The Price of Fear (1956) User Reviews (23)

Jessica Warren I Love You.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 21 October 2017]

The Price of Fear is directed by Abner Biberman and adapted to screenplay by Robert Tallman from a story by Dick Irving Hyland. It stars Merle Oberon, Lex barker, Charles Drake and Warren Stevens. Music is by Heinz Roemheld and cinematography by Irving Glassberg.

Little seen or just forgotten these days, The Price of Fear is actually a rather tight and entertaining piece of film noir film making. Rising above some production limitations, pic is strong on characterisations and it looks just splendid. Story essentially finds Barker as an innocent man out to prove he didn't kill two people in two separate incidents!, while Oberon slips into femme fatale clothes as a love interest who's trying to avoid being found out for one of the killings Barker is under scrutiny for.

Narrative is deliciously twisty in how characters react and perform during the play. Into the mix is an intrepid detective, smooth talking villain, a blackmailing wife, a witness under duress and even a train sick canine! Old noir faithfuls coincidence and fate play their big hands, as does some narration drive. The look is minus chiaroscuro but the nighttime scenes are impressive enough, shiny streets and bulbous lights excellently photographed by Glassberg, while Biberman plays with frame tilts and interesting framing of the lady characters.

There's been some complaints about cast performances, but all are fine here. OK, so it lacks in viper femininity and laconic masculine as per noir classics previously, but nothing here hurts the piece. Solid as a rock is this, it even has the courage of its convictions to provide a genuine surprise ending. Where the main players catch a train to noirville, the termination point worth waiting for. 7/10

Film wanders between soap opera and mystery;Barker is good

[django-19 · 7/10 · 29 August 2000]

Like a lot of Universal-International's 1950s output, THE PRICE OF FEAR is a studio-bound soap opera that borders on kitsch, but within that soap opera, star Lex Barker and an exciting plot in the Hitchcock vein struggle to make the film something better. Barker plays the co-owner of a racetrack where the mob is trying to muscle in. One night, he happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people and his life begins unravelling and he goes on the run. Unfortunately, Merle Oberon enters the picture. I don't know if Ms. Oberon had something else on her mind while making this picture, but she seems to be posing for still photographs throughout the film. Oh, she's gorgeous! glamorous! stunning! But her posing and gown-modeling belongs in a 1920s Gloria Swanson vehincle--or maybe a PARODY of a 1920s Swanson vehicle! It's hard to believe that a savvy character, such as the racetrack owner played by Barker, would fall in love with such a cipher as Oberon's character. If you can forget the soap-opera elements of the plot, there's a good mystery here...and the climax and ending are genuinely surprising. However, only devoted Barker fans should try to find this film.

The rare double frame-up!

[ripplinbuckethead · 7/10 · 2 September 2019]

After being framed for the murder of an ex-partner in a dog racing track, Dave Barrett (Lex Barker) steals a car from a woman named Jessica Warren (Merle Oberon), who is in a phonebooth. He doesn't know that she is about to call the police to tell them that a man has been the victim of a hit-and-run...by her car, which she was driving at the time. She sees Barrett steal her car, then suddenly decides to let him take the fall for the accident. Now it's a double frame-up for Barrett!

This movie explores a lot of different themes, most of all fear; fear of getting caught, fear of the unknown, fear of failure, etc... It's a good title, as it covers many of the motivations for the characters. I liked how it keeps you guessing as to how Barrett and Warren will deal with ever-changing situations, which not only keep the movie rolling along, but makes it fairly deep. On top of all that, you have the criminal and police element making things difficult for all of them.

I found that the story wandered a bit, but is pretty tight overall. The performances were understated and natural. It was compelling and had a lot of nice surprises in it. A good noir-ish crime drama. Wouldn't have minded seeing more of Gia Scala in it, but despite that, I'd see it again someday.

Oberon and Tarzan in Fair Film Noir

[dglink · 6/10 · 10 October 2020]

Moderately entertaining B picture, "The Price of Fear" embodies several noir elements, but plays as little more than a made-for-television crime drama. A hit and run sets off a chain of events that include murder, blackmail, double-cross, bribery, and theft. A late-career Merle Oberon stars as Jessica Warren, a successful financial advisor who makes a fatal mistake. While an unexpected turn offers her the opportunity to blame someone else, by implicating another, she inadvertently provides an alibi for murder. In her mid-40's, Oberon retains her beauty, although her confidence must have been faltering, because the other characters are obliged to throw compliments her way. Casting the eight-years-younger former Tarzan, Lex Barker, as her love interest, was even more flattery to an aging star. Barker's character is not the brightest bulb, and the 6'4" blonde hunk falls for Oberon's icy charms and easily into her duplicitous trap.

