The Wages of Fear

Starring: Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, Peter van Eyck, Folco Lulli, Vera Clouzot, William Tubbs, Dario Moreno, Antonio Centa
Directed by: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Thriller
1953

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Four men stuck in a small South American village agree to transport unstable nitroglycerine hundreds of miles in trucks, risking their lives for a payday to change their circumstances.

Review:

Tim: The French film, The Wages of Fear is a stunningly intense, thoroughly exciting, unforgettable movie. It's one of those movies that feels unexplainably good- how did this little movie manage to make such a massive impact on viewers? This BAFTA award winning film is definitely one of the better films of 1953, a movie whose legacy carries through to today. This is a great movie.

One aspect of Henri-Georges Clouzot's film that sets it up for greatness is the early character development. The movie spends the first hour of its run time just setting up the characters and their situation. The adventure, the thrills, they all come later. The movie wisely grounds itself in character development. By giving these characters plenty of room to operate, we identify with them, we understand them, we start to care about them. This does require some patience from the audience. But, it pays off incredibly well- when the men are later in grave danger, we feel the emotional punch with them. This is a movie that quietly establishes a strong foundation under its characters, put them in harm's way, and then very subtly ratches up the intensity. The movie is almost like a pot of water boiling- at first, the increased heat is imperceptible. Then, you get small bubbles, before it builds and builds in intensity. At a certain point, you may not even realize when it happened, but you're holding your breath. You are intently focused on these men and their daring endeavor.

I really appreciated that each of the characters was presented with complexity. These aren't "good" people- they are complex, multilayered ones. Mario is the protagonist of the film, but much about him is heroic. Yves Montand does a great job of displaying the grime, the selfishness of this character. However, he never makes him irredeemable. We always want him to be better, to find his better angels. Charles Vanel gives a fascinatingly complex character. Who he presents himself originally, verses the journey his character goes on, is not one that I expected at all. To see the way he and Montand play off each other in the town, verses the role changes that happen in the jungle, it's absolutely brilliant. Their relationship, their dynamic is a driving force of this film and the psychological aspects really help make this a great film Peter van Eyck and Folco Lulli round out the key four and they both give interesting, layered performances as well. As the film progresses, we see what each of these four men is made of. That psychological aspect of this movie truly separates it from action-heavy, character-light films that so often fail. I loved getting to know these four characters and see how they changed throughout the course of the film.

The movie itself boasts some tremendous sequences. The turnaround scene is wonderfully tense. The oil scene is definitely a standout, a beautifully shot, high-intensity sequence that is unforgettable. The rock explosion scene is effective. There's all these excellent scenes that are so well executed, they hold your attention, reveal much about the characters, and engage your attention. The film's cinematography is impressive and the black and white nature of the film make everything feel stark. This is a movie that just feels so expertly crafted in every sense.

I did want to highlight Vera Clouzot. She's incredible in a small supporting performance. I read that she was the director's wife and only acted in three films. She brings such excellent energy to the film. I truly loved her performance.

The final note I'd like to highlight is the ending of the film. It's remarkable, courageous, and surprising. I was already convinced of this film's greatness and the conclusion simply reiterated the impressiveness of the film. I do find myself thinking about it. Henri-Georges Clouzot crafted such a powerful, character-driven film here. It does nearly everything well and it's definitely one of the best movies from France in the 1950s. Even 70+ years later, it holds up as a great movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Sorcerer, Grand Illusion, Diabolique