ActionDramaThriller

The Towering Inferno

- One tiny spark becomes a night of blazing suspense.

At the opening party of a colossal—but poorly constructed—skyscraper, a massive fire breaks out, threatening to destroy the tower and everyone in it.

Release Date : 1974-12-14

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Warner Bros. Pictures20th Century FoxIrwin Allen Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Chief O'Hallorhan

Original Name : Steve McQueen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doug Roberts

Original Name : Paul Newman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jim Duncan

Original Name : William Holden

Gender : Male

Character Name : Susan

Original Name : Faye Dunaway

Gender : Female

Character Name : Harlee Claiborne

Original Name : Fred Astaire

Gender : Male

Character Name : Patty

Original Name : Susan Blakely

Gender : Female

Character Name : Simmons

Original Name : Richard Chamberlain

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lisolette

Original Name : Jennifer Jones

Gender : Female

Character Name : Jernigan

Original Name : O. J. Simpson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Senator Parker

Original Name : Robert Vaughn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bigelow

Original Name : Robert Wagner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lorrie

Original Name : Susan Flannery

Gender : Female

Character Name : Paula Ramsay

Original Name : Sheila Allen

Gender : Female

Character Name : Giddings

Original Name : Norman Burton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mayor Ramsay

Original Name : Jack Collins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kappy

Original Name : Don Gordon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Scott

Original Name : Felton Perry

Gender : Male

Character Name : Carlos

Original Name : Gregory Sierra

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mark Powers

Original Name : Ernie F. Orsatti

Gender : Male

Character Name : Deputy Chief #1

Original Name : Dabney Coleman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lady in Buoy

Original Name : Elizabeth Rogers

Gender : Female

Character Name : Guest

Original Name : Ann Leicester

Gender : Female

Character Name : Flaker

Original Name : Norman Grabowski

Gender : Male

Character Name : Deputy Chief #2

Original Name : Ross Elliott

Gender : Male

Character Name : Johnson

Original Name : Olan Soule

Gender : Male

Character Name : Angela Allbright

Original Name : Carlena Gower

Gender : Female

Character Name : Phillip Allbright

Original Name : Mike Lookinland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Allbright

Original Name : Carol McEvoy

Gender : Female

Character Name : Young Fireman

Original Name : Scott Newman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tim

Original Name : Paul Comi

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chief Officer

Original Name : George D. Wallace

Gender : Male

Character Name : Technician

Original Name : Patrick Culliton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Leading Agent

Original Name : William Bassett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Callahan

Original Name : John Crawford

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wes

Original Name : Erik L. Nelson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Announcer

Original Name : Art Balinger

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pilot

Original Name : Norman Hicks

Gender : Male

Character Name : Co-Pilot

Original Name : Thomas Karnahan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Leoda Richards

Gender : Female

Character Name : Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : David Armstrong

Gender : Male

Character Name : Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Ruth Foster

Gender : Female

Character Name : Singer at Party (uncredited)

Original Name : Maureen McGovern

Gender : Female

Character Name : Fireman (uncredited)

Original Name : Steven Marlo

Gender : Male

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

Successful 70’s disaster flick isn’t anywhere near as entertaining as “The Poseidon Adventure” RELEASED IN 1974 and directed by John Guillermin, "The Towering Inferno" details events in San Francisco when the world's tallest building, The Glass Tower (138 stories), catches aflame due to an electrical short and threatens hundreds of lives during the grand dedication ceremony. Paul Newman plays the architect, Steve McQueen the fire chief, William Holden the wealthy contractor and Richard Chamberlain his arrogant cost-cutting son-in-law. This overblown disaster flick has a great all-star cast and was a huge success at the box office, but it pales in comparison to “The Poseidon Adventure,” released two years earlier. It lacks the compelling story, the great human interest and iconic score (even though John Williams composed both), plus it’s 48 minutes longer than “Poseidon,” which gives it a tedious vibe; that is, until the engrossing last half hour. On the female front there’s the striking Faye Dunaway, the architect’s babe; Susan Blakely, who looks great in tight slacks; and Susan Flannery, who’s smokin’ in a shirt & panties. Unfortunately, whereas “Poseidon” knocked it out of the ballpark with its women, “Towering” fails to capitalize on its resources. The film’s has its attractions and is still worth seeing if you favor the cast and 70’s disaster flicks. It’s just a letdown considering its streamlined predecessor and potential. THE MOVIE RUNS 2 hours, 45 minutes and was shot in San Francisco and Los Angeles. WRITERS: Stirling Silliphant wrote the script based on the books “The Tower” by Richard Martin Stern and “The Glass Inferno” by Thomas N. Scortia & Frank M. Robinson. ADDITIONAL CAST NOTABLES: Fred Astaire, Jennifer Jones, O.J. Simpson, Robert Vaughn, Robert Wagner and Mike Lookinland (aka Bobby Brady). GRADE: B-/C+

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

The crowning glory of a much maligned genre. A newly built state of the art high-rise is hosting a big society gathering when a fire starts up on the 81st floor... Warner Brothers & 20th Century Fox were both keen to cash in on the success of 1972s The Poseidon Adventure, Warner's buying the rights to The Tower, and Fox buying the rights to The Glass Inferno, both novels about burning skyscrapers and seemingly ripe for a big screen adaptation. Enter producer Irwin Allen who smartly suggested that both studios should come together and produce one blockbusting genre defining film. Splitting the cost down the middle, The Towering Inferno was born and went on to make over $100 million across the globe, a very impressive take for its time, and certainly a shot in the arm for disaster genre enthusiasts. The Towering Inferno is far from flawless, it contains some cheese sodden dialogue, and the film's running time doesn't quite do the film any favours. However, the film's strengths far outweigh the handful of negatives that are often used to beat it up with. The sets are fabulous (Academy Award Nominated) and all to perish in the fire, the cinematography from Fred J Koenekamp (Academy Award Winner) is lush and puts the fire in the eyes, while the score from John Williams (Academy Award Nominated) is suitably poignant and edgy. What about the action sequences? The set pieces? With many of the illustrious cast doing their own stunts! All impacting sharp on the ears thanks to the brilliant sound from Soderberg & Lewis (Academy Award Nominated), with the cast itself a reminder of a wonderful time when only the big names were considered for the big projects, McQueen, Newman, Holden, Astaire (Academy Award Nominated) & Dunaway rolling off the tongue like a who's who of entertainment heavyweights. Some say that The Towering Inferno finally killed off the ailing disaster genre, no it didn't, it crowned it, and all the others that followed were merely trailing in its wake. The Towering Inferno is a spectacular production that positively booms with high entertainment values, no expense is spared in the pursuit of entertaining the masses, it's thoughtful in texture and it teaches as it plays and it remains to me a wonderful archaic gem. 9/10