Fear and Desire ** (1953, Frank Silvera, Paul Mazursky, Virginia Leith) – Classic Movie Review 1632

Co-writer/director Stanley Kubrick’s eye-catching, attention-grabbing first low-budget feature, made in 1953, is an almost abstract war story made when he was 25 with money from relatives and friends.

Frank Silvera, Paul Mazursky, Kenneth Harp and Steve Coit star as four contrasting soldier buddies who are severely tested when their plane crash lands in a war-torn unidentified country and they are stuck behind enemy lines.

Lieutenant Corby (Harp) plans to lead the group to a nearby river, build a raft and float back to friendly territory by night. But a young woman (Virginia Leith) stumbles across them as they hide in the woods. It was sold as ‘ Trapped… Four Desperate Men and a Strange Half-Animal Girl!’ so go figure.

Shot silent with a $13,000 budget which rose $20,000 more when the actors dubbed their lines in a studio. Kubrick is cameraman and producer as well. It’s definitely one for collector’s corner and Kubrick completists.

Paul Mazursky, the innovative and versatile director who showed the absurdity of modern life in such movies as Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice and An Unmarried Woman, died aged 84 on June 30 2014. He began his career as an actor in Fear and Desire. 

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1632

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