Sorcerer (1977)

Four unfortunate men from different parts of the globe agree to risk their lives transporting gallons of nitroglycerin across dangerous Latin American jungle.

Director:

William Friedkin

Writers:

Walon Green (screenplay), Georges Arnaud (novel)

Stars:

Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Roy Scheider	...	Scanlon / 'Dominguez'
Bruno Cremer	...	Victor Manzon / 'Serrano'
Francisco Rabal	...	Nilo
Amidou	...	Kassem / 'Martinez'
Ramon Bieri	...	Corlette
Peter Capell	...	Lartigue
Karl John	...	'Marquez'
Friedrich von Ledebur	...	'Carlos' (as Fredrick Ledebur)
Chico Martínez	...	Bobby Del Rios (as Chico Martinez)
Joe Spinell	...	Spider
Rosario Almontes	...	Agrippa
Richard Holley	...	Billy White
Anne-Marie Deschodt	...	Blanche (as Anne Marie Descott)
Jean-Luc Bideau	...	Pascal
Jacques François	...	Lefevre (as Jacques Francois)

Storyline

A gangster, a crooked banker, a hitman and an arab terrorist are stranded and on the run in a small village in South America. Their only chance of escape is to drive two trucks filled with unstable nitroglycerin up a long and rocky mountain road in order to plug an escalating oil refinery blaze. With their deadly cargo likely to explode at the slightest bump, the four men must put aside their differences and work together to survive.

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Plot Keywords:

dynamite | remake | remake of french film | building explosion | blowing out a tire | 

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Taglines:

Die "Really" Hard

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Roy Scheider's then-wife, Cynthia Scheider, was an assistant film editor who had previously worked with Bud Smith on The Exorcist (1973). Since shooting the film required a prolonged stay in South America, the actor asked William Friedkin if she could stay with him and have a job in an editing capacity. The director fulfilled his wish and was reportedly "delighted".

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Goofs

In the wide shots of the trucks crossing the bridge you can see the tow cables/anchor lines to the bridge going in and out of the water as the bridge rocks back and forth.

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Quotes

Father Ricci: Do you know who's parish this is?
Donnelly: Fuck you and the horse you rode in on!

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Crazy Credits

At the end of the film as the last of the end credits scroll up, the music fades away and is replaced by the sound of an idling truck.

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Alternate Versions

The 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.

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Connections

References The French Connection (1971)

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Soundtracks

Spheres (Movement 3)
Performed by Keith Jarrett
Used under license from Polydor Incorporated and through the courtesy of ECM Records

User Reviews

Just getting this one filmed was a huge accomplishment.

Friedkin claims this was the toughest film to make of his career, and it isn't hard to see why. The balance of this film takes place in some woe begotten Latin American country. You can just feel the poverty and desperation in the air as the only work is for an oil drilling firm who doesn't exactly seem bent on worker safety. The elements are intentionally brutal and they only add to the tension. And thats even before this story really gets going.

Early on, we are introduced to four characters who are all guilty of doing something terrible in one corner of the world or another. Roughly a half hour into the film, all four find themselves in a tiny impoverished Latin American village trying to eek out a living and forget the troubles they left behind. Not only is the local economy weak, but the place is socially on the verge of revolution. It's amazing the kind of jobs men will volunteer for to get out of these circumstances. Anyway, these four men are given the chance of transporting some highly explosive dynamite through rugged terrain in crappy old trucks so it can be used to put out a massive oil fire some 200 miles away. It is noted by one of the men that more than enough explosives are being transported. Obviously, at least one of the trucks is not expected to make it! Not only do you have an explosive cargo with unreliable trucks, but also there are armed rebels along the way who probably won't just let you pass right on through. Still, the reward for completing this job is just too much to pass on.

The film is very, very good. In fact the skill that it took to make the film is responsible for most of the stars I'm giving it. The story itself is often just not believable. The journey these four men take is ludicrously perilous. They drive their vehicles over rickety bridges that nobody in real life would have tried to get over in those trucks. Like in other Friedken films, no character is completely likable, but that only makes it tougher to figure out who will live and who will die. There are a few nice twists here and there, right up to the very end to keep you guessing. The acting is exceptional. Scheider was Friedkin's fourth or fifth choice for the main character. Steve McQueen originally wanted it badly, but he demanded a part included for then wife Ali McGraw. Friedkin balked at this and then later regretted the decision. He later stated that he never thought Scheider was a good enough leading man. This is an error, however. Scheider is a terrific actor and his performance here is outstanding.

The film bombed badly at the box office. Heck, if you weren't in line to see Star Wars that year, you were in line to see Smokey and the Bandit! This is definitely one of Friedkin's best, and it has somehow almost been completely forgotten. The film apparently got a PG rating but it is filled with violence and all manner of evil goings on. You'll have to suspend your disbelief for some of the scenes, but you'll be glad you did. I'll give it 8 of 10 stars.

The Hound.

Added Feb 14, 2008: RIP Roy Scheider!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish French German

Release Date:

24 June 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Wages of Fear

Filming Locations:

66 Avenue Foch, Paris 16, Paris, France

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,972

Company Credits

Production Co:

Film Properties International N.V., Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min 92 min (international)

Sound Mix:

Mono 4-Track Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1