Georges Arnaud, born Henri Girard in Montpellier in 1917, was a French writer whose work often reflected the tumult of his times. He penned the screenplay for Violent Road (1958), a film that delves into the chaos and moral complexities of a post-war landscape. Arnaud's background as an investigative journalist and political activist informs the tension and urgency present in his narratives. His experiences, including a harrowing imprisonment during World War II, lend a stark realism to the themes found in Violent Road, making his contributions significant within the realm of cult cinema.
Violent Road
An out-of-control test rocket causes death and destruction and requires the relocation of the rocket development plant. Trucker Mitch Barton (Brian Keith) assembles a team of several other men for a nearly suicidal mission to drive three trucks to move the rocket fuel—hydrazine, nitric acid, and concentrated hydrogen peroxide—safely over a rough mountain road within three days. Fuel developer George Lawrence (Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.) feels responsible for a safe passage and comes along. The men take the dangerous job for an exorbitant fee of 5,000 dollars each and discuss what they will do with the money. When his brother Ben is too drunk to drive, race car driver Ken takes his place. Frank Miller, determined to provide for his nagging wife, takes the job. He prevents a possible explosion by closing a valve on a nitric oxide tank with his bare hand and dies of his injuries. Detoured by breakdowns, fatigue and a treacherous terrain, plus a runaway school bus, Mitch and the men arrive at their destination and receive their pay.
