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The Wages of Fear

Play trailer Poster for The Wages of Fear In Theaters Wed Nov 27 2h 36m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 52 Reviews 95% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
In the South American jungle, supplies of nitroglycerine are needed at a remote oil field. The oil company pays four men to deliver the supplies in two trucks. A tense rivalry develops between the two sets of drivers on the rough remote roads where the slightest jolt can result in death.
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The Wages of Fear

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Critics Consensus

An existential suspense classic, The Wages of Fear blends nonstop suspense with biting satire; its influence is still being felt on today's thrillers.

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Critics Reviews

View All (52) Critics Reviews
Dave Kehr Chicago Tribune Turning the screws with a relentlessness that impresses even in this age of the ruthless, high-tech thriller, Clouzot strings together situations of vividly, almost sadistically imagined danger. Rated: 3.5/4 Apr 1, 2014 Full Review Joshua Rothkopf Time Out Hitch's bomb-under-the-table suspense formula burnished to an expert sheen. Rated: 5/5 Dec 6, 2011 Full Review Budd Wilkins Slant Magazine The Wages of Fear contains tension-fraught stretches of "pure cinema" that probably gave even the Master cold sweats. Rated: 4/4 Dec 6, 2011 Full Review David Parkinson Radio Times A grindingly cynical study of human nature, with each participant willing to sacrifice the others for a bigger payoff. Rated: 5/5 Apr 4, 2024 Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com …this venerable, classic, timeless movie has been artfully revived (via 2024 UHD) n a way that should have you vibrating all the way to South America and back, over 500km of bad road… Rated: 5/5 Feb 19, 2024 Full Review Vernon Young Arts Digest Cluzot’s treatment of the finale (I sighed in relief at his staying with the juggernaut irony of the book) is a tour de force. The actors are inordinately real, especially Charles Vanel. Jan 30, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Lars N A bit of a slug to begin with, bot once the nitroglycerin is added the tension adds up real quick! It was a pretty sweet, sweaty ride. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/16/24 Full Review Chinu D Its a really good movie. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/14/24 Full Review acsdoug D One critic wrote that "only an idiot would argue that [William Friedkin's 1977 remake] Sorcerer is a better movie than Wages of Fear." Well, call me an idiot, but Sorcerer is the better film. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/25/24 Full Review Jim H Simply perfect in any way of filmmaking. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/29/24 Full Review Johnathon W One of the finest thrillers ever produced, thanks to some tense direction and a superb cast. The actors are all excellent in their respective roles, especially since all of them don't portray them as either good or evil. Each has their qualities and flaws, from the drivers who will do anything to complete their mission, even at the expense of each other, to the oil plant boss that sends them on their mission (he knows they will likely die, hence why he insists on paying them well if they succeed). Behind the camera, director Henri-Georges Clouzot crafts an expert thriller in an exotic setting with some politic underpinnings. He never gets too preacher but delivers a message condemning corporate greed and exploiting third world countries. However, its heart is the thrill of delivering nitro across a jungle and will keep you on the razor's edge till the end. A true classic in every since of the word. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/20/24 Full Review Tinger T THIS is the version to watch. The remake was awful. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/01/24 Full Review Read all reviews
The Wages of Fear

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The Wages of Fear

The Wages of Fear (1953) Charles Vanel as M. Jo in "The Wages of Fear." Yves Montand as Mario and Véra Clouzot as Linda in "The Wages of Fear." Véra Clouzot as Linda and Yves Montand as Mario in "The Wages of Fear." Yves Montand (right) as Mario in "The Wages of Fear." (L-R) Charles Vanel as M. Jo and Yves Montand as Mario in "The Wages of Fear." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In the South American jungle, supplies of nitroglycerine are needed at a remote oil field. The oil company pays four men to deliver the supplies in two trucks. A tense rivalry develops between the two sets of drivers on the rough remote roads where the slightest jolt can result in death.
Director
Henri-Georges Clouzot
Producer
Raymond Borderie, Henri-Georges Clouzot, Louis Wipf
Screenwriter
Henri-Georges Clouzot, Georges Arnaud, Jérôme Géronimi
Distributor
DCA Releasing
Production Co
Filmsonor, Vera Films
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 16, 1955, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Nov 27, 2024
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 23, 2017
Runtime
2h 36m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Academy (1.33:1)
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