The Towering Inferno

Classic disaster movie. Steve McQueen and Paul Newman star as the fire chief and architect who are trying to douse the blaze in a new 325-storey skyscraper where many are trapped., Steve McQueen and Paul Newman star in Irwin Allen’s classic disaster movie as fire chief Mike O’Hallorhan and architect Doug Roberts, both trying to battle the blaze in Roberts’ 135-storey skyscraper, where the guests at a prestigious party are trapped on the top floor., The world’s tallest building starts to fall in this huge box office hit, nominated for Best Picture and starring Hollywood legends Steve McQueen and Paul Newman., Doug Roberts, Architect, returns from a long vacation to find work nearly completed on his skyscraper. But a fire breaks out in the building and the fire department must fight to save it., On the day of its grand opening, the world’s tallest building becomes victim to an electrical mishap and a subsequent huge fire on its upper floors, causing all of the city’s rescue teams to converge upon the scene and attempt to fight against what is a raging monster., Big-budget disaster thriller in which fire breaks out in a state-of-the-art San Francisco high-rise during opening ceremonies attended by a hoard of celebrities. An overworked fire chief and the building’s architect cooperate in the struggle to save lives, subdue panic and minimise property damage, while a corrupt, cost-cutting contractor tries to evade responsibility. Features impressive special effects., Steve McQueen and Paul Newman star in Irwin Allen’s classic disaster movie as the fire chief and architect trying to douse the blaze in Newman’s 325-storey skyscraper where the guests at a prestigious party (including Fred Astaire, William Holden, Richard Chamberlain, Jennifer Jones and Robert Vaughn) are trapped on the top floor. Edited for language and violence., Disaster movie starring Paul Newman as an architect that holds a party in the world’s largest skyscraper. When the building catches fire the party must work together to survive., During the opening party of a brand new skyscraper, a colossal, raging fire breaks out, threatening the lives of those inside. Firefighters risk their lives to combat the blaze and save as many people as they can., Classic 1970s disaster movie about a fire that breaks out in a state-of-the-art San Francisco high-rise building during the opening ceremony attended by a host of A-list guests. An overworked fire chief and the building’s architect must co-operate in the struggle to save lives and subdue panic while a corrupt, cost-cutting contractor tries to evade responsibility for the disaster., At the opening party of a collosal, but poorly constructed, office building, a massive fire breaks out that threatens to destroy the tower and everyone in it., A skyscraper and an all-star cast go up in flames in Irwin Allen’s classic disaster movie. To celebrate the construction of the Glass Tower, the world’s tallest building, architect Doug Roberts (Paul Newman) and builder James Duncan (William Holden) hold a gala bash on the highest floors. Trouble is, Duncan’s son-in-law and electrical subcontractor Roger Simmons (Richard Chamberlain) installed faulty wiring throughout the 138-story behemoth to save money. While the guests — including Doug’s lady friend (Faye Dunaway), a rich widow (Jennifer Jones), a con man (Fred Astaire), and a politico (Robert Vaughn) — enjoy the party, and a security guard (O.J. Simpson) wonders why his equipment is on the fritz, a burnt-out circuit breaker ignites some garbage on the 85th floor, swiftly turning the high-rise into, well, a towering inferno. With the guests trapped on the 135th floor, it’s up to Roberts and Fire Chief O’Hallorhan (Steve McQueen) to find a way to stop the blaze. Though not the first all-star ’70s disaster movie (1970’s Airport and 1972’s The Poseidon Adventure preceded it), The Towering Inferno was the most popular and the most spectacular. In a move that would become more common in late-’90s blockbuster Hollywood, The Towering Inferno’s mammoth production was mounted by two studios; screenwriter Stirling Silliphant combined the two novels owned by the studios into one saga. 1970s “shake ‘n bake” maestro Allen, with co-director John Guillermin (Allen did the action sequences), tapped into deep fears about the fragility of modern life in the face of extreme natural phenomena, as well as into the envies and insecurities of middle-aged professional men. The Towering Inferno packed theaters and earned eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture; it won for Cinematography, Editing, and Song. While its heroic, no-nonsense men provided some traditional comfort, The Towering Inferno still might provoke second thoughts about going into a skyscraper., The ultimate disaster movie, boasting an all-star cast, about a deadly fire which breaks out in a major skyscraper, spelling trouble for those partying on the upper floors., A 138-storey skyscraper catches fire, and those inside try to find their way out.