The Towering Inferno (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
A skyscraper & a fabulous all-star cast go up in flames in 'The Towering Inferno'. To celebrate the construction of the Glass Tower, the world's tallest building, architect Doug Roberts (Paul Newman) & confident constructor James Duncan (the great William Holden) hold a big gala bash on the highest floors. Problem is, sabotage is afoot, as Duncan's son-in-law/electrical subcontractor Roger (Richard Chamberlain) installed faulty wiring throughout the 138-story behemoth to save $$. Now, there are ominous omens right from the get-go. While the guests for a big dedication party in the top floor restaurant arrive - including Doug's girlfriend (Faye Dunaway), a rich widow (the always lovely Jennifer Jones), a con man (Fred Astaire), & a politician (Robert Vaughn) - a security guard (O.J. Simpson, yes HIM) wonders why his equipment isn't working.
It turns out that a burnt-out circuit breaker ignites on the 85th floor, quickly turning the skyscraper into the titular towering inferno. The building has
state-of-the-art security/communications system, but half the equipment doesn't work! The original fire spreads, more electrical equipment goes haywire, & in no time the tower is inflamed. With the party guests trapped on the 135th floor, it's up to Roberts & calm, cool, collected Fire Chief O'Hallorhan (Steve McQueen) to find a way to stop the fire. Drama, terror, explosions, rescues, deaths, & split-second heroics ensue.
Not unlike 1972's The Poseidon Adventure ... 'The Towering Inferno' is everything a disaster movie spectacle should be: melodrama + destruction. And there's never that phony feeling that you sometimes get in disaster flicks like this (far too many, like Earthquake are of a lesser quality). ' ... Inferno' is also a masterpiece of tension, action, stunts, & special effects; details of the massive fire are wholly convincing. I had a knot in my stomach from the moment the flames kindle through all the nail-biting heroics that come later ... but with films such as this, those stomach knots are a good thing.
Also, what often happens in these epic action pictures is that we lose track of the plentiful characters & their hazards. Not the case, here. There are at least 5 main action threads: Paul Newman's journey up & down a blasted-out stairwell to save a woman & 2 kids; the party guests waiting to be rescued in the luxurious 135th-floor restaurant; the business of saving a dozen people trapped in the outside elevator; a botched helicopter-on-the-roof sequence; & the thread involving 2 million gallons of water. These action threads are skillfully connected by director John Guillermin, who also allows plenty of time for character interaction and/or romance. i.e., Bigelow's (Robert Wagner) ill-fated relationship with his secretary/mistress, Lorrie (Susan Flannery).
I also liked the camaraderie btwn. the Paul Newman & Steve McQueen characters. Near the end of the film, they exchange sharp commentary on high-rises, in general: "We were lucky today. The body count was only 200. One of these days 10,000 people are going to die in one of these firetraps". While ' ... Inferno' is obviously a disaster flick on the surface, there’s also some depth. The film taps into our fears about the fragility of life in the face of extreme situations. And it also speaks of the arrogance, insecurities, & envies of professional men. Yes, 'The Towering Inferno' is indeed a towering achievement; and a great example of Hollywood moviemaking at its best - with astute direction, solid performances, & outstanding technical prowess.
It turns out that a burnt-out circuit breaker ignites on the 85th floor, quickly turning the skyscraper into the titular towering inferno. The building has
state-of-the-art security/communications system, but half the equipment doesn't work! The original fire spreads, more electrical equipment goes haywire, & in no time the tower is inflamed. With the party guests trapped on the 135th floor, it's up to Roberts & calm, cool, collected Fire Chief O'Hallorhan (Steve McQueen) to find a way to stop the fire. Drama, terror, explosions, rescues, deaths, & split-second heroics ensue.
Not unlike 1972's The Poseidon Adventure ... 'The Towering Inferno' is everything a disaster movie spectacle should be: melodrama + destruction. And there's never that phony feeling that you sometimes get in disaster flicks like this (far too many, like Earthquake are of a lesser quality). ' ... Inferno' is also a masterpiece of tension, action, stunts, & special effects; details of the massive fire are wholly convincing. I had a knot in my stomach from the moment the flames kindle through all the nail-biting heroics that come later ... but with films such as this, those stomach knots are a good thing.
Also, what often happens in these epic action pictures is that we lose track of the plentiful characters & their hazards. Not the case, here. There are at least 5 main action threads: Paul Newman's journey up & down a blasted-out stairwell to save a woman & 2 kids; the party guests waiting to be rescued in the luxurious 135th-floor restaurant; the business of saving a dozen people trapped in the outside elevator; a botched helicopter-on-the-roof sequence; & the thread involving 2 million gallons of water. These action threads are skillfully connected by director John Guillermin, who also allows plenty of time for character interaction and/or romance. i.e., Bigelow's (Robert Wagner) ill-fated relationship with his secretary/mistress, Lorrie (Susan Flannery).
I also liked the camaraderie btwn. the Paul Newman & Steve McQueen characters. Near the end of the film, they exchange sharp commentary on high-rises, in general: "We were lucky today. The body count was only 200. One of these days 10,000 people are going to die in one of these firetraps". While ' ... Inferno' is obviously a disaster flick on the surface, there’s also some depth. The film taps into our fears about the fragility of life in the face of extreme situations. And it also speaks of the arrogance, insecurities, & envies of professional men. Yes, 'The Towering Inferno' is indeed a towering achievement; and a great example of Hollywood moviemaking at its best - with astute direction, solid performances, & outstanding technical prowess.