Four unfortunate men from different parts of the globe agree to risk their lives transporting gallons of nitroglycerin across dangerous Latin American jungle.Four unfortunate men from different parts of the globe agree to risk their lives transporting gallons of nitroglycerin across dangerous Latin American jungle.Four unfortunate men from different parts of the globe agree to risk their lives transporting gallons of nitroglycerin across dangerous Latin American jungle.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 3 nominations total
Friedrich von Ledebur
- 'Carlos'
- (as Fredrick Ledebur)
Chico Martínez
- Bobby Del Rios
- (as Chico Martinez)
Anne-Marie Deschodt
- Blanche
- (as Anne Marie Descott)
Jacques François
- Lefevre
- (as Jacques Francois)
- Director
- Writers
- Walon Green
- Georges Arnaud
- William Friedkin(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaBesides internal on-set conflicts, William Friedkin said that approximately fifty people "had to leave the film for either injury or gangrene," as well as food poisoning and malaria. In The Friedkin Connection he added that "almost half the crew went into the hospital or had to be sent home." Friedkin himself lost fifty pounds (23 kg) and was stricken with malaria, which was diagnosed after the film's premiere.
- GoofsDuring the tree sequence, after the dynamite is lifted out of the wooden crate, it is kicked to the side and (apparently) falls off the tree.
Weeping dynamite is leaking out the nitroglycerin as a liquid which will readily soak through untreated materials such as the wooden case, shelves upon which they sit and so on. Old stocks of dynamite usually require destroying the entire building in which they are found for safety.
When kicked, or when it fell to the ground, the wooden crate would have exploded with significant force. The drivers would have been briefed on this to not make any mistakes while moving the crates.
- Crazy creditsThe only opening credits at the beginning of the film are the studios' names followed by the film's graffiti style font title. Although by the late 1990's it was quite common to not have credits at the beginning of a film, in 1977 it was very unusual.
- Alternate versionsThe European version of the film was re-edited and shortened by CIC, the European distributor, without director William Friedkin's permission. The prologue sequences set in New York, Paris, Vera Cruz and Israel that show what happened to the main characters and why they had to flee to South America, were changed to flashbacks running throughout the film.
- SoundtracksSpheres (Movement 3)
Performed by Keith Jarrett
Used under license from Polydor Incorporated and through the courtesy of ECM Records
Featured review
In Many Ways, Superior to Wages of Fear
Friedkin's unacknowledged masterpiece is clearly superior in the 1st and 2nd acts as he gives superb backdrops into the individual stories of the main protagonists. When we see them in the 2nd act, amidst the grit and grime of a backwater Latin American nation, we understand the desperation that would have led them to such a place.
The seering reality of the depravity they now live in was much more effective in Friedkin's movie. You don't expect to see a gorgeous hooker in this environment, unlike the unrealistic Wages of Fear. Oddly enough, Wages of Fear is actually much more Holly-wood like in its storytelling than Sorcerer.
Mind you, I do like Wages of Fear and actually thought it was a great movie, but I have to revise my opinion after seeing a movie that actually does it right.
Congrats, Friedkin.
The seering reality of the depravity they now live in was much more effective in Friedkin's movie. You don't expect to see a gorgeous hooker in this environment, unlike the unrealistic Wages of Fear. Oddly enough, Wages of Fear is actually much more Holly-wood like in its storytelling than Sorcerer.
Mind you, I do like Wages of Fear and actually thought it was a great movie, but I have to revise my opinion after seeing a movie that actually does it right.
Congrats, Friedkin.
helpful•5835
- homeopt
- Mar 20, 2004
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- The Wages of Fear
- Filming locations
- Papaloapan River, Veracruz, Mexico(bridge crossing scene)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $22,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $8,502
- Runtime2 hours 1 minute
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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