Rating: 
Summary: Cult French production sees four men risk their lives...
Review: Highly celebrated French film by director Henri-Georges Clouzot has achieved near cult status amongst fans of intelligent, psychological drama. Impressive black & white 1953 production excels in it's microscopic view of four personalities under intense pressure to succeed in a deadly quest.Well known plot concerns four down & out drifters in isolated South American village accept $2,000 pay check's to transport two trucks loaded with nitro glycerine to extinguish oil well fire. Obstacles abound on their perilous quest with precarious mountain roads, dangerous landslides, burst oil pipes, ageing equipment and clash of personalities amongst motley crew. Yves Montand (Mario) & Charles Vanel (Joe) lead an engaging cast as reckless men with nothing to lose...except their lives. Marvellous support performances given by stern Peter van Eyck (Bimba) and animated Folco Lulli (Luigi) as the second crew of foolhardy truck drivers. Seems unusual for Criterion to not accompany this release with additional materials...as is usually their style. Transfer to DVD is very good, except for occassional appearance of vertical white line at different stages of the film. Sound is crisp and clean too ! A suspenseful, perspicacious film that definitely possess's it's own distinct approach...film afficiando's will not be dissappointed by this fine production.
Rating: 
Summary: Think "Speed" slowed to a crawl.
Review: Four poor workman from a destitute South American town are hired to drive two tanker trucks of nitroglycerin along an unpaved, narrow mountain road. If they encounter any sort of friction, any bump or disturbance that they cannot handle carefully, then the sensitive cargo in their trucks may explode. Since the cover of the Criterion Collection of THE WAGES OF FEAR DVD features a dead man's head, it's probably not hard to figure out that mishaps ensue on this dangerous trip. The stress and tension inherent is the pleasure of the movie, though. Every little bump in the road causes the characters' adrenaline to boil, and the audience begins to feel it, too. Though the characters are only narrowly defined as individuals, their travails and near-misses with the trucks keep you on the edge of your seat. With the premise, Clouzot makes tense scenes out of every possible scenario, a narrow turn, a flooded roadway, a strict deadline that dictates the trucks must travel at an unsafe speed. The whole thing is brilliant. For those of you who liked SPEED, this film ratchets up the same amount of tension by using a reversed scenario. Rather than a bus that can't slow down, it has trucks that cannot speed up. THE WAGES OF FEAR will completely stress you out, for it draws you in using an unbeatable, somewhat preposterous premise and keeps the audience aware of bumps in the road long before characters face them.
Rating:
Summary: Not for the weak minded...
Review: "The Wages Of Fear" by director Henri-Georges Clouzot is a classic example of an action/suspense film for the thinking man. Filmed almost fifty years ago, the story and cinematography hold up well, much better than those of many American films that were produced during that time frame, c. 1955. The story: Four drifters (presumably in exile from native France) are hired to drive two tanker trucks of nitro glycerine through rugged South American terrain in order to to extinguish an oil well fire. In the series of events that follows, the four encounter a variety of circumstances that threaten to end the road trip and send them to kingdom come. "The Wages Of Fear" is not the sort of film that you'll see on "Dinner and a Movie"; The landscape, the cast and the ensuing events as portrayed in the movie typify a sort of squalid existence that most people, fortunately, never have to deal with. "The Wages Of Fear" is most definitely NOT a "date" film. The film is french, in glorious black and white, with subtitles and some spoken english. Yves Montand and Charles Vanel give solid performances, as do Peter van Eyck and Folco Lulli. The direction of Clouzot helps to wonderfully illustrate the unfolding story of the four, and is simply outstanding. A previous reviewer mentioned that a 1977 remake, William Friedken's "Sorcerer," is also a good film. He's absolutely correct; it is. However, "Sorcerer," was filmed in color, not black and white. And because the film's spoken language is English, the tone of the film is a little different. "Sorcerer" is a little bit softer around the edges, and not as dark. "The Wages Of Fear" isn't a film that I'd like to watch on a regular basis - it is a rather dark film. However, it is worth seeing more than once. It's an impressive film.
Rating:
Summary: A superb suspense an anthological film
Review: Wages of fear is one of the milestones in all the cinema's story.
The lives of two men engaged in a mission that you qualify as no sense. And so that's precisely the most relevant point.
How far can the greed, the ambition generate such tension state when you accept the special condition of carrying this special delivery?
Montand an actor that grew up with la port de la nuit, years before makes an outstanding performance.
The film, far from being dated, it revalues with the years. Maybe this film is the masterpiece of Clouzot.
And it constitutes one of the eleven best french films of that ddecade, together with Rififi, Forbidden games, The four hundred blows, Elevator to the gallows, The amants, Bob le flambeur, Les cousins, Diary of a country priest, Pickpocket and le travesee de Paris.
Buy it this DVD. You'll be always rewarded.
Rating:
Summary: Cult French production sees four men risk their lives...
