Hellfighters (1968)

The story of macho oil well firefighters and their wives.

Director:

Andrew V. McLaglen

Writer:

Clair Huffaker (screenplay)

Stars:

John Wayne, Katharine Ross, Jim Hutton

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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
Barbara Stuart	...	Irene Foster
Edmund Hashim	...	Colonel Valdez
Valentin de Vargas	...	Amal Bokru (as Valentin De Vargas)
Frances Fong	...	Madame Loo
Alberto Morin	...	General Lopez
Alan Caillou	...	Harry York
Laraine Stephens	...	Helen Meadows
John Alderson	...	Jim Hatch

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

oil | oil well | fire | firefighter | airport | 

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Taglines:

The Toughest Hellfighter Of All! [Australia Theatrical]

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

27 November 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

A pokol tornáca

Filming Locations:

Conroe, Texas, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min 112 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) 70 mm 6-Track (Australia)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Wayne, Bruce Cabot and Jim Hutton also all starred together in The Green Berets

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Goofs

A rear view of the cockpit shows the doorway to be clear while a view from inside the cockpit shows a curtain over the doorway.

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Quotes

Chance Buckman: Exactly WHAT did you tell her about Madame Loo?
Greg Parker: Only that she's 80 years old, weighs 300 pounds and is one of your oldest friends.

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Crazy Credits

The cast list in the opening titles lists six actors not found in the closing credits, but not Louie, Bebe, who is found in the end list.

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Connections

Featured in The Sopranos: Walk Like a Man (2007)

User Reviews

Not the original Armageddon. So far above it!

I read the review of this movie and was astounded to find someone felt this was the original Armageddon movie. While there is one similarity, in that they both involved the so named "Hell Fighters", the other movie is a cheap knock off of some idea to put these guys in space.

This movie was so far above the Bruce Willis movie. If you are able to watch this movie and not feel the heat of the job you are not watching close enough. John Wayne and fact the whole cast play this movie with such a realistic feel you can't help but get into. No cut on Mr. Willis, but that was such a fluffy, far-fetched movie, you could not really believe it for a moment.

Watch this movie if you want to see the lives of people who truly live on the edge of danger.