The Wages of Fear (1952)

A group of unemployed men stuck in Central America and desperate to find a way out agree to transport two trucks full of nitroglycerine through the jungle
The Wages Of Fear is a superb tense adventure that on paper should be a chore to sit through, but in reality is a riveting piece of celluloid. Clouzou directs the film in two succinct parts - life in the small town and the drive to the oil well.
The scene is set instantly as we see some beetles tied by thread to a nail desperately trying to break free, to escape the oppressive heat, perfectly mirroring the life of the many unemployed men stuck in the town. The first part moves noticeably slowly which again mirrors the monotony of their life. A ray of hope for Mario, played by Yves Montand, arrives in the form of Jo (Charles Vanel) a broke but shrewd and seemingly able man whom Mario believes may be his ticket out of the town. Jo certainly knows how to flex a little muscle and quickly becomes the talk of the town and has to be a little devious when it comes to being chosen as on of the four men being chosen to drive two trucks full of nitroglycerine 300 miles across bad roads and hills to a burning oil well. This is the type of the job where there is less than 5o per cent chance of survival. The kind of job no man would usually take. But these are men desperate to get out of town, and the only way to get out is to pay for airfare. The job on offer is a last chance saloon. Either they will make it and earn the money, or they will be blown sky-high. Both of which are better options than they one they are presently in.
The second part is all about the journey and the tension is palpable. Any moment either of these trucks could explode, and when one does is comes so out of the blue you are truly taken aback. The ride is fraught with danger at every turn and every attempt at solving the obstacles in their way is met with suspense filled silent (almost slow-motion) action. Wisely there is very little soundtrack to this movie. A score would have spoiled it.
A great movie that must be high on the list of every film class, so filled is it with visual metaphors and linking devices that it is practically a textbook on how to make film.