A Glittering Cast: The Towering Inferno

1974 Drama
From 20th Century Fox 
& Warner Bros
Directed by John Guillermin

Starring
Paul Newman
Steve McQueen
William Holden
Faye Dunaway
Fred Astaire
Richard Chamberlain
Jennifer Jones
Robert Vaughn
Robert Wagner
Susan Blakely
Susan Flannery
Don Gordon
Sheila Mathews
Dabney Coleman

I'm not sure if I've ever done a posting on a movie I considered a disaster but I am sure I've never written about a disaster movie-- until now.  I think this is arguably the finest of the bunch.  It would  never have been done had it not been for the success of The Poseidon Adventure (both by producer Irwin Allen).

As expensive as it was and looks, this cast must have had everyone running to the bank.  Talk about glittering... starting with two of the biggest male superstars of the day or most any days, McQueen and Newman.  The battle of getting that fire contained wasn't as big as getting these two guys to agree on billing.  They not only went to the mat on billing at the beginning of the film but also during the closing credits and on the poster and all print media.  Finally it was decided McQueen's name would appear on the left and Newman's name on the right but higher than McQueen's.  This is called first place, above and below.  

The two actors had the same problem when discussions were initiated five years earlier on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.  But nothing could be worked out and the less-expensive Robert Redford took over Sundance from McQueen.

In addition to the pair of actors being discussed and the pair of studios at the helm, there were a couple more pairs worth mentioning.  The film is based on two competing novels, The Tower and The Glass Inferno.  One was being made by 20th Century Fox and the other by Warner Bros.  Both looked to be terribly expensive so they did something that had never been done before involving major studios... they would co-produce the film.  Additionally, while John Guillermin is credited as the director, producer Allen actually handled all of the film's action scenes.  

The film opens with a gorgeous sequence of a helicopter with Newman aboard flying over San Francisco Bay and the city's skyline.  As Newman, the architect of the 135-story building, lands, he is met by Holden, the builder.  Both will be attending a gala party on the top floor, the Promenade Deck, to celebrate the building's grand opening.

It soon becomes apparent that Holden's son-in-law, Chamberlain, has gotten some kickbacks by cutting corners on the building's  wiring.  It is noted that while it is up to code, it is not
capable of handling the electrical requirements of the massive structure that was required by Holden and Newman.  The pair had not been aware of the cheat.

But they find it out when several small fires break out.  It happens at the time of the ribbon-cutting and as the large and prestigious party is getting underway on the top floor.  The original fire breaks out on the 81st floor which means that everyone below gets out safely.  It is also thought impossible that any fire could reach the top... and before that happens is 265 minutes of pure, unadulterated excitement.  I don't think there's a boring scene to be found.

Other than the thrill of seeing all these stars in one film, there are individual scenes that had me on the edge of my seat.  First up are the fiery deaths of  Wagner and Flannery.  I think I watch them peeking through my hands.  I hope the stunt people made more money than the actors.

Various exciting scenes are used showing a breeches buoy to transfer people from the broken-out windows of the Promenade Deck to the rooftop of the nearest tall building.  Especially eventful was a scene with Chamberlain jumping on when it wasn't his turn, kicking others off (and to their deaths) and then his own death and Robert Vaughn's (as a senator) who are fighting on the seat, resulting in their plummeting to the ground.

Jones and Dunaway and others are in a scenic elevator that has stalled.  In order to get them to safety, it is necessary for McQueen (as the fire chief) to be deposited on top of the elevator from a helicopter.  From there he must attach a cable in the chopper to the elevator and then disconnect the elevator from the building which they will lower to the ground.  Unfortunately, Jones is thrown out  while McQueen, after freeing the elevator from the building, must grab onto another firefighter who has lost his balance to keep him, too, from falling.  It is one heart-pounding scene.

The final scene, of course, is the big one.  Deciding there's no other way to stop this fire that's soon going to reach the Promenade Deck, McQueen, with Newman's help, must go two floors above the party floor and rig water reservoirs holding a million gallons of water.  It is determined it will extinguish the fire but at what cost?

They have 10 minutes to rig it and run two floors down and tie themselves to whatever they can (as all others have done) before the torrent of water comes, possibly causing the roof to crash down or flying objects killing people or sucking them out of the windows.  Of course all of that happens but not to everyone.

Once the explosions occur, I'm telling you, my heart is racing.  Watching 75-year old Fred Astaire's face of terror comes with his statement that he was scared to death.  It was a real explosion and all of the top five actors were in the scene.   Anything could happen.  Let's hope we choreographed it all perfectly.  Light the fuse.   

The film ends with Newman, Dunaway and McQueen talking to one another about fire safety and constructing better-made buildings that aren't quite so high.  The two men agree to have a conversation.

It's over.  I check myself to be sure I am okay.

It should come as no surprise that this film employed around 90 stunt people who came together to provide what must have resulted from strategy session after strategy session.  There were simply two many dangerous scenes to film with too many actors.  Newman and especially McQueen rarely used doubles in the film and they were credited for their stunt work.  Stunt work was one of the true joys McQueen got from movie-making.  While we're at it, an astonishing 1,000 firefighters were employed.

