The adventures of oil well fire specialist Chance Buckman (based on real-life Red Adair), who extinguishes massive fires in oil fields around the world.
Practical Effects
Genuine burning oil wells—they literally set Texas on fire for this.
Acting
Katharine Ross somehow believable as Wayne's daughter despite 21-year gap.
Direction
McLaglen's competent mediocrity lets the fire do the heavy lifting.
Director
Andrew V. McLaglen
John Wayne
Chance Buckman
Katharine Ross
Tish Buckman
Jim Hutton
Greg Parker
Vera Miles
Madelyn Buckman
Jay C. Flippen
Jack Lomax
Bruce Cabot
Joe Horn
Edward Faulkner
George Harris
Edmund Hashim
Colonel Valdez
Barbara Stuart
Irene Foster
Valentin de Vargas
Amal Bokru
Frances Fong
Madame Loo
Alberto Morin
General Lopez
Laraine Stephens
Helen Meadows
John Alderson
Jim Hatch
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Red Adair himself consulted and reportedly hated how Wayne made him look emotionally constipated. The real Adair was apparently fun at parties.
This is peak 'Vietnam-era masculine cope' cinema—Wayne couldn't serve in WWII so he spent decades playing impossible patriots. The fire is a metaphor he definitely didn't intend.
US
