THE WAGES OF FEAR (1953)
Directed by French auteur Henri-George Clouzot (Les Diaboliques), this French-language drama about a guy (Yves Montand) in South America sent to extinguish a fire caused by an American oil company was met with effusive praise when it debuted at the 1953 Cannes fest. It won the Grand Prix (a predecessor to the Palme d'Or), and though some Stateside critics later accused the film of being anti-American (scenes were even cut for the U.S. release), the majority embraced it. Pauline Kael called it ''the most original and shocking French melodrama of the 50s.'' Unfortunately, William Friedkin's American remake, 1977's Sorcerer, was a colossal flop.
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20 Classics Launched at Cannes
France's most stylish festival has given love to some groundbreaking films over the years. As the 2009 fest kicks off, we recall the most noteworthy, from ''La Dolce Vita'' and ''Apocalypse Now'' to ''Pulp Fiction'' and ''No Country for Old Men''
20 Classics Launched at Cannes
Everett Collection
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