Lighting the outside of the building for the start of the gala excited me as much as it was supposed to excite those in the scene.  But what about that building?  Well, the exterior is a San Francisco Bank of America with 50 stories of matte paintings added.  The Hyatt Regency provided interior shots.  Only sections of the building where the actors were were specially constructed on 20th Century Fox's Malibu ranch.  Fifty-seven sets were built for the production and two still stood at the end.  Four separate filming units were often working at the same time.

The largest set constructed was the Promenade Deck.   It covered 11,000 feet and was 25 feet high.  It was enclosed by a 340-foot canvass of the San Francisco skyline.  It was 10 feet off the ground to allow the water to drain off after the big explosions.  It also provided a sense of height for the actors who were forced through the windows.   

I think the acting is uniformly good and believable but disaster movies, let's face it, aren't known for thespian talents.  Everyone knew the kind of movie it was... where the story and the scares it produces is the only game in town.  Still, most actors want to be part of a blockbuster, a movie to be seen by gazillions.  And so they came aboard.

McQueen was hired to play the architect because it was the largest part and Ernest Borgnine (who worked for Allen in Poseidon) would be the fire chief which was a much smaller role.  Then came rumors of his friendly rival, Newman, coming aboard.  McQueen then decided he would play the fire chief because within the story he would be the guy in charge of everything which appealed to the actor.  But he wanted the role beefed up to be as large as the architect which Newman would now play.  Further, McQueen insisted that the actors have the exact amount of lines and there was constant scrambling to be sure that happened.  Newman and McQueen would come to admit they had a lot of fun working together.

Holden almost didn't sign because he was denied top billing.  But he'd not had a hit since 1969's The Wild Bunch and it was touch and go getting him to admit his star had dimmed.  Ultimately he accepted third billing below the superstars.

I am surprised Dunaway accepted the role, which must have been quite a step down for her.  It is a highly undeveloped role as Newman's girlfriend and has no depth to it.  It should come as no surprise that she ruffled some feathers.  She infuriated some in the cast due to her lateness or not showing up at all.  Holden, one of those pros from the good old days, was having none of it and one day pushed her up against a wall and threatened her.  Two years later, when they made a better movie with award-winning roles, Network, and appeared as lovers, they got on much better.

Astaire put his dancing shoes away in 1957 as far as films were concerned.  He was trying his luck at dramatic roles and doing quite well.  He plays a con man out to fleece Jones but has a chance to come clean shortly before her demise.  He received his only Oscar nomination (supporting actor)... not at all deserved... but Oscar was likely looking for a chance to honor his overall work.

Olivia deHavilland was the first choice to play the role that Jones inherited and she wanted to do it but personal obligations overruled.  Jones hadn't worked in five years and hadn't had a successful movie in over 20.  But her husband, Norton Simon, was on the board at 20th Century Fox and... well, you know.  It was great seeing her again, especially with Astaire.  It would be her final movie.

Vaughn and Wagner had little to do but that is partly because some of their work was cut out of the final print.  Each added the name value that Allen was looking for... he did love his glittering casts.  I thought Chamberlain was good in the villain role but to me he played it as a married San Francisco gay guy.  Imagine that.

I have no idea why Blakely, an ingenue with no impressive work history at the time, was given her role, which was as bland as she is in it.  How did she rate to be included among all these big stars?  She must have known someone.  Flannery, who became a TV soap actress, and not listed among the main stars, did a good job as Wagner's secretary and love interest.

It was a reunion for a number of the actors... some pleasant, some not so.  McQueen made his film debut in a small role in Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956) which starred Newman.  McQueen and Don Gordon were besties in real life and had worked together in Bullitt (1966) and Papillon (1973).  McQueen and Dunaway had famously made The Thomas Crown Affair (1968).  Dunaway and Chamberlain had just completed The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge and in 1972 appeared as the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson in the TV movie The Woman I Love. 

Vaughn and McQueen had been two of The Magnificent Seven (1960) and costarred together in Bullitt in 1968 and Vaughn and Newman appeared in 1959's The Young Philadelphians.

Wagner was good buddies with Astaire, Holden and Newman.  He had worked with Astaire in TV's It Takes a Thief (1968-70) and with Newman in Harper (1966) and Winning (1969).  He also costarred with McQueen in 1962's The War Lover. 

Holden would go on to costar with Newman in a disastrous disaster film, When Time Ran Out (1980).   In 1955 Holden and Jones made one of my favorite romance dramas, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing.  Despite how much the world loved them together, they didn't get along.  With 19 years passing, they got on well together this time although their only scene together is where she is part of a crowd listening to him speak.

John Williams' score is not as famous as some of his other work but it is all it needs to be, certainly adding to the film's tension.
The Towering Inferno would be nominated for eight Oscars... Astaire's supporting actor, musical score, art direction and sound and won for editing, cinematography and best song, We May Never Love Like This Again. 

You've heard me say it before and you'll likely be hearing it again... the movies' number one job is to entertain and entertain this movie does.  It became the top money-maker of the year... sorry Godfather II, Chinatown, Blazing Saddles, The Longest Yard, The Great Gatsby, Death Wish and That's Entertainment.  You were hot, but not as hot as The Towering Inferno.  (Wink.)

It's always high camp to make fun of it... hell, even the stars did... the disaster movies always had detractors but most of these films gave the public exactly what it wanted.


Here's a peek:

Next posting:
One of the great movie cowboys