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Fear and Desire

  • 19531953
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 2m
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
12K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Fear and Desire (1953)
  • Drama
  • Thriller
  • War
Four soldiers trapped behind enemy lines must confront their fears and desires.Four soldiers trapped behind enemy lines must confront their fears and desires.Four soldiers trapped behind enemy lines must confront their fears and desires.
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
12K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Stanley Kubrick
  • Writer
    • Howard Sackler
  • Stars
    • Frank Silvera
    • Kenneth Harp
    • Paul Mazursky
Top credits
  • Director
    • Stanley Kubrick
  • Writer
    • Howard Sackler
  • Stars
    • Frank Silvera
    • Kenneth Harp
    • Paul Mazursky
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 86User reviews
    • 68Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Photos63

    Stanley Kubrick in Fear and Desire (1953)
    Fear and Desire (1953)
    Stanley Kubrick in Fear and Desire (1953)
    Paul Mazursky and Frank Silvera in Fear and Desire (1953)
    Stephen Coit and Kenneth Harp in Fear and Desire (1953)
    Frank Silvera in Fear and Desire (1953)
    Stephen Coit and Kenneth Harp in Fear and Desire (1953)
    Fear and Desire (1953)
    Kenneth Harp in Fear and Desire (1953)
    Frank Silvera in Fear and Desire (1953)
    Stephen Coit in Fear and Desire (1953)
    Kenneth Harp in Fear and Desire (1953)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Frank Silvera
    Frank Silvera
    • Macas Mac
    Kenneth Harp
    Kenneth Harp
    • Lt. Corbyas Lt. Corby…
    Paul Mazursky
    Paul Mazursky
    • Sidneyas Sidney
    Stephen Coit
    Stephen Coit
    • Fletcheras Fletcher…
    Virginia Leith
    Virginia Leith
    • The Girlas The Girl
    David Allen
    • Narratoras Narrator
    • (voice)
    Toba Kubrick
    • Woman Fishing in the Riveras Woman Fishing in the River
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Stanley Kubrick
    • Writer
      • Howard Sackler
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    A ficticious war in an unidentified country provides the setting for this drama. Four soldiers survive the crash-landing of their plane to find themselves in a forest six miles behind enemy lines. The group, led by Lt. Corby, has a plan: They'll make their way to a nearby river, build a raft, and then, under cover of night, float back to friendly territory. Their plans for getting back safely are sidetracked by a young woman who stumbles across them as they hide in the woods, and by the nearby presence of an enemy general who one member of the group is determined to kill. —Eugene Kim <genekim@concentric.net>
    • directorial debut
    • soldier
    • voice over narration
    • philosophy
    • doberman pinscher
    • 56 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Trapped... 4 Desperate Men and a Strange Half-Animal Girl!
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Thriller
      • War
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Stanley Kubrick later denounced this film as amateurish, saying he considered it like a child's drawing on a fridge.
    • Goofs
      The shots of the dead girl show her either with her face three-quarter turned to the ground (close shot) or with her face looking straight out to the side (long shot). This may be deliberate due to the surreal nature of the scene, namely the mental state of her killer.
    • Quotes

      [first lines]

      Narrator: There is war in this forest. Not a war that has been fought, or one that will be, but any war. And the enemies who struggle here do not exist, unless we call them into being. This forest, then, and all that happens now is outside history. Only the unchanging shapes of fear, and doubt, and death are from our world. These soldiers that you see keep our language and our time, but have no other country but the mind.

    • Crazy credits
      Preserved by the Library of Congress - Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation
    • Alternate versions
      Blu-ray Disc releases in America also include The Seafarers, a short film from Kubrick, as a bonus feature. The European Masters of Cinema release also includes two additional shorts, Day of the Fight and Flying Padre.
    • Connections
      Featured in Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001)
    • Soundtracks
      Escape the Ordeal
      Conducted by Gerald Fried

      Fear and Desire OST

    User reviews86

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Odd, interesting tale of madness.
    An extra point for style. Kubrick style, without a budget, without experience; don't re-make a hit/classic if you can re-make something like this. The story is interesting but makes no more sense than the madness of war, which is what is depicted. Could be a bit shocking, dealing as it does with moral issues that are so basic many people would rather not admit that they exist. Attempting to depict such weirdness is part of Kubrick's (now) well known genius. Really interesting and sometimes downright good use of camera and sound. Always do your best, dear reader, for even you first movie could be your last.
    helpful•9
    5
    • goodellaa
    • Dec 13, 2007

    FAQ1

    • Has this film been remade?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 1, 1953 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Amazon
      • Google
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Shape of Fear
    • Filming locations
      • California, USA
    • Production company
      • Kubrick Family
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $33,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 2 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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