Engaging a voice-over introduction and employing Irving Glassberg's crisp black-and-white cinematography, director Abner Biberman and writer Robert Tallman construct a decent, if unexceptional, mid-1950's film noir. Oberon and Barker are ably supported by Warren Stevens and Phillip Pine as gangsters and Charles Drake as a police sergeant. While the roles are undemanding, the cast is creditable for the material.

Fast moving and relatively taut, "The Price of Fear" has the usual plot holes and an unconvincing romantic angle that seems to develop overnight. However, the twists are enough to keep viewers' attention and provide 80 minutes of entertainment for fans of Oberon and Barker and for less-demanding film-noir enthusiasts.

A fine lady getting caught up with a trap of destiny

[clanciai · 7/10 · 25 November 2018]

Merle Oberon is always worth experiencing in any circumstances, and here they are rather confused. She is a top member of society, a lady above reproach, who happens to a car accident: an old man with a dog loses control of his dog and walks out into the street without seeing her coming, she hits him, she wants to report it immediately to the police taking responsibility at once, but as she already is starting to talk in a phone booth, her car is stolen. Instead she reports her car stolen. That's how it begins.

It appears she wasn't quite satisfied with the film herself, because after this film she almost never appeared on screen again - just a few TV shows, some minor parts now and then, while she still had a long life ahead and never lost her beauty.

It certainly isn't one of the best noirs, rather pale for a noir, and the script is too muddled up with improbabilities. How could she at all have anything to do with those rude gangsters, that later gets her involved, the last thing she wants? She blames her weakness, and that is very womanish, of course, so there is much in this film to discuss - Lex Barker isn't very attractive either, so their love business isn't very convincing. Anyone could love her, but he is rather wooden, while the other guy, Warren Stevens, is simply impossible in his rudeness.

It's worth seeing for her sake, you will remember her, but you will forget the picture.

Decent for what it is but I think they could have did some better casting

[nomoons11 · 6/10 · 16 January 2013]

This is one of those films where the lead was way past her prime. Merle Oberon may have been a "fair" actress back in the 30's and 40's but she was an after thought in this one.

A highly successful lady accidentally hits a man and kills him. Problem is, she was drunk. A racetrack owner who is part owner, is being pursued by his new co-owner finds her car and steals it. She's in the process of calling the police to tell them about the accident but sees an opportunity and tells them instead...her car was stolen. What he doesn't know is his old partner was killed and they've set him up to take the fall. Basically, 2 deaths attributed to him. Between all the basics of this we have a really punk of a bad guy and a weaselly stooge who does his dirty work. It's an obvious frame throughout.

The film itself is not bad for what it is but the casting imo was just not that great. Merle Oberon was probably offered this cause no one else in the cast was a star. I never understood how she became a star in her day. She did a few romantic comedies early on I thought were pretty good but she's so average in dramas and everything else. This one is no different. Another issue is Lex Barker. When you see him you'll know why he's in it. He's good looking and was hunk material. His acting is a case of the "wooden" kind. You could probably tell he wasn't Julliard trained. The others all play the villain and good guy roles fairly solid but it's not enough. A definite case of the side players out-playing the leads.

This is classified as a noir and I would say that it is. It has really great lighting and the "feel" of a noir. Ultimately it feels like a "50's" noir and not a 40's one. All in all, not a bad film. Just don't think your gonna add this one to an "all time greatest" noir list....cause that ain't gonna happen.

A wealthy woman tries to cover her crime

[blanche-2 · 6/10 · 3 September 2021]

The Price of Fear from 1956 stars Merle Oberon, Lex Barker, and Charles Drake.

The story concerns a race track owner Dave Barrett (Barker) who learns his partner has sold out to gangsters. When a mobster decides to frame Barrett for the murder of that same expartner, Barker goes on the run. He steals a car he sees idling in front of a phone booth.

