In this old-style action movie, John Wayne douses oilfield fires while trying to dampen the passion his daughter (Katharine Ross) feels for his young partner (Jim Hutton). Based on the exploits of firefighter Red Adair, the film's technical adviser, it would have suited Howard Hawks; sadly, Andrew V McLaglen's effort hardly sets the world alight with its perfunctory action and tacked-on romance. Vera Miles, who was Wayne's love interest in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, here plays his ex-wife, while buffs will spot the similarities between this and the 1998 asteroid epic, Armageddon.

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.