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Playing with Fire

  • TV Movie
  • 19851985
  • TV-PGTV-PG
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
65
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • IMDbPro
Cicely Tyson and Gary Coleman in Playing with Fire (1985)
  • Crime
  • Drama
Unintentionally hilarious made-for-TV film starring a not-so-young Gary Coleman as a teenage arsonist. The authorities, friends, and neighbors warn his absentee parents until it is too late.Unintentionally hilarious made-for-TV film starring a not-so-young Gary Coleman as a teenage arsonist. The authorities, friends, and neighbors warn his absentee parents until it is too late.Unintentionally hilarious made-for-TV film starring a not-so-young Gary Coleman as a teenage arsonist. The authorities, friends, and neighbors warn his absentee parents until it is too late.
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
65
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Ivan Nagy
  • Writer
    • Lew Hunter
  • Stars
    • Gary Coleman
    • Cicely Tyson
    • Ron O'Neal
Top credits
  • Director
    • Ivan Nagy
  • Writer
    • Lew Hunter
  • Stars
    • Gary Coleman
    • Cicely Tyson
    • Ron O'Neal
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 4User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Gary Coleman in Playing with Fire (1985)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Gary Coleman
    Gary Coleman
    • David Phillipsas David Phillips
    Cicely Tyson
    Cicely Tyson
    • Carol Phillipsas Carol Phillips
    Ron O'Neal
    Ron O'Neal
    • Steve Phillipsas Steve Phillips
    Yaphet Kotto
    Yaphet Kotto
    • Fire Chief Walkeras Fire Chief Walker
    Tammy Lauren
    Tammy Lauren
    • Pamela Fredericksas Pamela Fredericks
    Tom Fridley
    Tom Fridley
    • Mike Harrisas Mike Harris
    Salome Jens
    Salome Jens
    • Dr. Beckeras Dr. Becker
    Richard McKenzie
    Richard McKenzie
    • Principal Sweeneyas Principal Sweeney
    Arthur Burghardt
    Arthur Burghardt
    • Harryas Harry
    Jacque Lynn Colton
    • Miss Somerhalteras Miss Somerhalter
    Rance Howard
    Rance Howard
    • Fireman Goodwinas Fireman Goodwin
    Ron Jackson
    Ron Jackson
    • Fireman Wilsonas Fireman Wilson
    Cherie Johnson
    Cherie Johnson
    • Eileen Phillipsas Eileen Phillips
    Wesley Pfenning
    • Mrs. Williamsas Mrs. Williams
    Brad Savage
    Brad Savage
    • Paulas Paul
    Erica Zeitlin
    • Judyas Judy
    Jimmy Keegan
    • Jodyas Jody
    Jonathan 'Fudge' Leonard
    • Hank Phillipsas Hank Phillips
    • Director
      • Ivan Nagy
    • Writer
      • Lew Hunter
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Unintentionally hilarious made-for-TV film starring a not-so-young Gary Coleman as a teenage arsonist. The authorities, friends, and neighbors warn his absentee parents until it is too late. —Doug Mosurak <marumaru@andrew.cmu.edu>
    • arsonist
    • teenage boy
    • mother son relationship
    • marital problem
    • husband wife relationship
    • 6 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • All he wanted was a little love.
    • Genres
      • Crime
      • Drama
    • Certificate
      • TV-PG
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    User reviews4

    Review
    Top review
    Gary Coleman?
    People have said that this film is unintentionally hilarious and preachy, just another "disease of the week" tv film this one with Gary Coleman as a teenage arsonist. There is nothing funny about pyromania. A few years ago, Malcom X's widow Betty Shabazz was burned to death in an apartment fire that her young grandson set. Its just that Gary Coleman was such a sucky actor! I wish there was a nice way to say this but there is not. I am sorry about the terrible health problems that he has had to live with all his life. (His kidney condition and treatments stunted his growth). Its just a little bit of him goes a very long way. I admit I liked to watch Diffrent Strokes as a kid, but what is that the poet says, "As a man I put away childish things". What I remember about this film is how stupid Coleman's parents were they didn't even realize what an evil little s#$t he was! Its like he could have burned the house down and they wouldn't have said boo. Cicley Tyson and Yaphet Kotto as a fire chief who tries to help Coleman give able support and Coleman makes a nice PSA at the end about arson, but this film is really unintentionally funny in a lot of ways. I remember when it was first shown on NBC, they had one of those "parental discretion advised" warnings at the beginning and I couldn't understand why after seeing it.
    helpful•3
    5
    • dtucker86
    • Jan 3, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 14, 1985 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • En jouant avec feu
    • Production company
      • New World Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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