The woman inside the phone booth is the wealthy, successful, and beautiful Jessica Warren, who has asked to be connected to the police. She intends to report and confess to a hit and run. Then she sees her car being stolen. She changes her mind about confessing, and instead reports her car as stolen.

Barrett is accused of both the hit and run and the murder of his ex-partner, though given the timing, he could only have committed one crime. Jessica decides it would be best if he were accused of the hit and run, getting her off the hook. Meanwhile, the cops are trying to get him for murder.

Someone on IMDb said that Barker was unattractive, making the romance between Barrett and the beautiful Jessica unrealistic. Well, someone has a vision problem. Barker was considered a major hunk. Oberon by this time was 45, way past her sell-by date in Hollywood. She of course is stunning as always, though sadly this is one of her last screen appearances.

There is talk of an unexpected twist. I guess I've seen too many of these films. The denoument came as no surprise to me.

Interesting film, not much emotion to be had due to the static dialogue, but worth seeing.

COMPLEX PLOT...SHARP & GLOSSY LOOK...HELPS DULL-TONED CRIME FILM

[LeonLouisRicci · 6/10 · 27 August 2021]

It's the Plot that Propels this Good Looking but Dull Unfolding of this Crime Flick with Film-Noir Elements.

The Noir is the Doomed Femme-Fatale and Her Down-Beat Relationship with Lex Baxter, the Framed Protagonist.

Baxter is Miscast as is the Aging and Far From Glamorous Romantic Lead, Merle Osbourne.

That Captures Baxter in Her Web as She Falls-From-Grace and Spirals Ever Downward Toward Destruction.

The Voice-Over Narration from Copper Charles Drake Surprisingly just Vanishes After the First-Act, almost as if They had Second-Thoughts.

Overall, Watchable but Unremarkable Acting, Warren Stevens is Unconvincing as a Crime-Boss Forever in Threatening Mode.

The Movie Doesn't have much of an Edge, but the Talky Plot can Keep Viewers On-Their-Toes while Not Offering much of a Suspenseful or Edgy Tone.

The Biggest Surprise is the ending

[DKosty123 · 6/10 · 22 May 2020]

Merle Oberon is the star here but this is more of a noir than a mystery. In the beginning we see her hit and eventually kill a college professor. We find that out as the movie progresses but rather than confess to the crime, she reports her car stolen. Then by coincidence a hunk Dave (Rex) borrows her car after it is stolen (she left the keys in it). Meanwhile, another man is murdered with a shot gun about the same time, and a man named Nick borrows her car but he is not the man's killer. Because he borrows the car he is accused of hitting the Professor and of murdering the man.

The script is the most clever thing here. As this is intended as a short B picture from Universal, it's obvious here it's done on a tight shoe string. Oberon in her mid 40's looks way too old for (Dave) Rex Barker (she is nearly 10 years older). She obviously did not age well.

Stafford Repp (Batman's Chief O'Hara later) is Johnny McNabb, the guy who holds the key to Dave's being not guilty of the murder gets stabbed to death with a knife. Meanwhile Dave asks Jessica to go confuse the hit and run to the police. She can't, so she gets a ticket on a train out of town to leave the country. She invites Dave to go with her, or actually to try get away only she is being pressured to do this by the real murderer.

So this one is going to end on a train, and with a twist that is not expected. Kudos to the script writers. This is a very watchable noir, and worth the time to check it out.

"Nobody loves a patsy"

[boblipton · 5/10 · 25 September 2019]

Businesswoman Merle Oberon runs over an old man and speeds off. She has second thoughts and stops at a phone booth. After she gets the police, Lex Barker, on the run from gangsters who are about to kill his partner, spots it, hops in and zooms off. Miss Oberon reports the car stolen. Buddy/police Lieutenant Charles Drake thinks there's something wrong with the set-up.

There's something about this sort of 1950s drama that strikes me as not impossible, but brittle. So many of the lines are delivered without any emotional weight to them, as if the character is thinking about his words, then considering why he has chosen those words, until all feeling has been rendered out out them. Perhaps it's the pace of the dialogue that I find so unappealing. In the late 1930s, the pace of dialogue in the movies sped up, and the audience was given the impression of a stream of consciousness. Certainly Joseph Gershenson's two bars of theme that rise up majestically from a large orchestra overwhelm the performances instead of accentuating them.

