The cast does a fine job, most notably Yves Montand and Charles Vanel, as Mario and Jo, in whose company we spend most time. They are able supported by Folco Lulli and Peter van Eyck, as Luigi and Bimba, and Véra Clouzot as Mario's lover Linda. Overall I'd certainly recommend this tense classic film.