City on Fire (1979 film)

Last updated
City on Fire
Cityonfire1979.jpg
City on Fire film poster
Directed by Alvin Rakoff
Written by
Produced byClaude Héroux
Starring Barry Newman
Susan Clark
Shelley Winters
Leslie Nielsen
James Franciscus
Ava Gardner
Henry Fonda
Cinematography René Verzier [1]
Edited by
  • Jacques Clairoux
  • Jean-Pol Passet [1]
Music by
Production
company
Distributed byAstral Films (Canada) [1]
AVCO Embassy Pictures (US)
Release dates
  • May 24, 1979 (1979-05-24)(West Germany)
  • July 11, 1979 (1979-07-11)(Paris)
  • August 29, 1979 (1979-08-29)(Montreal)
  • August 31, 1979 (1979-08-31)(United States)
Running time
106 minutes
Countries
  • Canada
  • United States [2]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$3 million [3]
Box office$784,181 [4] (US)

City on Fire is a 1979 disaster action film directed by Alvin Rakoff, written by Jack Hill, Dave Lewis and Celine La Freniere, and stars Barry Newman, Susan Clark, Shelley Winters, Leslie Nielsen, James Franciscus, Ava Gardner and Henry Fonda. [5] The film's plot revolves around a disgruntled ex-employee who sabotages an oil refinery, setting off a blaze that engulfs an entire city. People try to either fight the fire or flee as it spreads throughout the city.

Contents

The film was shot in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, although the name of the city is not mentioned in the film.

Plot

In an unnamed U.S. city, the corrupt mayor William Dudley has allowed an oil refinery to be built right in the center of town, far from any river, lake or reservoir. On one typically hot summer day, Herman Stover, a dangerously disturbed employee at the refinery, has been denied an expected promotion, and in addition, finds himself fired after refusing a departmental transfer. He then decides to take his revenge against the works by opening the valves to the storage vats and their interconnecting pipes, flooding the area and sewers with gasoline and chemicals. It doesn't take long for this act of petty vandalism to start a fire, which starts a chain reaction that causes massive explosions at the refinery, destroying it and spreading a mushroom cloud of flame that soon engulfs the entire metropolis.

The drama focuses on a newly built hospital that, like the refinery and all civic buildings that went up during the mayor's crooked administration, is shoddily built and poorly equipped. There, head doctor Frank Whitman and his staff treat thousands of casualties from the fire, while the city fire chief Risley keeps in constant contact with the fire companies fighting a losing battle against the fires. Maggie Grayson, an alcoholic reporter, sees it as her chance to make it nationwide with her coverage of the story of the "city on fire".

A major subplot of the film involves Diana Brockhurst-Lautrec, a wealthy socialite (and widow of the late governor who is the namesake of the hospital) who is currently and secretly involved with Mayor Dudley to further advance her rank up the social circles. The womanizing Dr. Whitman also meets with Diana before the hospital's dedication ceremony, having known her previously. Herman Stover also arrives at the hospital during the dedication ceremony, having left the refinery before the explosion to stalk Diana, and having known her since attending high school. Diana, the mayor, who's assisting Dr. Whitman, and head nurse Andrea Harper treat the large number of casualties arriving at the hospital. No one ever finds out that Stover is the one responsible for the citywide fire, and Stover is not sane enough to understand nor regret his actions.

When the hospital becomes surrounded by the fire, Chief Risley orders his son, Capt. Harrison Risley, and his firemen to create a "water tunnel" composed of creating a channel of firehoses across a burning street to evacuate the hospital. Despite some casualties of the hospital staff and patients, the evacuation is successful. Stover is one of the casualties when, distraught and in a daze after Diana rejects him, he is killed by falling debris from a building. Nurse Harper is also killed when she attempts to rescue Stover. Diana, Mayor Dudley, and Dr. Whitman are the last to make it out of the hospital before it is consumed by the fire.

The final scene is set the following day at a quarry outside the city that is set up as a makeshift camp for the thousands of people rendered homeless by the fire as it is finally brought under control. There, Dr. Whitman and Diana acknowledge their love for each other, while Mayor Dudley gives a press statement that the real heroes are the people of the city. Maggie Grayson, still reporting from the studio, signs off her broadcast and leaves with her assistant Jimbo on a date after assisting her throughout her coverage. Chief Risley leaves his headquarters with his staff, telling them that it takes only one man to destroy a city.