Fairly solid, well-polished thriller and star vehicle

[beyondtheforest · 9/10 · 20 June 2012]

Merle Oberon stars as a beautiful, glamorous business woman who is motivated by fear to do some despicable things. Guilty of a hit-and-run car accident, she must frame the man she loves in order to get away with murder! Along the way, she becomes involved with gangsters and detectives, and becomes ever more deeply mired in a chain of incriminating events. This is the type of role we are used to seeing Barbara Stanwyck fill, and Oberon does a beautiful job, but plays it her own way -- not as a tough dame, but as gracefully refined and secretly cunning. Sadly, this would be one of Oberon's last starring films. Clearly, Hollywood stopped offering her work too soon, but those were the days when glamorous female stars were phased out after 40.

This film is now available on DVD as part of the TCM Vault Collection's "Women in Danger: 1950s Thrillers" Collection (all Universal films). The quality is very good and this is a set worth adding to your collection.

Make that 6.5!

[JohnHowardReid · 6/10 · 18 February 2018]

It always surprised me how many people used to come late for the pictures, particularly in the suburbs where two movies, plus a newsreel was always obligatory.

For "The Price of Fear", both writer and director were well aware of that fact, so they didn't bother to put any effort at all into the first reel - or the second reel either. The dialogue can only be described as totally uninteresting chatter which the actors delivered without any inflections at all.

Suddenly, around feel three, all this inept and thoroughly boring clap=trap was thrown away and the story started to get into stride, And once into stride, the writing, the direction and the acting improved by leaps and bounds.

In fact, the only aspect of the movie that was consistently good from first to last, was Irving Glassberg's photography.

I Guess I Loved You More Than I....

[AudioFileZ · 24 April 2021]

The Price of Fear is a lesser known slice of 50's film noir. It isn't a big budget affair and it wisely keeps it simple. A man is falsely accused of two crimes that connect to a car he swiped to avoid two thugs working for a gangster type who only has to get Barker out of the way so he can control the local dog track. Barker gets out on bail on a possible murder rap and he must prove he couldn't have swiped the car and then committed two crimes. Barker knows that the owner of the car is somehow involved, but in the process he falls into a romance with her. She's a successful businesswoman who you can't figure if she's only out for herself or falling in love with Barker who needs her help. She's a rather unassuming mix of leather and lace which clouds Barker's burgeoning romance.

There's the standard film noir bad guys element, but the question hangs on how Barker can prove his innocence as well as stay alive. The simplicity and decent dialog delivers on the story above it's humbleness. It's a solid watch as such and recommended if you've not seen it. My subject header comes together in the last scene in an ironic way.

As the wheel turns.....life crashes!

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 28 August 2018]

Seemingly having it all, the beautiful investment adviser Merle Oberon finds that making the wrong decision can bring her entire world crashing down, all because of chance and a bit of bubbly. Obviously happily tipsy when she walks out of a glamorous restaurant, Oberon is simply handed the keys to her expensive car by the parking attendant and drives on her merry way. She is completely unaware of her inability to drive at that moment and slams into an elderly man in the street, driving off. While making an attempt to call the police to report the incident, the sobered up Oberon suddenly changes her tune when her car is stolen right in front of her eyes, leading to the arrest of dog track partner Lex Barker for both the theft and the hit and run. But Barker can actually provide an alibi for where he was at when the hit and run took place which makes him confront Oberon over why she lied. This leads her deeper and deeper into the criminal world as Barker is a suspect in the murder of his partner who was killed by the mob, and her desire to hide her lies even more drags her deeper into hell and leads to a tense stand-off in the baggage compartment on a train as she tries to escape the authorities, hoping Barker will join her.

A strange, convoluted film noir, this was a rare instance to see Oberon play a very unsympathetic character. You get to see her running her business, and she's definitely a very commanding business woman, but her ruthlessness is not in business; It is protecting her reputation and trying desperately to get out of a mess that even the most clever of attorneys couldn't help her get out of. Oberon, a top-notch leading lady in the 1930's and 40's, was basically playing glamorous supporting parts ("Deep in My Heart", "Desiree"), but this last leading lady part for her (until 1963's "Of Love and Desire") was unique in the aspect of being quite different in tone for her. It is obvious that her character is not normally as malevolent as she becomes here, but the desperation that her character starts to feel pushes her up against the wall which makes many of her actions understandable if not giving her sympathy. Barker, himself, isn't playing an upstanding citizen either, and other characters in the film seem to be more interested in using their involvement in this situation to their financial advantage. Issues with the convoluted script and bizarre plot twists weaken this, especially with the baggage compartment finale which goes on too long.

