Firefighter movies worth watching again
Firefighters are a common theme in Hollywood movies. The bravery, selflessness of the entire profession is apply depicted in a heroic manner and every so often a true event of heroism is portrayed in large number of them.
One particular movie about true event is Only the brave. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, Only the brave is based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a group of elite firefighters risk everything to protect a town from a historic wildfire.
Starring Josh Brolin, Taylor Kitsch, Miles Teller, Jeff Bridges and Jennifer Connelly, the movie is apparently an early Oscar contender and is currently enjoying a 95% Fresh mark on Rotten Tomatoes.
But what other firefighter movies are worth watching besides Only the brave?
Here some of my picks.
The Towering Inferno (1974)
Director: John Guillermin
Stars: Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, William Holden…
Fun fact about the movie: Steve McQueen was married to Ali MacGraw at the time. Right before filming the dangerous and climactic scene in the Promenade Room, he told everyone, “If anything happens to me, Ali gets my pickup truck.”
Backdraft (1991)
Director: Ron Howard
Stars: Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, Robert De Niro…
Fun fact about the movie: Robert De Niro’s character, Don Rimgale, is a real arson investigator with the Chicago Fire Department’s Office of Fire Investigation. Don Rimgale also appears in the movie.
Ladder 49 (2004)
Director: Jay Russell
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, John Travolta, Jacinda Barrett…
Fun fact about the movie: Joaquin Phoenix was so afraid of heights before shooting this film that he could not even slide down the 20-foot fire pole. After he finished training he hung off the side of a 20-story building by a single repelling rope.
Hellfighters (1968)
Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
Stars: John Wayne, Katharine Ross, Jim Hutton…
Fun fact about the movie: Katharine Ross and John Wayne had many arguments over his very vocal support for the Vietnam War.
Fireproof (2008)
Director: Alex Kendrick
Stars: Kirk Cameron, Erin Bethea, Ken Bevel…
Fun fact about the movie: Instead of a fee for starring in the film, Kirk Cameron accepted a donation to his charity, Camp Firefly.
