The Wages of Fear

A rough, dirty, sweaty movie. Some might think that the half-hour introduction of the characters and the following half-hour, after which the first truck finally hits the road, will hold up the plot. But not at all - it is just part of The Wages of Fear. This is all the more so later in the frantic and nerve-wracking trek through the jungle and mountains, where daredevils become cowards, nerves are at play, every tremor can be fatal, and fear equals caution, which sometimes really pays off. Yves Montand's character is definitely not one of the greatest characters on the screen, but you root for him anyway. That's the kind of movie it is. Of all the memorable scenes, I would highlight especially the lake of crude oil. (07/09/2016)

First, it seems like a social drama from the slums, but as soon as we hit the road with trucks full of nitroglycerin and guys who are only after money, it becomes an incredible drama. The term thriller is not misleading at all. There are great scenes here that are a disaster in themselves, but they promise an even more oppressive ending. (11/25/2014)

It’s hard to say which version is better. Both have their emotional peak, the French one in the form of a crossing over an oil pond and its tragic consequence, while Friedkin's has an unforgettable scene a crossing a rope bridge over a raging river. Otherwise they are both completely different and complement each other beautifully. Perhaps only the French original has an unnecessarily long introductory part, which lasts more than an hour and needs to be cut, but otherwise it is a hearty portion of first-class filmmaking. And young Yves Montand looked like David Gahan from Depeche Mode :o) (11/01/2016)

A textbook thriller. Luckily I saw Friedkin’s remake before this (let’s be honest, although it’s excellent, it doesn’t come anywhere near this pearl of cinematography), because this ride is... well, hold on tight! A great introduction sequence, overflowing with snappy lines (the choice of dubbers was perfect) and then nerve-racking journey with the truck full of rattling crates of nitroglycerin. None of it can compete with the qualities of Friedkin’s bridge crossing, but in terms of characters, this one wins hands down. The actors led by Yves Montand and Charles Vanel are perfect for their roles and particularly Montand’s Mario is a perfect swine. "A man who drinks only water wants to order me around like some lord. Rosa, bring water, the gentleman is thirsty." (02/20/2011)

A film that is 60 years old, two and a half hour long and yet it kept me in suspense the way not many things can. The Wages of Fear aroused a brutal fear in me, so it fulfilled its goal. Some might be upset that the film drags a lot in the first hour. For me, it was possibly the best part. During the first hour the story was basically non-existent. The cameraman walked around the village with a camera and filmed the lives of French workers. He watched what they did, how they worked and what they dreamed about. For a sixty-year-old film there were some pretty interesting ideas. For example, nowadays you couldn’t even imagine living like that. Well, things were different back then. After all of this, however, it turns into pure despair, and the film left me with a huge lump in my stomach from the stress it caused me. Well done, that’s exactly what I had imagined it to be. (10/15/2013)