Lackluster Noir that has its great moment on unexpected outcome!!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 10 December 2023]

A femme fatale around 45 years old certainly doesn't fill out the accurate term of femme fatale whatsoever, starting of this premise the already aged Merle Oberon role falls apart, also a bit far-fetched plot concerning an affair between the 37 years old Lex Barker falling in love for woman 8 years older, firstly because him is a wealthy business man that has a partnership of a profitable Dog track, when suddenly his old partner sold his share for a gangster Warren Stevens without consulting Baker, so many holes come across over a lame screenplay, however something will overcame these weak points ahead.

In a double frame up takes place for Barker accused of a murder of his partner, running away from Warren's henchmen in borrow a car that previously ran over a old pedestrian, he is charge with two crimes altogether, nonetheless for your luck one nullifies the other, meanwhile the real guilty for the hit-and-run is the fancy Oberon, both approach each other by own sake, Charles Drake a police detective somehow allied of Barker due he figures out that such killing wasn't Barker's procedure, thus tries find the truth by own means as a straight policeman.

The last sequence on train will saves the movie of the unavoidable flop, minimizing the mismatches, an emblematic outcome, another fail quite sure is miscasting the foreign actress Gia Scala, almost needless on the plot, maybe the producer wanted put an Angel face make up for lack of chemistry of Merle Oberon, the highlights are Charles Drake in a decent acting and the thrilled and suspeceful act on train, without forget an old acquittance of us Stafford Repp as taxi driver.

Thanks for reading

Resume:

First watch: 2023 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.25.

OK Entry for Film Noir - The Price of Fear

[arthur_tafero · 6/10 · 2 November 2023]

This is a solid B movie with Lex Barker playing second fiddle to the talents of Merle Oberon, who plays a weak-kneed society girl. She also gets out at the wrong time from a train she is taking, but that is something that is not connected to the main plot. It seems that Lex is having a bad night; first he gets framed for killing a former partner, and then, while trying to make a getaway, steals the car owned by Merle, who had hit and run an old man only minutes before. When Lex is booked, he is now faced with either a manslaughter charge for the hit and run on one side of the town, or the murder of his partner on the other side of town. Merle, on the other hand, is as free as a bird. However, the plot diverges from there with other complications. Not a bad B movie, and interesting to see early Oberon.

Good film noir

[byron-116 · 6/10 · 28 May 2020]

The Price of Fear is a good film noir story, pretty well paced.and well acted by all except for Lex Barker who should have instead stuck to playing Tarzan and foreign films

I Wanted to Like It

[arfdawg-1 · 5/10 · 19 November 2019]

I really did. But it is just way too slow. Where's the action? For film noir to work there has to be some conflict and drama. This film is a lot of talking. A bit of action, but mostly talking and talking.

The ending makes this film so brilliant.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 18 January 2019]

"The Price of Fear" is a movie that has quite a few film noir sensibilities....though I am sure many purists would consider it just a crime film because it lacks the slick cinematography and lighting of a noir classic. Nevertheless, it's an awfully good film....and the ending really, really worked great for me.

Dave (Lex Barker) is a nice guy. But like so many nice guys in noir films, he's behind the eightball. A crook hates him and decides to frame him for murdering a man he'd been seen threatening. In addition, a selfish lady (Merle Oberon) runs over an old man and instead of staying to talk to the police, she ran and reported her car stolen. Soon, Dave is picked up for BOTH crimes. He could NOT have done the hit-and-run robbery AND shot a man across town at the same time. But it sure looks like they'll be able to pin at least one of them on him unless he can somehow prove his innocence.

Barker and Oberon were good....as were all the actors. But to me, the star were the writers. They created a very interesting story with great characters and a finale that leaves you breathless. No sentimental crap here...just gritty folks and a grittier ending. Well worth seeing.

Honey, please help me get caught.

