This film get’s damned with faint praise on IMDB… made
for US TV and a budget second tier feature made by Lew Grade’s ITC etc, but I
tell you one thing, there are some splendid building fires on display. At the
start the film credits the fire authorities of Buckinghamshire, Glamorgan, Glasgow,
and Liverpool which made me sit up and wonder how many fine Victorian docks
were sacrificed to provide the scenes of these fires? You can pick on a script
that delivers only gentle tension and pacey if predictable direction from
Avengers’ alumnus Sidney Hayers, but the infernos are all too real and whilst
the buildings were no doubt scheduled for demolition… this was part of a period
in which so many architectural treasures were lost.
Even Reel Streets is stumped on the locations used
for the fires, acknowledging the above references and asking for more
information… so if anyone knows? Other than the flames, the film is firmly set
in London and the surrounding area nearer to Pinewood with Slough and Brentford
prominent according to the site as well as numerous locations in London. As
usual it is always fascinating to see the capital from so long ago and The
Fire Chasers gives good locations.
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A warehouse burning in an unknown location
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The story features a firebug being investigated by an
attractive woman journalist Toby Collins played by the demure Anjanette Comer,
and American actress with a lengthy IMDB entry mainly involving US TV work
although she did star in the Terry Southern scripted film adaptation of Evelyn
Waugh’s The Loved Ones (1965) and with Tony Curtis in the 1975 crime
caper, Lepke. She’s an intelligent performer and brings a good deal of charm
and wit to the role, filling in the gaps in Philip Levene’s script.
She’s assisted by fearless photographer Jim Maxwell (Keith
Barron, who adds so much with his ability to add intensity to humour) who is
obsessed with catching the events as they happen and is as relentlessly “snappy”
as any Millennial with a decent smart phone, capturing anything that moves,
including Tony who he photographs up a ladder – an “upskirt” he justifies in
terms of it being an unique moment…
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| Anjanette Comer |
The two come up against snazzy insurance investigator Quentin
Barnaby portrayed by another well-travelled American Chad Everett whose career
stretched for fifty years including Mulholland Drive and pretty much every TV
detective series. He makes for a good leading man and has good chemistry with
Lois… sorry, Tony as their initial distrust turns to determined teamwork as
they try to second guess the twisted firestarter.
The arsonist has the odd M.O. of using a household electrical
device to start fires in their absence and he – or she – always returns to the
scene of the fire the next day to retrieve the evidence although why this is
necessary let alone even possible is never quite explained. At least it’s a “McGuffin” that allows for some tense
moments and provides the opportunity to capture the mad mischief maker… but
whoever it is, they are always one step ahead of Quentin and Toby although they
and Jim get there in time to spot the highlights and the newspaper benefits
even as Quentin’s company has to keep on paying out.
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Excellent stunt work too!
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At one fire the night watchman is knocked out by the
firebug and Jim, followed by Quentin, rush into the flames to try and rescue
the man. Again, these flaming moments are well captured with the actors running
through flames that appear all too threatening. Jim and Quentin get trapped on
the roof but are able to leap to safety into the water below.
There’s a London taxicab painted in flower power colours which
seems to be at every fire and Quentin’s chief researcher Valerie Chrane (Joanne
Dainton) manages to follow it to a houseboat in Hammersmith, she calls her boss
and they find a painter, Roscoe (the legend that is Roy Kinnear, you know, Rory’s
dad!) who specialises in painting fiery conflagrations… It can’t be that simple,
can it?
Dusty Verdict: The Fire Chasers is
entertaining if undemanding entertainment but is well made from the direction
to cinematography and music from the great Laurie Johnson who sound-tracked
many an ITC show including
The Avengers, World in Action, Whicker’s World and
the junior Avengers,
The Freewheelers as seen recently on Talking Pictures TV.
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No one does shifty quite as well as Roy!
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There’s also some great supporting work from Rupert
Davies, authoritative as Tony’s long-suffering editor and Joanne Dainton as
Valerie Chrane whilst we get to see Allan Cuthbertson as a Fire Officer. There’s
also the rare sight of early film star John Loder who started his career in
silent film and was in Anthony Asquith’s classic The First Born (1928),
in what was his last film.
Sadly, whilst the film has been on DVD, it’s currently
hard to find until Network issue a re-release. Here’s hoping, it’s fun!
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John Loder
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Car could be a clue...
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Collectors of classic toys weep...
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Lotus One: a Super Seven
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| Lotus Two: an Elan |
