Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

The Towering Inferno

  • 19741974
  • PGPG
  • 2h 45m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
43K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,374
191
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Fred Astaire, William Holden, Paul Newman, Richard Chamberlain, Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway, O.J. Simpson, Robert Vaughn, Robert Wagner, Susan Blakely, and Jennifer Jones in The Towering Inferno (1974)
Home Video Trailer from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Play trailer2:12
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Action
  • Drama
  • Thriller
At the opening party of a colossal, but poorly constructed, office building, a massive fire breaks out that threatens to destroy the tower and everyone in it.At the opening party of a colossal, but poorly constructed, office building, a massive fire breaks out that threatens to destroy the tower and everyone in it.At the opening party of a colossal, but poorly constructed, office building, a massive fire breaks out that threatens to destroy the tower and everyone in it.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
43K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,374
191
  • Director
    • John Guillermin
  • Writers
    • Richard Martin Stern(novel "The Tower")
    • Thomas N. Scortia(novel "The Glass Inferno")
    • Frank M. Robinson(novel "The Glass Inferno")
  • Stars
    • Paul Newman
    • Steve McQueen
    • William Holden
Top credits
  • Director
    • John Guillermin
  • Writers
    • Richard Martin Stern(novel "The Tower")
    • Thomas N. Scortia(novel "The Glass Inferno")
    • Frank M. Robinson(novel "The Glass Inferno")
  • Stars
    • Paul Newman
    • Steve McQueen
    • William Holden
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 262User reviews
    • 92Critic reviews
    • 69Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 3 Oscars
      • 12 wins & 13 nominations total

    Videos1

    The Towering Inferno
    Trailer 2:12
    The Towering Inferno

    Photos133

    Fred Astaire in The Towering Inferno (1974)
    Fred Astaire in The Towering Inferno (1974)
    Irwin Allen in The Towering Inferno (1974)
    William Holden in The Towering Inferno (1974)
    Paul Newman and Steve McQueen in The Towering Inferno (1974)
    The Towering Inferno (1974)
    Paul Newman and Steve McQueen in The Towering Inferno (1974)
    Paul Newman and Steve McQueen in The Towering Inferno (1974)
    The Towering Inferno (1974)
    Paul Newman and Faye Dunaway in The Towering Inferno (1974)
    The Towering Inferno (1974)
    Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, and Faye Dunaway in The Towering Inferno (1974)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Paul Newman
    Paul Newman
    • Doug Robertsas Doug Roberts
    Steve McQueen
    Steve McQueen
    • Chief O'Halloranas Chief O'Halloran
    William Holden
    William Holden
    • Jim Duncanas Jim Duncan
    Faye Dunaway
    Faye Dunaway
    • Susanas Susan
    Fred Astaire
    Fred Astaire
    • Harlee Claiborneas Harlee Claiborne
    Susan Blakely
    Susan Blakely
    • Pattyas Patty
    Richard Chamberlain
    Richard Chamberlain
    • Simmonsas Simmons
    Jennifer Jones
    Jennifer Jones
    • Lisoletteas Lisolette
    O.J. Simpson
    O.J. Simpson
    • Jerniganas Jernigan
    Robert Vaughn
    Robert Vaughn
    • Senator Parkeras Senator Parker
    Robert Wagner
    Robert Wagner
    • Dan Bigelowas Dan Bigelow
    Susan Flannery
    Susan Flannery
    • Lorrieas Lorrie
    Sheila Allen
    Sheila Allen
    • Paula Ramsayas Paula Ramsay
    • (as Sheila Mathews)
    Norman Burton
    Norman Burton
    • Giddingsas Giddings
    • (as Normann Burton)
    Jack Collins
    Jack Collins
    • Mayor Ramsayas Mayor Ramsay
    Don Gordon
    Don Gordon
    • Kappyas Kappy
    Felton Perry
    Felton Perry
    • Scottas Scott
    Gregory Sierra
    Gregory Sierra
    • Carlosas Carlos
    • Director
      • John Guillermin
    • Writers
      • Richard Martin Stern(novel "The Tower")
      • Thomas N. Scortia(novel "The Glass Inferno")
      • Frank M. Robinson(novel "The Glass Inferno")
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    More like this