Cast

Production

The film required several urban blocks that could be set on fire, which led production to search for appropriate locations to shoot, including Atlanta, Edmonton, St. Louis and Cincinnati. [2] Montreal was eventually chosen to represent the fictional American city. [2]

Principal photography was scheduled to begin August 10, 1978, and became one of the largest film sets in Canada to that date, costing approximately $400,000. [2] The shoot was constructed in the east side of the city and involved 45,000 gallons of fuel required to set it ablaze during filming. [2]

Release

City on Fire was first shown in West Germany on May 24, 1979, then in Paris on July 11, 1979. [1] It was later distributed in Canada by Astral Films, showing in Montreal on Astral Films on August 29, 1979. [1] It opened in United States on August 31, 1979. [2]

Reception

From a contemporary review, Gilbert Adair of the Monthly Film Bulletin declared that "'dull' as criticism, scarcely does justice to the ludicrous contrivance of this disaster movie", and that "its idiocy is best exemplified by the scene in which, as the crooked mayor and the jet-setting benefactress of a hospital resolve their amours differences, the camera focuses on the beatific expression of an elderly patient who has finally managed to relieve himself into a bedpan." [6]

The film was featured on an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 .

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Casualty</i> (TV series) British medical drama series

Casualty is a British medical drama series broadcast on BBC One. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it first aired in the United Kingdom on 6 September 1986. The show was originally produced by Geraint Morris and has been a staple of British television ever since. Casualty is recognized as the longest-running primetime medical drama series in the world, having aired weekly since its inception.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alta Bates Summit Medical Center</span>

Sutter Health Alta Bates Summit Medical Center is located in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. Its three hospital campuses are located in Berkeley and Oakland. Alta Bates Summit is a non-profit community-based medical center and is part of Sutter Health.

Anna F. "Ann" Risley is a retired American actress and comedian. She was a cast member of the TV series Saturday Night Live for the 12 episodes of the 1980–1981 season. These 12 broadcasts were the first episodes after producer Lorne Michaels left the show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracy Reed (English actress)</span> English actress (1942–2012)

For Tracy Reed, please see Tracy Reed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western General Hospital</span> Hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland

The Western General Hospital is a health facility at Craigleith, Edinburgh, Scotland. It is managed by NHS Lothian.

<i>Final Analysis</i> 1992 film by Phil Joanou

Final Analysis is a 1992 American neo-noir erotic thriller film directed by Phil Joanou and written by Wesley Strick from a concept by forensic psychiatrist Robert H. Berger. It stars Richard Gere, Kim Basinger, Uma Thurman, Eric Roberts, Keith David, and Paul Guilfoyle. The executive producers were Gere and Maggie Wilde. The film received mixed critical reviews, but was positively compared to the works of Alfred Hitchcock, particularly Vertigo. It was the final film of director of photography Jordan Cronenweth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jayne Grayson</span> Fictional executive officer in BBC TV medical drama Holby City

Jayne Grayson is a fictional character in the BBC medical drama Holby City, portrayed by actress Stella Gonet. The character first appeared on-screen on 10 July 2007 in episode "Under the Radar" – series 9, episode 39 of the programme. Her role in the show was that of chief executive officer of the Holby City Hospital Primary Care Trust, making her the only regular character who is not a medic by profession. Gonet formerly appeared as a doctor in Holby City's sister show Casualty, and has since appeared in crossover episodes of the drama, this time as Jayne Grayson. Her storylines in Holby City have revolved around issues of hospital bureaucracy, as well as her husband's affair with her colleague Connie Beauchamp. A two-part episode which saw Jayne fight the hospital's board of directors and the British government over the separation surgery of the conjoined twin daughters of illegal Korean immigrants proved a critical success, and was positively received by many tabloid TV critics.

<i>Change of Heart</i> (novel) 2008 novel by Jodi Picoult

Change of Heart is the sixteenth novel by American author Jodi Picoult, published in 2008. The novel explores themes of loss, redemption, religion and spirituality, and punishment.

<i>Casualty 1900s</i> British hospital drama spin-off miniseries

Casualty 1900s, broadcast in the U.S. as London Hospital, is a British hospital drama inspired by but otherwise unrelated to BBC One drama Casualty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanessa Lytton</span> Fictional character

Vanessa Lytton is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Holby City, portrayed by actress Leslie Ash. The character first appeared on-screen on 13 October 2009 in the episode "The Spirit Dancing" - series eleven, episode fifty-two of the programme. Her role in the show is that of chief executive officer of the Holby City Hospital Primary Care Trust, making her the only regular character who is not a medic by profession. Vanessa was created by Holby City's executive producer Tony McHale as a replacement for former CEO Jayne Grayson. Ash was cast in the role after a five-year break from acting, due to complications arising from MSSA. As Ash is disabled, Vanessa walks with the aid of a walking stick. Ash has praised Holby City producers for their willingness to cast a disabled actress, though faced some media criticism for accepting the role, as she had previously received £5 million compensation for loss of earnings from the hospital at which she contracted MSSA. Vanessa is a "scheming", "conniving and calculated" executive, whose storylines have seen her clash with several members of the hospital's senior staff. In June 2021, it was announced that Ash would be reprising her role in Holby City's sister show Casualty.

