Wages of Fear-Le salaire de la peur (1953)

Directed by: Henri-Georges Clouzot | 124 minutes | action, drama, adventure, thriller | Actors: Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, Peter van Eyck, Folco Lulli, Antonio Centa, Darling Légitimus, Luis de Lima, Jo Dest, Darío Mareno, Faustini, Seguna, William Tubbs, Véra Clouzot

‘Le salaire de la peur’, better known in the Netherlands as ‘Wages of Fear,’ appears to be a classic adventure film. After a very long introduction of many different characters, we focus on Mario, Mr. Jo, Bimba and Luigi (Mario and Luigi from the famous computer game series? Maybe. The bizarre thing is that Luigi looks a lot like computer game Mario, complete with suspenders, cap, black mustache and big belly). These four are sent out to transport nitroglycerin, an explosive substance that explodes when shaken a bit, over bumpy paths to a burning oil well. Voltage guaranteed. However, director Clouzot has also delved into the existentialism of his contemporaries Jean-Paul Sarte and Albert Camus and tries to link this to the thrill of the ride.

Out of sheer boredom, the main characters plunge into a perilous adventure without any sense of life and death. Main character Mario, in particular, seems completely empty inside. At the beginning of the film, he has a beautiful woman who is literally on her knees licking his hands, but it doesn’t bother him at all.

The entire first hour of the film is set in Las Piedras, showing the boredom of the westerners stranded there. Comic scenes alternate with more serious riots. It takes an hour to get to know the characters, but in the second half, the exciting road trip of the four ‘heroes’, it turns out that we don’t know anything about them yet. During the journey we only learn the ‘real’ Mr. Jo, know the ‘real’ Luigi and the ‘real’ Bimba, but not the ‘real’ Mario. Main character Mario is not ‘real’. He is nothing incarnate. He comes to life somewhat when he meets the apparently adventurous Mr. Jo bumps into you. There is even a slightly gay tension between Mario and Mr. Jo, but in the end this adds little, simply because of Mario’s complete inner emptiness. His feelings for Mr. Jo are superficial and only get excited because Mr. Jo which brings life to the brewery (and to Mario himself).

mr. Jo persuades Mario to sign up as the driver of one of the two trucks with nitroglycerin. Already at the beginning of the journey, however, it appears that Mr. Jo is very afraid of death. Mario’s bitterness is palpable. For a moment he believed in something again, but it turns out to be based on nothing. He then plunges into the perilous adventure, literally never hitting the brakes, even when he almost misses Mr. Jo runs over. Mario seems so focused on his goal – he finally has a goal! – that he doesn’t care who or what he drives into the abyss.

The tension in the second half of the film is built up in a genius ‘Hitchcockian’ way. The trucks end up in nail-biting situations, but the climax of the situation always comes at a completely unexpected moment. This makes the whole drive to the oil well extremely foreboding. And actually the first half, the bored waiting for something to finally happen, is not disturbing either. What is disturbing is the emptiness of Mario. Around him wander some interesting figures, such as Mr. Jo, who collapses completely during the ride, and Luigi, who has only a month to live, but they, too, arouse no sympathy. But then there’s that one scene. That one beautiful, unforgettable scene. That one scene that elevates the film far above its own level and, for all its shortcomings and failed philosophical pretensions, still gives it the status of a classic.