Sorcerer
1977
****
Director: William Friedkin
Cast: Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal, Amidou, Ramon Bieri, Peter Capell, Karl John, Friedrich von Ledebur, Joe Spinell, Rosário Varela
Four men from different parts of the world hide in a remote South American village. In desperation, they agree to transport highly volatile nitroglycerin across treacherous terrain in two dilapidated trucks. William Friedkin's thriller is a remake of the Henri-Georges Clouzot's 1953 film The Wages of Fear, which was based on Georges Arnaud's 1950 novel. The first half takes its time introducing the men, their shady pasts, and the circumstances that bring them together. However, once they begin building the trucks and embark on their perilous journey, the film becomes an incredibly tense and thrilling ride with very little dialogue. The famous 12-minute rope bridge scene is absolutely riveting.
