Review of The Wages of Fear (1953) by Pamela D — 15 May 2009

In his time, legendary filmmaker Henri-Georges Clouzot made a name for himself as "the French Hitchcock". When you watch "The Wages of Fear", it's not hard to see why. It is one of the most entertaining, suspenseful, and frightening films you'll ever see.

Upon the original release of "Wages of Fear", there were a few sequences cut from the U.S. version of the print. These scenes were heralded as anti-American as they revolve around a ruthless American oil company. This, however, didn't come off as anti-American to me - rather a sort of criticism of all major corporations. The oil company in "Wages of Fear" is willing to sacrifice men because they don't have family nor do they belong to a union - a tactic to avoid messy lawsuits. This obviously is not a criticism of the American public, rather a criticism of American big business practice.

The film begins in the poverty-stricken Latin American town of Las Piedras. Because transportation is so expensive, the citizens of the town are largely trapped in the hellhole. Therefore, those stranded in the village can only try and scrounge up enough to eat and drink as they wither away. Our "hero", if you want to call him that, is Mario (Yves Montand), a Corsican in exile who is determined to make it back to France. Soon, he befriends Jo (Charles Vanel), an aggressive and intimidating gangster who has just arrived in town.

Soon, the men are met with an opportunity to raise enough money to escape. Miles away, a well fire erupts. To put it out, an oil company chooses four men to drive two trucks loaded with nitroglycerin to the site. Mario's driving skills makes him one of the four, and Jo is suspected to have murdered a man to take his position. The two in the other truck are Luigi (Folco Lulli), Mario's old roommate, and Bimba (Peter Van Eyck), a German man. The problem with this mission, however, is that the slightest bump will cause the nitroglycerin to explode. Given that the roads are primitive and the site is hundreds of miles away, the trip is a suicide mission, to say the least.

The majority of the film is made up of suspense sequences involving the obstacles of the road. One scene involves a narrow turn that requires maneuvering over an unstable wooden platform, and another involves a long stretch of road that the trucks must drive across at a certain speed in order to minimalize the vibrations from the bumpy ride. These scenes are a perfect example of great film editing, and the suspense they build without crutches like tension-building music is astounding.

"The Wages of Fire" is perhaps one of the most entertaining pictures you'll ever see. Although the set up seems overlong, it's necessary to establish the relationships between the four main characters. Charles Vanel is unforgettable as we watch his transformation from tough guy into coward, and iconic images such as Mario and Jo driving while covered in oil will stick with you forever. A marvelous film, one of the best you'll ever see.