The Wages of Fear
In a decrepit South American village, four men are hired to transport an urgent nitroglycerine shipment without the equipment that would make it safe.
Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot · Adventure · Drama · Thriller · 156 min · 1955
Trailer
Director
Henri-Georges Clouzot
Studio
Vera Film / Filmsonor / C.I.C.C. / Fono Roma
Release
16 Feb 1955
Runtime
156 min
Genres
Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Full Plot
In the Central American jungle supplies of nitroglycerin are needed at a remote oil field. The oil company pays four men to deliver the supplies in two trucks. A tense rivalry develops between the two sets of drivers and on the rough remote roads the slightest jolt can result in death.
Cast & Characters
Mario, a playboy originally from Corsica.
Yves Montand
Jo, an older man from Paris, and the only other Frenchman in Las Piedras. He is implied to have ties to organized crime.
Charles Vanel
Bimba, a mysterious, laconic man from Germany. During the Second World War, he spent three years in a forced labor camp while his father was murdered by Nazis.
Peter van Eyck
Luigi, a cook from Italy and Mario's roommate, who learns he is suffering from a pulmonary embolism.
Folco Lulli
Linda, a local cantina worker and Mario's devoted lover. Clouzot is the director's wife.
Véra Clouzot
Bill O'Brien, a foreman for the Southern Oil Company (SOC).
William Tubbs
Hernandez, the proprietor of the local cantina.
Darío Moreno
Hans Smerloff
Jo Dest
Bernardo
Luis De Lima
Rodrigo
Josep Palau i Fabre
Kostya
Grégoire Gromoff
Did You Know?
Did You Know that Jean Gabin turned down the role of Jo due to concerns it would harm his career reputation?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that Yves Montand was cast as Mario after both Gérard Philipe and Serge Reggiani were considered for the part?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that filming took place mainly in the Gard department of Occitania due to budgetary limitations?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that a section of the film was shot in the Bambouseraie de Prafrance due to its exotic vegetation?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
The Wages of Fear holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (73,002 votes), 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 85/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 3, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.1/10 on IMDb (73,002 votes), 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 85/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Wages of Fear's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
The Wages of Fear holds a 100% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is The Wages of Fear's IMDb rating?+
The Wages of Fear has a 8.1/10 rating on IMDb from 73,002 votes.
What is The Wages of Fear's Metacritic score?+
The Wages of Fear has a Metascore of 85/100 on Metacritic.
Is The Wages of Fear good? What are critics saying?+
The Wages of Fear holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (73,002 votes), 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 85/100 on Metacritic.
How long is The Wages of Fear?+
The Wages of Fear has a runtime of 156 min.
Who directed The Wages of Fear?+
The Wages of Fear was directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot.
Where can I watch The Wages of Fear?+
The Wages of Fear is available to stream, rent, or buy on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, BFI Player, BFI Player Amazon Channel, BFI Player Apple TV Channel.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The movie has been met with a range of reactions, from critics praising its harrowing and magnificent quality to fans recommending it for those who love French films or literature. Reviewers also seem to be divided on the film's themes and tone, some finding it intense and others enjoying its nostalgic value. Despite these mixed reviews, the film appears to have been widely appreciated by audiences in France, with one reviewer calling it "magnifique".
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
It’s always my honour to write the first review for a film, especially ones like this. It, however, upsets me that not many have seen this magnificent and harrowing masterpiece.
James · 8/10Four men are stranded in, quite literally, a dead end town with no money to get out. All they do each day is kill time, drink and get gradually more disillusioned. Then their luck changes. Or does it? A major fire breaks out at a nearby oil drilling facility and the manager needs…
CinemaSerf · 7/10
From the trailer's comments
This is the film that inspired Spielberg’s directing style. Definitely worth a watch for film buffs.
@cookingforfools8691 · 37 likeslol Mario and Luigi
@uppon2 · 30 likesOne of my all-time favorites. (This was remade in English in 1977 with Roy Scheider and is also good). This is a must see for people that love French films or literature. It will break your heart.
@RafaelMusni · 32 likesMagnifique même 69 ans après ! 👍❤️
@alexandre210613 · 3 likesHola alguno de ustedes me podría ayudar a ubicar el nombre de una pelicula en blanco y negro por favor?, va de que dos hombres están sin trabajo, uno de ellos tiene unos papeles de propiedad de una planta petrolífera y quiere hacer un canje por un boleto de viaje, pero le rechaza…
@Sendobully · 0 likesJ"ai vu ce film, quand j'étais enfant. Tres emouvant.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷
@dimdammeister · 5 likesWorkaholoc Grim Reaper gasping at your neck is not a nice thing to have. They really need that nitroglycerine at the site and drivers must get it there. That is why drivers must know that they are carrying extremely sensitive and powerful explosive.
@vksasdgaming9472 · 4 likesHi Lots of love from south Goa India South
@virginiadsa4061 · 0 likes
