Human Desire (1954): cast, story & where to watch
1954 · Film · ★ 6.7
Released in 1954, Human Desire is a drama, crime and romance film directed by Fritz Lang, running about 91 minutes. “A rarity on the screen … a RAW slice of life!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Jeff Warren, a Korean War vet just returning to his railroad engineer's job, boards at the home of co-worker Alec Simmons and is charmed by Alec's beautiful daughter. He becomes attracted immediately to Vicki Buckley, the sultry wife of brutish railroad supervisor Carl Buckley, an alcoholic wife beater with a hair-trigger temper and penchant for explosive violence. Jeff becomes reluctantly drawn into a sordid affair by the compulsively seductive Vicki. After Buckley is fired for insubordination, he begs her to intercede on his behalf with John Owens, a rich and powerful businessman whose influence can get him reinstated.
Who’s in it. Human Desire stars Glenn Ford as Jeff Warren, Gloria Grahame as Vicki Buckley, Broderick Crawford as Carl Buckley and Edgar Buchanan as Alec Simmons, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.7/10, Human Desire has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In GB you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Human Desire page.
If you liked it. Fans of Human Desire tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Human Desire (1954)?
- In GB, Human Desire is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Human Desire worth watching?
- Human Desire holds an audience score of 6.7 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, crime and romance. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Human Desire?
- Human Desire stars Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Broderick Crawford, Edgar Buchanan and Kathleen Case.
- When was Human Desire released?
- Human Desire was released in 1954, with a runtime of about 91 minutes.