FIRE AND RAIN

US, 1989, 89 minutes, Colour.
Angie Dickenson, Charles Haid, Tom Bosley, David Hasselhoff, Robert Guillaume, Patti La Belle, Dean Jones, Susan Ruttan.
Directed by Jerry Jameson.

Fire and Rain is a disaster telemovie, focusing on the crash of Delta 191 at Dallas, Forth Worth, in 1985. The explanation for the crash was wind shear and the film focuses on the need for protection against this weather phenomenon.

The film is done as a docu-drama with names and places and times. It is a vivid re-creation of the flight itself, the control of the flight, the crash, the relatives and their responses, the rescue squads, the doctors and nurses. It builds up quite well in the docu-drama style and, at moments, is quite moving.

There is a good cast, especially drawn from television series, including Angie Dickinson, Charles Haid, David Hasselhoff and others. Generally the dialogue is strong - although Dean Jones and Angie Dickinson have to mouth some truisms which are made to sound somewhat banal for this kind of film.

However, it is quite good of its kind, giving an overall picture of the running of air schedules and the capacity for rescue and healing. The film is directed by veteran Jerry Jameson, director of many such telemovies.

1.The impact of the film as telemovie? Docu-drama? Its atmosphere of realism?

2.Audience response to films about air flights, air control, crashes, rescue? The picture of work, medical support, emotional support?

3.The use of Dallas locations, the reconstruction of the crash and the airfield, the hospitals? Credible?

4.The style of times and places? Glimpses of the overall picture, small pieces coming together? The build-up of the flight, people on the flight, the pilots, the weather? The overall credibility of the crash?

5.The explanations about wind shear, its effect, the need for protection and the final information?

6.The glimpse of the crew, the information given them, the weather, decisions, trying to control the plane? The staff? The final dialogue, the crash and the explosion?
7.The presentation of the passengers: some frightened, most normal, the fright of the buffeting before the crash? The deaths, the burns, some wandering out uninjured?

8.The ground staff: Bob and his work, finding various individuals, his bewilderment, wanting to console people? The other members of the rescue squad, Dean Jones and his search for children, the emotional impact, his comments? The child, the dog? The clergyman?

9.The picture of the hospital: Beth and her management, efficient response, emotions? The doctors, their having to handle patients, decisions about burns, surgery? Explanations to family? Handling situations, decisions?
10.The dead, their being assembled, the need for organising transport, the funeral director and his helping with the identifications?

11.The survivors, the father being seen on television helping rescue others, the couple who were uninjured and the rabbi getting them to come and talk, the reaction of the relatives, angers, consolation?

12.The sketches of the families: the couple from Denver and the survival of their son, the operation? The mother and her two children, her keeping calm, getting the neighbour to look after them, the anguish of the death? The daughter whose mother sent her a will? The man who survived and kept calling for his wife, Florence?

13.The background of the young man and his birthday, working at the airport, the freak accident on the freeway? His relatives? The funeral and the final words of the minister about the mystery? God's role?

14.The quality of the film as a disaster accident telemovie? Portrait of people in action? Reasons? Heightening audience awareness?