There’s no mystery. There just seems to be.
We are taking on the wonderfully bad movie Hellfighters (1968). This is another macho John Wayne film where he has an estranged wife, proving that no woman could put up with that much macho BS. But it’s a heck of a lot of fun as the over-aged, over-weight crew is gathered for another adventure.
This movie is rated 6.6 on iMDB.com, [1] which is pretty low and just about right for the artistic merit and quality of acting. Did I mention it’s fun? On rottentomatoes.com this film is at 14 percent on the Tomatometer and 75 percent audience approval, which backs up what I said earlier. The great film critic Roger Ebert said “…is a slow moving, talkative, badly plotted bore.” and “Most of the action consists of everybody standing around telling the women they don’t belong in a place like this. My theory is you should either leave women out of action pictures or give them something to do.[2]” Ouch!
Katharine Ross was asked about the film and said, “It’s the biggest piece of crap I’ve ever done!” Vera Miles was then asked to respond to Ross’ comment. After a pause, she said, “Well, it’s not the biggest piece of crap I’ve ever done!”[3]
This film was directed by Andrew McLaglen, the same guy that directed The Green Berets (1968). So, take what you want from that. Red Adair, the famous oil well firefighter, served as a technical advisor for the film. Adair had been fighting oil fires since he left an Army bomb disposal unit during World War II[4].
So, let’s jump on into the team of actors.
Actors – Hellfighters (1968)
Returning
John Wayne played macho firefighter Chance Buckman. You see what they did there, taking a chance. The Duke was first covered in the western Chisum (1970).
Jim Hutton played Greg Parker the young heir apparent of the Buckman empire. Hutton was covered in the John Wayne adventure The Green Berets (1968).
Vera Miles played Madelyn Buckman, but as said by Ebert, she didn’t have much to do in this film. She was first covered in the great western The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence (1962).
Jay C. Flippen, now confined to a wheelchair, played the role of Jack Lomax, a man yearning for earlier times. He was one of the bad guys in Cat Ballou (1965).
Bruce Cabot huffed and puffed along as Joe Horn one of the firefighters. Cabot was covered in King Kong (1933) when he was an A-list actor.
Edward Faulkner played George Harris, another Buckman employee, and helicopter pilot. He is another The Green Berets (1968) veteran.
Valentin de Vargas played Amal Bokru, an oilman from Malaysia. It was odd to not see him playing a criminal or juvenile delinquent. He was first covered in the Blackboard Jungle (1955).
New
Katharine Ross played the role of Tish Buckman, daughter of Chance and Madelyn Buckman and eventually wife to Greg Parker. Ross was born in Hollywood in 1940. You can’t get much closer than that. Her father was in the Navy, so, the family moved around a lot but finally settled near San Francisco. Ross graduated high school in 1957 and attended Diablo Valley College where she began acting.
Ross began studying at the Actor’s Workshop and seeking roles. She got work right away in television, but her first big role came with Patrick Wayne and Jimmy Stewart in the Civil War tragedy Shenandoah (1965). In 1967, she was in a kinky movie with James Caan, Games (1967) and The Graduate (1967) with Dustin Hoffman, which doesn’t have a happy ending. Next, she was in Hellfighters (1968) with John Wayne, and had a major role in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) with Robert Redford and Paul Newman. Ross received rave reviews for Tell Them Willie Boy is Here (1969).
Then roles kind of dried up. Her next quality film would be The Stepford Wives (1975), where women are forced to conform. Then it was mostly television. She continued to work at least through 2001 and now lives with her 5th husband, Sam Elliot.
Barbara Stuart was Irene Foster. Stuart was born in 1930 in Illinois. After high school, Stuart attended Schuster-Martin School of Drama in Ohio. She then moved to New York where she modeled and studied under Stella Adler. She got a job in Zero Mostel’s traveling show, which must have been a masterclass in comedy. She was primarily a television actress and worked in that medium for over 50 years. She is probably best known for “Gomer Pyle: USMC” 1964-1969 where she played Bunny.
Her first movie was a Cold War drama, I Led 3 Lives (1953). Other films include The Deep Six (1958), Marines, Let’s Go (1961), Hellfighters (1968), Dreamer (1979), Airplane! (1980), Bachelor Party (1984), the must-see Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills (1997), and A Family Affair (2001). Stuart died in 2011.
