Fear and Desire
Seen it?1953 | 62 min | Drama, War
Weeknight WatchWhy it’s a Weeknight Watch
With a lukewarm 5.4 out of 10 from audiences and soft box office, it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for history buffs. If you loved Empire of the Sun or Devotion, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Intense.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 2 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1953: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
After their airplane crashes behind enemy lines, four soldiers must survive and try to find a way back to their battalion. However, when they come across a local peasant girl the horrors of war quickly become apparent.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsSolid
70% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesBelow par
5.4 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a modest audience
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 97K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
- Frank SilveraMac
- Kenneth HarpLt. Corby / The General
- Paul MazurskySidney
- Stephen CoitFletcher / The Captain
- Virginia LeithThe Girl
- David AllenNarrator (voice)