[shiannedog · 5/10 · 7 August 2023]

This noir had a lot going for it and it even shined a few times, but then it didn't. I think the problem was with the direction of the acting. It seems as though they filmed the rehearsal scenes and decided to edit them into a movie in order to save on production costs. Too bad because it could have been much better. Not a bad story and the casting was fair as was the screenplay, but it could have had a little less dialogue and a bit more action. The romance scenes were particularly bad and seemed forced. I wondered why the guy didn't break out into laughter when she said she loved him. I wanted to give it a rating of 6 but settled on a 5. If I were under the influence maybe I would kick it up a notch. Oh well...

A hidden gem!

[mls4182 · 10/10 · 12 June 2021]

This B drama has an interesting and original plot. There are some holes and implausibilities but it is still entertaining. Lex Barker is adequate and Merle Oberon shines. The lady was supposedly past her prime when this was made but she is nevertheless beautiful, classy and stylish.

Worth seeing!

[RodrigAndrisan · 8/10 · 18 June 2020]

Intelligent plot, well played, well done except the end. I didn't expect it to be so good, from a totally unknown director, Abner Biberman, who was more of an actor than a director. Well, he also directed some episodes of "The Fugitive", "The Twilight Zone", "The Untouchables" and a few less famous things. I wanted to see the movie thanks to Lex Barker and Merle Oberon. I knew Lex Barker, who died young at only 54, from many movies, Old Shatterhand from many "Winnetou", Joe Como from "Dr. Mabuse", Tarzan and a role in Fellini's "La Dolce Vita". Very good actor! I had to check better Merle Oberon, after seeing her only in "Wuthering Heights" and "Désirée": very good actress herself! The film is worth seeing, not only because of them two, but the whole cast, full of very good actors.

Predictable, and kind of silly at times, but still absorbing

[tiffanie_says_stay_in_your_lane · 10/10 · 20 January 2024]

I think "chain of events" type movies are so fascinating. I love watching how the paths of two or more characters unexpectedly converge, and how their lives are altered - perhaps destroyed - leading them to put the pieces back together the best way they can... If they're even able to at all, for that matter. And if the genre is noir, that makes it even more spellbinding. The Price of Fear is exactly that type of story: strangers meeting one another by a random, albeit tragic, chance. Reputations are at risk of being ruined, love is questioned, and trust is broken. The film opens with dog-track co-owner David Barrett (Lex Barker) finding out his partner Lou Belden (Tim Sullivan) betrayed him by selling out to Frankie Edare (Warren Stevens), a mobster who plans on taking David out of the deal completely. David aggressively confronts Frankie in a restaurant around the same time that a single businesswoman, Jessica Warren (Merle Oberon) is driving drunk and strikes an older man walking his dog, Mr. Nina Ferranti (Gia Scala), then further committing a hit-and-run. Lou is subsequently gunned down when he's walking out of the restaurant/club. David ends up being charged with two crimes: the murder of Lou and the hit-and-run (he jumped into Jessica's car and drove off while she was in a phone booth. She was going to originally turn herself in, but after he stole her car, she decided to report it stolen, and didn't report the hit-and-run). David's friend and detective Pete Carroll (Charles Drake, who starred in Step Down to Terror a couple years later) is determined to prove that David isn't the perpetrator of either crime.

It does have some level of predictability. David becomes mesmerized by Jessica, and they start dating. Their relationship is moving pretty fast - they're not discussing marriage, but he's spending an awful lot of time at her lavish apartment - and it's sort of irritating to watch as he allows himself to fall head over heels so much to the point that he doesn't use common sense. Who else did he think might've been responsible for running over the poor man? Even after she confesses to the hit-and-run, he still displays his love for her, going so far as to leave the country together, on a train (how were they going to leave the country on a train anyway??). So I thought that was a bit dumb. The love scenes were also melodramatic. I will admit - I wasn't following the story all that closely. Towards the end, Jessica tells David 'he said he would do to you what he did to Belden,' or something along those lines. I thought she was referring to the cab driver Johnny McNab (Stafford Repp) who was killed by another gangster, Vince Burton (Phillip Pine). Don't ask me how Belden sounded like McNab. I was more or less focused on how and when David was going to find out she was responsible for the hit-and-run. The absurdity and lame acting aside (neither were really bad enough to ruin the film), I enjoyed The Price of Fear. It's the perfect Friday night movie.