    The Poseidon Adventure
    7.1
    The Poseidon Adventure
    Earthquake
    5.9
    Earthquake
    Bullitt
    7.4
    Bullitt
    Airport
    6.6
    Airport
    Papillon
    8.0
    Papillon
    The Sand Pebbles
    7.6
    The Sand Pebbles
    The Getaway
    7.4
    The Getaway
    Airport 1975
    5.7
    Airport 1975
    The Thomas Crown Affair
    6.9
    The Thomas Crown Affair
    The Cincinnati Kid
    7.2
    The Cincinnati Kid
    An Enemy of the People
    6.9
    An Enemy of the People
    Airport '77
    5.7
    Airport '77

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Both novels were inspired by the construction of the World Trade Center in the early-1970s, and what could happen in a fire in a skyscraper. In Richard Martin Stern's novel "The Tower", the fictional 125-story building was set next to the north tower of the World Trade Center. The climax of the novel was centered around a rescue mounted from the north tower.
    • Goofs
      When O'Halloran is first setting up the forward command on 79 he asks Jernigan for a list of business tenants on 81 or above. Yet, according to the man showing an apartment to a couple near the beginning of the movie, the commercial tenants only go up as far as 80. From 81 up it's all residential.
    • Quotes

      Doug Roberts: I don't know. Maybe they just oughta leave it the way it is. Kind of a shrine to all the bullshit in the world.

    • Crazy credits
      The 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. Pictures logos don't appear in the beginning.
    • Alternate versions
      The film was re-dubbed in 2003 for the German DVD release. All subsequent releases on DVD and Blu-ray feature this new dubbing, many TV airings as well.
    • Connections
      Edited into The Green Fog (2017)
    • Soundtracks
      We May Never Love Like This Again
      performed by Maureen McGovern
      Words and Music by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn

    User reviews262

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Great disaster movie!
    Steve McQueen and Paul Newman are in a movie together, and it's not a racecar movie? Well, in the 1970s, it was a big fad to make big-budget disaster movies with a large cast. The Poseidon Adventure, Earthquake, and the Airport movies make up a classic niche genre, in which The Towering Inferno garners a top spot.

    This one deals with a burning building, a skyscraper to be exact. Hence, the "towering" inferno. Countless characters are introduced to the audience, given reasons to become attached, and then placed in dire peril. Who will make it out alive? This film's all-star cast includes Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Fred Astaire, Richard Chamberlain, Jennifer Jones, Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Susan Blakely, O.J. Simpson, Robert Vaughn, and Robert Wagner. Fred Astaire received his only Oscar nomination for this movie, which is the only reason why I watched it. I tend to scare easily, so disaster movies aren't my genre of choice. If you like them, this one is really good. Lots of tension, great special effects (for 1974), heart wrenching drama, and excitement up until the very end!
    helpful•10
    1
    • HotToastyRag
    • Jul 10, 2017

    FAQ1

    • Lisolette Mueller remembers while fleeing the fire that she has left her cat in her apartment. What happened to it?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 14, 1974 (Canada)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Flammendes Inferno
    • Filming locations
      • 2898 Vallejo Street, Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Twentieth Century Fox
      • Warner Bros.
      • Irwin Allen Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $14,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $116,000,000
    • Gross worldwide
      • $116,000,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 45 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Fred Astaire, William Holden, Paul Newman, Richard Chamberlain, Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway, O.J. Simpson, Robert Vaughn, Robert Wagner, Susan Blakely, and Jennifer Jones in The Towering Inferno (1974)
    Top Gap
    What is the Hindi language plot outline for The Towering Inferno (1974)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    2022 TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.