The twenty-second series of the British medical drama television series Casualty commenced airing in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 8 September 2007 and finished on 9 August 2008.

<i>The Feminine Touch</i> (1956 film) 1956 British film by Pat Jackson

The Feminine Touch is a 1956 colour British drama film directed by Pat Jackson and starring George Baker, Belinda Lee and Delphi Lawrence. It was the last feature film to be filmed in three-strip Technicolor.

<i>Flood!</i> 1976 television film by Earl Bellamy

Flood! is a 1976 American made-for-television adventure film directed by Earl Bellamy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zoe Hanna</span> Fictional character from the BBC medical drama Casualty

Zoe Hanna is a fictional character in BBC's medical drama Casualty, portrayed by Sunetra Sarker. She first appeared in the series twenty-two episode "Take a Cup of Kindness", broadcast on 29 December 2007. The character was a consultant in emergency medicine at Holby City Hospital's emergency department. Sarker chose to take a temporary break from the show in 2014 and Zoe departed from the show in the series 28 episode "A Life Less Lived", broadcast on 23 August 2014. She returned in the series 29 episode "Return to Sender", broadcast on 25 October 2014. Sarker later decided to leave the series indefinitely, but producers asked that she did not announce her departure in order to surprise viewers. After over 8 years on-screen, Zoe departed the series in the series 30 episode "Hello, I Must Be Going", broadcast on 7 May 2016. It was confirmed in September 2017 that Zoe would return for a single episode. She appeared in the nineteenth episode of series 32, broadcast on 13 January 2018. Sarker reprised the role again in 2023 for two episodes linked to Charlie Fairhead's exit; they feature in series 38 and aired on the 9th and 16th of March 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellen Zitek</span> Fictional character from the BBC medical drama Casualty

Ellen Zitek is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Casualty, played by actress Georgina Bouzova. She first appeared in the series nineteen episode "Out With a Bang", broadcast on 18 September 2004. Bouzova was originally signed to appear in the show for four months. The character proved popular with viewers and her contract was renewed. Ellen is characterised as a charming and intelligent woman who has a manipulative side. She can be nasty and scheming, traits which initially worried Bouzova who presumed the public would dislike her. Ellen is originally from Ukraine and arrives in Holby City to work as a nurse. She was introduced as the step-sister of Nina Farr.

<i>The Void</i> (2016 film) 2016 Canadian horror film

The Void is a 2016 Canadian Lovecraftian horror film written and directed by Steven Kostanski and Jeremy Gillespie, and produced by Jonathan Bronfman and Casey Walker. It stars Aaron Poole, Kenneth Welsh, Daniel Fathers, Kathleen Munroe, and Ellen Wong. The plot follows a small group of people who become trapped in a hospital by a gathering of hooded cultists, and by grotesque creatures.

<i>Ablaze</i> (2001 film) 2001 film by Jim Wynorski

Ablaze is a 2001 American direct-to-video action disaster film, starring John Bradley, Tom Arnold and Michael Dudikoff. It was directed by Jim Wynorski. The film uses stock footage from two other films. The car chase scene at the beginning of the film is edited from the 1993 film Striking Distance. Ablaze also extensively uses footage from the film City on Fire throughout the film. The film also contains stock footage from the 1970s TV Show Emergency!

<i>Jaws of Satan</i> 1982 film by Bob Claver

Jaws of Satan, also called by its working title King Cobra, is a 1982 American horror film directed by Bob Claver, and starring Fritz Weaver, Gretchen Corbett, Jon Korkes, and Christina Applegate, in her feature film debut. Its plot follows a preacher from a cursed family who is forced to battle Satan, who has taken the form of a huge King cobra and is also influencing other regular snakes in the area.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "City on Fire". Library and Archives Canada. 12 May 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "City on Fire". American Film Institute . Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  3. Lee, Grant (13 Jan 1979). "FILM CLIPS: Canadians Shooting for the Big Leagues". Los Angeles Times. p. b10.
  4. Box Office Mojo - City on Fire
  5. Rasmussen, Linda. "City on Fire (1979)". AllMovie . Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  6. Adair 1980, p. 21.

Sources

Mystery Science Theater 3000