THE TOWERING INFERNO
US, 1974, 165 minutes, Colour.
Steve McQueen?, Paul Newman, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Jennifer Jones, Richard Chamberlain, Robert Wagner, O.J. Simpson, Susan Blakely, Susan Flannery, Robert Vaughn.
Directed by John Guillermin.
Audiences supposedly inured to disasters may find many sequences in this epic quite nerve wracking, quite shatteringly involving. The plot is fairly obvious, the stars and characters solid but conventional, the photography and effects excellent. Which means success depends on how it all works. Stairwells, lifts and tall buildings are commonplace enough for us to feel these filmed dangers threatening even if the sufferers are on rich society level. Steve McQueen? and Paul Newman have spectacular heroics but give the main impression of being very sensible. Some details, especially burning people, are somewhat sensational, and sentimentality lurks, but this is excellent disaster spectacle.
1. The appeal of the disaster film in the '70s? The art form of the '70s? The nature of disasters, causes, repercussions, risks? The spectacle of disaster? Dangers, injury, death? The vicarious identification with characters faced with such risk? The soap opera background to the disaster films? The fantasy of this vicarious identification ? good or not? The reason for the popularity in the '70s, later?
2. The reputation of this film? Big budget, two production companies, the number of stars? The popularity of the conventions? The importance of the special effects? The popularity of the theme song and its playing throughout the film?
3. The Panavision colour photography, California, San Francisco? The world of affluence? The building and its plush luxury, the atmosphere of party? Technology? The importance of the title and the building in itself, the modern giant (with the overtones of the Titanic)? The models used for the building and the way they were used for fire and water? The theme of the big building with its dangers, the cutting of costs,, laws and ordinances and the cutting of these? The way the film built up the first fire, the computers missing the detail,, the confining of the fire yet the risks? The chain reaction and the growing danger and the spread of the fire? Questions of responsibility? The message of the film especially at the end as given by Chief O'Halloran?
4. Audience response to fire? The causes of fire, power of destruction? The horror of burning? The hellish overtones? The first hour of the film and the gradual build-up of the fire and its getting out of control? The rapidity with which it spread? People becoming enveloped in the fire? Its putting escape routes out of action so quickly? The fire brigades and their morale, skills, techniques and strategies? The firemen and their dedication? The ways of controlling fire? The responsibilities for ways of controlling? The film as a tribute to the fire brigades?
5. The structure of the film and audience involvement in the disaster atmosphere: the entry to San Francisco, the unveiling of the building with all its luxury and atmosphere, the settling of the occasion, the society and social issues,, the introduction to the various people, their interaction,, the dividing of the film into episodes highlighting the characters and their interaction, the mounting aspects of the disaster, the need for rescue and the suspense in the success of the rescues or not, the various climaxes, the grand climax? The score and the them as background to this?
6. Themes of human behaviour in crisis, the amount of heroism, people drawing on their resources of courage, people revealed in panic? An ordinary day and people transformed into their better or worse selves?
7. The ever present theme of death and the meaning of life and the way this was illustrated in each of the central characters?
8. The build up at the beginning of the film with Doug Roberts' arrival, the flying over San Francisco, the revelation of the building., the overpraise of the building and the parallels with the Titanic? The architect and his responsibility for the building, the builder and his skills, vanity, meanness with contracts? The reliability of security guards and maintenance? The film's attention to the detail of security and surveillance?
9. The focus on Doug Roberts and the fact that Paul Newman played him? How convincing was he as an architect? His attitude towards the building, the lack of supervision of security, having the opening and the party too early? The personal background of his story and his relationship with Susan? Faye Dunaway and her glamour? The romantic interludes and this as background to their relationship throughout the film,, especially with the dangers? Doug and his involvement with trying to put out the fire, discovering the poor wiring, being ready for helping when the disaster happened? The build-up to the party? Audience being like invited guests observing the glamour? The various people there and their relationship with Doug? His avoiding the party and being involved in the rescue ? especially of Liselotte and the deaf children, the drama on the stairs and the children having to climb down, Liselotte climbing down? His going through the roof of the building to get the cement blasted away? His arranging the numbers for the drawing of lots? The helicopter and its explosion? His having to work with O'Halloran for setting the explosives? His surviving? How well drawn was the character, especially with his sitting with Susan at the end 0'Hallorhan's warning?
10. O'Halloran as hero? How persuasive was Steve McQueen? in this role? Work, skill, businesslike managing of the situation, strong presence? Relationship with his men, supervising their activities, his being present? Tired, having a rest? The incident in the lift, their going down on the ropes, the importance of the cable and the chairlift from one building to the other, the helicopter and the lifting of the scenic elevator, his presence at the end and his ominous warning?
11. The portrait of the various firemen and their characters, Jernigan and the security group, the armed forces and their collaboration? The dangers, the explosions, the deaths?
12. William Holden's portrait of Duncan as the tough builder, ruthless and relentless, his love for his daughter Patti, his despising Simmons, his son-in-law? His being the host with the Mayor and the Senator? His refusal to move the party, his having to take more and more responsibilities? His trying to calm the group, his decision to leave last, his helping people to survive? The fact that he survived? How much was his responsibility?
13. Simmons as villain, a cad, the domestic clashes with his wife, his drinking, his callous attitudes towards cutting costs and his defiance of his father-in-law, his resentment of his wife as being an image of her father, his need for escaping, his humiliation when he rushed down the stairs and had to return, his rebelling , against the lots,, his rushing the chair, his death? The portrait of Patti, his wife, and her keeping calm, wanting to support him, surviving?
14. The subplot of Dan Bigelow and Lorrie, the romantic interlude, the threat of death, their having to cope, the ugliness of their deaths?
15. Liselotte and her being pleasant, her interest in Harlee, the rescue of the children. the stair dangers, her going down on the scenic lift and the suddenness of her death? Fred Astaire's style as Harlee, the importance of the sequence of his telling the truth, their love for each other, his grief at her death? The pathos or not of his receiving her cat at the end?
16. The Senator and his presence at the party, his helping to manage the chairlift. his death because of Simmons and his panic? The Mayor and his wife and their helping, the human touch, the wife's survival? Carlos and his serving the people, rescuing the wine, his death?
17. The aspects of panic and the need for order? Decisions and doing what one was told? People rushing lifts, going down stairwells? Not tying themselves securely when the water was exploded, the unnecessary deaths because of people's panic?
18. The various set pieces, the mounting disasters, the various fire sequences, explosions, the explosion of the helicopter, the chairlift in its collapse, the scenic elevator and the helicopter rescue?
19. What was the audience ultimately left with? An enjoyable piece of disaster hokum? Spectacular soap opera? The fantasy about life and death?
