The Wages Of Fear (1953) ****
The Wages Of Fear (1953) is Henri-Georges Clouzot's film version of the tale of four men on a suicide mission, hired by an oil company to drive trucks loaded with nitroglycerine over dangerous roads to extinguish an ongoing fire at an oil well. Wages concerns itself with corporate greed, the guise of masculinity, and what men will do when they are desperate enough.
The film hints at commentary on classism, racism, misogyny, and xenophobia. But the real center of the drama is the relationship between the two leads, perfectly portrayed by Yves Montand (as the young, cocksure Mario) and Charles Vanel (as the elder, eventually cowardly, Jo). Both are unsavory characters, to varying degrees, but there are sympathetic qualities to be found in each of them.
With nearly unbearable moments of tension, powerful performances, and a story that solidly holds the viewer's attention over two and a half hours, The Wages Of Fear is a true classic of cinema. There are key moments (in particular, the ending) that frustrate me (for reasons I won't go into to avoid spoilers), and I actually prefer William Friedkin's 1977 remake, Sorcerer, just a bit more, but this film remains an influential landmark.
The film hints at commentary on classism, racism, misogyny, and xenophobia. But the real center of the drama is the relationship between the two leads, perfectly portrayed by Yves Montand (as the young, cocksure Mario) and Charles Vanel (as the elder, eventually cowardly, Jo). Both are unsavory characters, to varying degrees, but there are sympathetic qualities to be found in each of them.
With nearly unbearable moments of tension, powerful performances, and a story that solidly holds the viewer's attention over two and a half hours, The Wages Of Fear is a true classic of cinema. There are key moments (in particular, the ending) that frustrate me (for reasons I won't go into to avoid spoilers), and I actually prefer William Friedkin's 1977 remake, Sorcerer, just a bit more, but this film remains an influential landmark.
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