FIRE DOWN BELOW

UK, 1957, 115 minutes, Colour.
Robert Mitchum, Rita Hayworth, Jack Lemmon, Herbert Lom, Anthony Newley, Bonar Colleano.
Directed by Robert Parrish.

Fire Down Below is an oddly overblown exotic melodrama. It has two strands. The first is the seedy seafaring adventure - with Robert Mitchum doing his thing effectively. The second is suspense rescue where Jack Lemmon is trapped in an exploding ship. There are the expected heroics. In the middle of the situation comes Rita Hayworth as an exotic mystery woman – who also has a chance to dance. Screenplay was written by Irwin Shaw. Production by Irving Allen and Albert Broccoli, who later moved into spectacle with disaster films and the James Bond films. Jack Lemmon seems to be hamming his part - especially when seen in the light of his later career. There
is a competent British supporting cast.

1. The blend of adventure and tragedy? Enjoyable melodramatic entertainment? The range of moods?

2. The title - literal application to the final tragedy? Sexual innuendo?

3. The use of Cinemascope, colour photography? Exotic locations?

4. The sea? Ships? Seedy ports? The stylised characters? The score, songs, Rita Hayworth's choreography?

5. The quality of the cast - and the casting? The background of the boat - Felix and Tony working together? Their stories, types, work, contacts? The reasons for their being at sea? Their work together? Friendship? Irina coming on board? The Rita Hayworth-type glamour? Tony and his infatuation - and her warning? Felix and his antagonism? The shore leave and Tony's silly behaviour? Felix and the smouldering relationship - dancing, kissing? Decisions to be made?

6. Tony and his disappointment? The dashed young man? The boat, the crash? Felix's anger?

7. The working on the big ship and the accident? Tony being trapped? The change of pace? Tony and his character, his background revealed? The question of the amputation? The possibilities for rescuing him? The doctor helping, Felix coming? The Navy standing by? Felix and his anger and rescuing Tony? The support of Irina?

8. The character of the doctor and his concern? The decisions about amputation? Tony's death in the exploding ship?

9. The characterisation by the British cast of the doctor the Master of the Harbour, the Navy personnel?

10. The build-up of suspense in the disaster, the explosives, time element, tension? The rescue and the finale?

11. How well did the two strands of the adventure blend? The stereotype characters and their exploration? Dramatisation by Mitchum and Hayworth? The credibility of Jack Lemmon's character - and his seriocomic performance?

12. The technical aspects of the rescue?

13. The film as an example of big-budget popular entertainment of the mid'50s?