Movie producer Irwin Allen (“The Poseidon Adventure” 1972) gave us what is without a doubt one of the best of the 1970’s disaster film genre: “The Towering Inferno.” Irwin Allen Productions received funding from both Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox, making this movie the first joint venture by two major studios. Their efforts paid off big time at the box office with “The Towering Inferno” becoming the top grossing film of 1974.
Allen’s superior production values also benefited the picture at the Academy Awards. It was nominated for eight Oscars, winning three for Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Song (“We May Never Love Like This Again” by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn). The film was also nominated for Best Picture (Allen), Best Supporting Actor (Fred Astaire), and Best Original Dramatic Score (John Williams).
The all-star cast, playing out numerous storylines, includes Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Susan Blakely, Richard Chamberlain, O. J. Simpson, Robert Vaughn, Robert Wagner, Susan Flannery, Dabney Coleman, Mike Lookinland, Olan Soule, and Jennifer Jones in her final film appearance. Jones’ career began in 1939 with a role in the “Dick Tracy’s G-Men” movie serial.
Expert direction by John Guillermin (“The Bridge at Remagen” 1969) and a sterling screenplay by Stirling Silliphant helped to make “The Towering Inferno” a watchable film. It was based on two novels: “The Tower” (1973) by Richard Martin Stern and “The Glass Inferno” (1974) by Frank M. Robinson.
The Towering Inferno (1974)
cinema
My Review
Movie producer Irwin Allen (“The Poseidon Adventure” 1972) gave us what is without a doubt one of the best of the 1970’s disaster film genre: “The Towering Inferno.” Irwin Allen Productions received funding from both Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox, making this movie the first joint venture by two major studios. Their efforts paid off big time at the box office with “The Towering Inferno” becoming the top grossing film of 1974.
Allen’s superior production values also benefited the picture at the Academy Awards. It was nominated for eight Oscars, winning three for Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Song (“We May Never Love Like This Again” by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn). The film was also nominated for Best Picture (Allen), Best Supporting Actor (Fred Astaire), and Best Original Dramatic Score (John Williams).
The all-star cast, playing out numerous storylines, includes Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Susan Blakely, Richard Chamberlain, O. J. Simpson, Robert Vaughn, Robert Wagner, Susan Flannery, Dabney Coleman, Mike Lookinland, Olan Soule, and Jennifer Jones in her final film appearance. Jones’ career began in 1939 with a role in the “Dick Tracy’s G-Men” movie serial.
Expert direction by John Guillermin (“The Bridge at Remagen” 1969) and a sterling screenplay by Stirling Silliphant helped to make “The Towering Inferno” a watchable film. It was based on two novels: “The Tower” (1973) by Richard Martin Stern and “The Glass Inferno” (1974) by Frank M. Robinson.