Fire Down Below (1957 film)

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Fire Down Below
Directed by Robert Parrish
Produced by Albert R. Broccoli
Written by Irwin Shaw
Starring Rita Hayworth
Jack Lemmon
Robert Mitchum
Music by Douglas Gamley
Distributed by Columbia Pictures Corporation
Release date(s) May 1, 1957
Running time 116 min.
Language English
IMDb profile

Fire Down Below is a 1957 drama film starring Rita Hayworth, Jack Lemmon and Robert Mitchum.

Contents

[edit] Sypnosis

Tony (Lemmon) and Felix (Mitchum) own a tramp boat and sail around the Caribbean doing odd jobs and drinking a lot. They agree to ferry the beautiful but mysterious Irena (Hayworth) to another island. They both fall in love with her, leading to betrayal and the breakup of their partnership.

Tony leaves and takes a job on a cargo ship. After a collision, he finds himself trapped below deck under debris with time running out; the ship is aflame and carrying a highly explosive cargo. Felix, whom Tony hates and has sworn to kill, loyally stays aboard with him. An explosion frees the injured Tony, and Felix carries him to safety.

[edit] Cast

  • Rita Hayworth as Irena. Hayworth returned to the screen in this film after an absence of four years. Reports stated that Hayworth was often scared to step in front of the cameras during shooting, but her nerves eased away nicely as she developed warm friendships with co-stars Lemmon and Mitchum, as well as with director Robert Parrish.
  • Jack Lemmon as Tony
  • Robert Mitchum as Felix. Inspired by the Caribbean location, Mitchum recorded a calypso album.
  • Herbert Lom as Harbor Master
  • Bernard Lee as Dr. Sam Blake
  • Peter Illing as Captain of the 'Ulysses'
  • Anthony Newley as Miguel
  • Eric Pohlmann as Hotel Owner

[edit] Production

  • Noteworthy for Hayworth's uninhibited dance in the "carnival" sequence, one of her last on film.
  • The film was shot on location in Tobago.

[edit] Quotes

Miguel: I'll talk to you. You're a reasonable man; your friend is a barbarian.
Felix: Tony, are you gonna sit there and hear your friend be called a barbarian?
Tony: Miguel, I forbid you to call this barbarian a barbarian.
Felix: [nods] You're a true friend.
[Tony has bought Irena a yellow blouse.]
Tony: I saw it and I thought it was very gay. Try it on. The lady in the shop said that it was bound to have a startling effect on a red head!
[Irena goes behind a screen and tries on the blouse.]
Irena: Tony? Have you seen Felix?
Tony: Once, in a bar. All he said was 'hello'. He's conducting a personal experiment to drink the whole bar within one week.
[Irena emerges from behind the screen with the blouse on.]
Tony: Startling!
Irena: Thank you!
Tony: You like it?
Irena: I like it very much. But still I wish that you had found something else. Do they sell garments that are guaranteed to make a woman invisible?
[Tony is leaving to work on a cargo ship for a few days.]
Irena: Let me come with you.
Tony: Are you serious? After all that trouble of getting you out of there.
Irena: I don't want to be left alone.
Tony: It's only six days. Three days in, three days out. It's nothing. Then I'll promise I'll never leave you alone again.
[He kisses her before leaving.]
[ending lines; Tony speaks to Irena, who is sitting at a table with Felix.]
Tony: I want to talk to you outside - alone.
[Irena stand up and looks at Tony. She then kisses Felix as Tony looks on.]
Irena: I'm ready now.
Tony: Sit down. We have nothing now to say to each other.
[He reaches into his pocket.]
Tony: Some days you win, some days you lose. Here, drinks are on me.
[He leaves some money on the table and walks away slowly, as the cast and crew credits scroll on screen.]

[edit] Soundtrack

  • Fire Down Below by Lester Lee and Ned Washington
  • All harmonica themes in this movie are composed and played by Jack Lemmon.
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