In the mid-1950s, Henri-Georges Clouzot, whom critics called the ‘French Hitchcock,’ directed a film that became one of the most important milestones in world cinema. Following the success of ‘Miquette’, the director presented the dramatic thriller ‘The Wages of Fear’, starring Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, Peter van Eyck and Véra Clouzot.
The plot revolved around a deadly mission taken on by four truck drivers who agreed to transport tanks of nitroglycerin along a dangerous 500-kilometer route in order to stop a large fire erupts at one of the oil fields. The tense atmosphere and constant sense of looming danger turned the film into a true masterpiece of the genre.
However, the film faced strict censorship in the United States. The American release, which came out in 1955, lost nearly an hour of screen time. The reason was its critical portrayal of the fictional American oil company Southern Oil Company. In addition, the film was accused of criticizing the capitalist policies of USA toward Central American countries. Despite this, The Wages of Fear received rave reviews from audiences, and Yves Montand caught the attention of Hollywood producers and directors.
In 2024, nearly seven decades later, the story found new life. French director Julien Leclercq made a remake starring Franck Gastambide, Ana Girardot, Alban Lenoir, and Sofiane Zermani. After its release on Netflix, the film instantly topped the charts, proving that a gripping story about people risking their lives to save others still has the power to captivate audiences.
