Hellfighters ** (1968, John Wayne, Katharine Ross, Jim Hutton, Vera Miles, Bruce Cabot, Jay C Flippen) – Classic Movie Review 6731

Director Andrew V McLaglen’s indifferent 1969 movie Hellfighters stars John Wayne as ace oil rig fire fighter Chance Buckman, who fights oil fires instead of Indians, in this desperately routine, seemingly carelessly handled, macho adventure yarn based on the real life of Red Adair. Wayne just doesn’t seem as good away from the Western trail.

Poor Katharine Ross has the misfortune to have to handle the tepidly drawn love interest, as Chance’s daughter Tish Buckman, and unfortunately she light no fires at all. Jim Hutton is better as cocky but knowledgeable young oil fire fighter Greg Parker, who Chance has to reluctantly agree to becoming his son in law.

The special effects and the amiable cast (especially Jim Hutton, Vera Miles as Chance’s long-since ex-wife Madelyn Buckman, Bruce Cabot and Jay C Flippen) are minor compensations and, at the centre, an ageing Wayne gives a stalwart performance. At least the oil-fire-fighting details seem right and ring true in the screenplay by Clair Huffaker and Hellfighters is decently shot in Technicolor by William H Clothier.

Also in the cast are Edward Faulkner, Barbara Stuart, Edmund Hashim, Valentin de Vargas, Frances Fong, Alberto Morin, Alan Caillou, Laraine Stephens, John Alderson, Rudi Diaz, Bebe Louie, Chris Chandler, Howard Finch, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, Edward Colmans and Chuck Roberson.

Ross blamed any inadequacies on the film rather than her performance and called it ‘the biggest piece of crap I’ve ever done!’ but a more circumspect Miles added: ‘Well, it’s not the biggest piece of crap I’VE ever done!’

It runs 121 minutes and 112 minutes in the cut version.

Hellfighters is directed by Andrew V McLaglen, released by Universal, written by Clair Huffaker, shot by William H Clothier, produced by Robert Arthur, scored by Leonard Rosenman an designed by Alexander Golitzen and Frank Arrigo.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6731

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com