Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Sorcerer

  • 19771977
  • PGPG
  • 2h 1m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
21K
YOUR RATING
Sorcerer (1977)
Theatrical Trailer from Universal Pictures
Play trailer2:53
2 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Adventure
  • Drama
  • Thriller
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.
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
21K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • William Friedkin
  • Writers
    • Walon Green(screenplay)
    • Georges Arnaud(novel "The Wages of Fear")
  • Stars
    • Roy Scheider
    • Bruno Cremer
    • Francisco Rabal
Top credits
  • Director
    • William Friedkin
  • Writers
    • Walon Green(screenplay)
    • Georges Arnaud(novel "The Wages of Fear")
  • Stars
    • Roy Scheider
    • Bruno Cremer
    • Francisco Rabal
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 177User reviews
    • 110Critic reviews
    • 68Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 3 nominations total

    Videos2

    Sorcerer
    Trailer 2:53
    Sorcerer
    Sorcerer
    Clip 2:50
    Sorcerer

    Photos141

    William Friedkin in Sorcerer (1977)
    Sorcerer (1977)
    Amidou in Sorcerer (1977)
    Amidou and Bruno Cremer in Sorcerer (1977)
    Roy Scheider, Amidou, Ramon Bieri, Bruno Cremer, and Karl John in Sorcerer (1977)
    Sorcerer (1977)
    Roy Scheider in Sorcerer (1977)
    Roy Scheider in Sorcerer (1977)
    Sorcerer (1977)
    Roy Scheider in Sorcerer (1977)
    Amidou and Bruno Cremer in Sorcerer (1977)
    Amidou in Sorcerer (1977)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Roy Scheider
    Roy Scheider
    • Scanlonas Scanlon…
    Bruno Cremer
    Bruno Cremer
    • Victor Manzonas Victor Manzon…
    Francisco Rabal
    Francisco Rabal
    • Niloas Nilo
    Amidou
    Amidou
    • Kassemas Kassem…
    Ramon Bieri
    Ramon Bieri
    • Corletteas Corlette
    Peter Capell
    Peter Capell
    • Lartigueas Lartigue
    Karl John
    Karl John
    • 'Marquez'as 'Marquez'
    Friedrich von Ledebur
    Friedrich von Ledebur
    • 'Carlos'as 'Carlos'
    • (as Fredrick Ledebur)
    Chico Martínez
    • Bobby Del Riosas Bobby Del Rios
    • (as Chico Martinez)
    Joe Spinell
    Joe Spinell
    • Spideras Spider
    Rosario Almontes
    Rosario Almontes
    • Agrippaas Agrippa
    Richard Holley
    • Billy Whiteas Billy White
    Anne-Marie Deschodt
    Anne-Marie Deschodt
    • Blancheas Blanche
    • (as Anne Marie Descott)
    Jean-Luc Bideau
    Jean-Luc Bideau
    • Pascalas Pascal
    Jacques François
    Jacques François
    • Lefevreas Lefevre
    • (as Jacques Francois)
    André Falcon
    • Guillotas Guillot
    Gerard Murphy
    • Donnellyas Donnelly
    Desmond Crofton
    • Boyleas Boyle
    • Director
      • William Friedkin
    • Writers
      • Walon Green(screenplay)
      • Georges Arnaud(novel "The Wages of Fear")
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    To Live and Die in L.A.
    7.3
    To Live and Die in L.A.
    Cruising
    6.5
    Cruising
    Thief
    7.4
    Thief
    The French Connection
    7.7
    The French Connection
    The Wages of Fear
    8.2
    The Wages of Fear
    Rampage
    6.2
    Rampage
    The Brink's Job
    6.5
    The Brink's Job
    The Driver
    7.1
    The Driver
    The Devil and Father Amorth
    4.6
    The Devil and Father Amorth
    Blow Out
    7.4
    Blow Out
    Manhunter
    7.2
    Manhunter
    Rolling Thunder
    6.9
    Rolling Thunder

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Director William Friedkin initially wanted Steve McQueen to star in the film. McQueen accepted the part, but on one condition--he wanted a co-starring role for his then wife, Ali MacGraw. Friedkin would not accept his conditions, and McQueen dropped out of the film. Friedkin later went on record, regretting not accepting McQueen's conditions. He tried to get Clint Eastwood or Jack Nicholson, but neither wanted to travel at that time. He stated that casting Roy Scheider in the lead was the worst casting decision he has ever made. Although he felt Scheider is a good actor who did a great job, he is only interesting in a film as a "second or third banana, he's not a star." Amidou, who played the Arab Kassem/"Martinez", was Friedkin's only real first choice--all the other actors were "fourth, fifth and even sixth choices."
    • Goofs
      The monetary amount paid to the drivers is inconsistent throughout the film. The oil company first says they will pay "8,000 pesos to each driver". The driver's later demand double that amount (which would be 16,000 pesos). Later when Scanlon crosses the rope bridge he boasts that the two of them will get "double shares of 20,000 apiece" (double shares would actually be 32,000 apiece). At the end, Scanlon is given a check for 40,000 Dollars.
    • Quotes

      Scanlon: [Nilo has been shot] What're you gonna do with all that money, you hump? Talk to me! What're you gonna do?

      Nilo: Get... laid! Best whore in Managua!

      Scanlon: Two whores! Two best whores in Managua!

      Nilo: You do it. For me.

    • Crazy credits
      The 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 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.
    • Connections
      Featured in Sneak Previews: Take 2: Overlooked Classics: Great Movies of the 70's That Nearly Everybody Missed (1980)
    • Soundtracks
      Spheres (Movement 3)
      Performed by Keith Jarrett

      Used under license from Polydor Incorporated and through the courtesy of ECM Records

    User reviews177

    Review
    Top review
    Lost Classic
    Sorcerer is a unique, brutal, brilliant film burdened underneath a terrible, wholly unappropriate title. Watching this film, it is not only easy to see why the film was both a huge financial and commercial disaster, it is downright obvious. This is the most un-american/ hollywood/ commercial film backed by a major studio I have ever seen. It is a tough, gruelling 126 minutes that goes nowhere fast, yet holds you firm in its tight grip and beats you senseless throughout. I was exhausted when the film finally arrived at it's rather downbeat ending. The multi-national cast is faultless. Scheider is magnificent. This is an exceptionally demanding, difficult role and he hits it head on, creating an anti-hero who is very, very real: desperate, frightened and desructable. Taking this role, at the height of his fame, was either very brave or very stupid. I'm going with brave. His performance here is a million miles away from his work on Jaws and Jaws 2, yet equally compelling. The photography is in a league of it's own (I only wish the DVD came with an original 2:35:1 print, assuming there is one, as the current disc is presented in a 4:3 full frame), and the music from Tangerine Dream complements the vision perfectly. This is a brilliant piece of film making from the most daring decade of cinema, made by one of cinema's true unpredictable's. Tense, dazzling, dark and fresh, this is an underated film that deserves to be re-evaluated.
    helpful•129
    15
    • DB-08-DB
    • Dec 1, 2002

    FAQ2

    • Is this movie an original story?
    • What are the differences between the US Version and the European Version?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 24, 1977 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
      • French
      • German
    • Also known as
      • The Wages of Fear
    • Filming locations
      • Bisti-De-Na-Zin Wilderness, New Mexico, USA
    • Production companies
      • Film Properties International N.V.
      • Paramount Pictures
      • Universal Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $22,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $6,014
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 1 minute
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
      • 4-Track Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Sorcerer (1977)
    Top Gap
    What is the Hindi language plot outline for Sorcerer (1977)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies Coming This Summer
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in June
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.