Review: Highly celebrated French film by director Henri-Georges Clouzot has achieved near cult status amongst fans of intelligent, psychological drama. Impressive black & white 1953 production excels in it's microscopic view of four personalities under intense pressure to succeed in a deadly quest. Well known plot concerns four down & out drifters in isolated South American village accept $2,000 pay check's to transport two trucks loaded with nitro glycerine to extinguish oil well fire. Obstacles abound on their perilous quest with precarious mountain roads, dangerous landslides, burst oil pipes, ageing equipment and clash of personalities amongst motley crew. Yves Montand (Mario) & Charles Vanel (Joe) lead an engaging cast as reckless men with nothing to lose...except their lives. Marvellous support performances given by stern Peter van Eyck (Bimba) and animated Folco Lulli (Luigi) as the second crew of foolhardy truck drivers. Seems unusual for Criterion to not accompany this release with additional materials...as is usually their style. Transfer to DVD is very good, except for occassional appearance of vertical white line at different stages of the film. Sound is crisp and clean too ! A suspenseful, perspicacious film that definitely possess's it's own distinct approach...film afficiando's will not be dissappointed by this fine production.
Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable Film
Review: "The Wages of Fear" is considered one of the truly great films. It not only delivers terrific suspense and excitement, it is also a rather telling comment on the human condition. Some drifters are trapped in a hot, bug-infested South American hell-hole. They are out of luck, out of money and seemingly doomed to remain where they are, fighting hunger, heat and each other. Suddenly, they are offered a small fortune to drive trucks through the jungle, across a mountain range to a destination 300 miles distant. The catch ? The trucks are loaded with nitroglycerine--one bump--one spark--one mistake--and the truck and any unfortunate humans on board are history. Four men agree to drive two trucks, and their journey will have you biting your finger-nails down to your elbows ! All four actors are fine, with Yves Montand particularly memorable in the lead. I agree with the reviewer who notes that the first half hour of the film is slow, but it sets the mood. It's important to understand why these characters would volunteer for such a "mission impossible", even for a big payday. The film has a chilling message about the lengths that people will go for money. I couldn't help but consider some of the "reality" television programs we see today like "Fear Factor". It's sad to see what indignities and dangers people will subject themselves to just to make a buck, and how easily they can be exploited. The picture quality of the DVD is fine. I was surprised to find no exras, given that this is a Criterion release. An interview with one of our current, respected directors would have been a nice bonus. I'm sure that a film buff like Martin Scorcese would have some fascinating comments. Then again--I'm sure he's a busy guy ! Bottom line--a timeless masterpiece for serious film collectors.
Rating:
Summary: A great film but the first part is boring.
Review: This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film. This is one of the most exciting films that I have seen. The first 35 minutes I think are nonessential to the plot and knind of boring. In the film, an oil well in South America catches fire and the only way to put it out is with nitroglycerin. There is a stockpile in a town some 300 miles away. The only problem is that they don't have refrigerated trucks. Nitro melts at 86ºF and when in liquid form, the slightest bump can cause it to go off. They hire a team of 4 to carry a couple tons of is across dangerous mountain roads in 2 trucks to where the fire is. The film will have you on the edge of your seat as they encounter obstacles and poor road conditions. There is a scene when there is a boulder blocking the road and they use the nirto to blow it up. There are no special features in this edition but it is still a great film that I would like to see remade.
Rating:
Summary: A perilous journey
Review: Yves Montand stars in Henri Georges Clouzot's suspenseful 1953 thriller "The Wages of Fear". Masses of unemployed workers populate a squalid Central American town where an American oil company dictates the local economy. When an oil rig fire burns out of control 300 miles away it is decided that a 2000 pound shipment of nitroglycerine must be convoyed there by truck to help extinguish the inferno. Four drivers are selected from among the throng of the jobless and promised $2000 each to complete the dangerous overland journey with the unstable explosive cargo. Montand and three others face seemingly insurmountable obstacles which bring out both courage and cowardice in each man. Comradery bonds them together to accomplish their goal with fear threatening them around every corner. The camera work and direction of Clouzot help create a sense of foreboding and terror. One scene where the trucks are attempting to negotiate a ricketty wooden bridge features a close up of a hook supporting a suspension cable slowly and inexorably giving way. Scenes like that were particularly effective in expressing the horror of the situation.
Rating:
Summary: Awsome movie!
Review: This film is a classic ranked highest in my list. To really apreciate this film, you must see the original version which is in french: "Le salaire de la peur". I have seen the 1977 remake and it is a pale copy of the french thriller.
As for the american bashing, wake up and open your eyes. That's all they did in South America in the 20th century. Sending CIA and other agencies agents to train Death Squads in torture and killing to overthrow governments not giving rights to their natural resources and then leaving when nothing is left.
I recommend this film to everyone and while you are at it, get "Z" from Costa Gravas for a little lesson in history. Buy and enjoy...
Rating: 
Summary: Very over-rated with a weak ending.
Review: This film does create some great suspense,but the ending is so contrived and unbelievable that it spoils the whole film,in fact it is a very annoying ending.
The film is also very slow and plodding in parts.
Just because it's a foreign film doesn't mean it's a classic.
A very over-rated film in my opinion.
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