Story – Hellfighters (1968)
Men are drilling on an oil derrick at night. They hear a rumbling in the ground and one-man yells that it’s coming in wild. They are working hard to cap the flow when a man bumps an exposed lightbulb with his hard hat. The whole rig explodes with fire and at least four men are burning.
The credits roll over the burning rig.
The scene switches to a helicopter landing on the roof of the Buckman Company in Huston, Texas. George Harris (Edward Faulkner) leaves the aircraft. Inside the office, highly efficient secretary Irene Foster (Barbara Stuart) is having Chance Buckman’s airplane to diverted it back to Huston. Harris says Happy New Year.
A group of well-dressed people are on a mid-sized jet celebrating and gambling. Chance Buckman (John Wayne) is playing cards with Jack Lomax (Jay C. Flippen) when he gets the call to come back. Lomax is in a wheelchair, and they say later he broke his back in an oil fire accident. In reality, he had his leg amputated around the end of filming for Cat Ballou (1965).
On a farm, Joe Horn (Bruce Cabot) gets a call on his truck phone. This means nothing now, but it was a big deal them.
Some Latina switchboard operators take a call that is looking for Greg Parker (Jim Hutton), but he is out. Irene goes through a number of names until she finds the girl Greg is with. He gets the message and heads for Huston. He also invites the woman along, but she refuses.
The well is burning when Buckman and crew arrive. Horn is operating a boom to remove metal. The other men are behind aluminum siding screens on water truck and tractors with the same siding. A truck with explosives arrives as does the helicopter carrying Greg and George. Greg has found another woman on the plane and has brought her along. Man-whore! Greg plays the danger up to the woman, who is transfixed by the fire.
They begin ripping the rig apart with Buckman always working in the front. Some explanation is given via an oilman talking to a reporter. Chance and Greg go into the fire to cut the pipe off the control-head. This makes one single column of fire. Buckman’s people have to work on getting the new wellhead ready. Greg goes to the trailer and the woman follows along.
Chance and Joe pack the nitro in an asbestos coated barrel. The new control-head comes in, and under Buckman’s guidance, Greg drives the tractor with the explosives into position. When everything is ready, they all run back and set off the explosion. It works, and the fire goes out. The oil is spewing straight up, so Joe backs another tractor with the control-head over the well. Buckman and Greg work in the spewing oil and bolt the control-head in place. They then turn the valve and stop the oil.
The overzealous reporter runs to ask Chance a question and Chance is crushed by a tractor. They load Chance into an ambulance as he holds his chest. Greg punches the reporter before going to the hospital. The crew begins to show up at the hospital, and Chance has a punctured lung. Joe tells Lomax that Greg called Madelyn and Tish. The men are shocked that Chance’s estranged wife and daughter are coming. Greg has flown to pick up Tish (Katharine Ross).
The lovely Tish is waiting with doe eyes when Greg arrives on the company plane. Greg has to convince her to come see the father that did not ask for her. Greg talks to Tish on the plane and she is a mess of emotions. Greg defenses Chance for leaving his family. After Greg and Tish argue, Greg apologizes.
Tish and Greg arrive at the hospital and are greeted by Lomax who has always been in contact with Tish without her knowing that he worked with her father. Tish goes to see her father, who is out cold.
Tish goes to her father’s place to stay. The housekeeper Hernando (Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez) takes the bags. Tish, Greg, and Lomax decide to have a drink. Lomax tells how Chance met Tish’s mother. Madelyn was terrified by the fires and Lomax knew it. Shortly after Tish was born, Lomax had his accident. After that Madelyn couldn’t stand Chance going to the fires. Lomax said they reconciled 5 or 6 times. Tish says Madelyn is in love with Chance and Lomax says Chance loves her as well. Lomax says Chance has been following Tish as she grew-up.
Tish shows up at the Buckman Company and meets Irene. The guys are in the back, shooting pool and putting. Tish says the doctor is going to keep Chance sedated. Greg gives Tish a tour of her father’s office and all his exploits.
Irene gets a call, and there is a fire in Louisiana. Greg and Joe are going to handle the fire without Chance. Tish says she will go along. Everyone tells her no. They let her take the jet to New Orleans, allegedly to see a friend. The guys take the helicopter to the fire.
Tish greets her friend in New Orleans and then runs to get a rental car so she can go to the fire. She is escorted to the fire by a police motorcycle. She leaves the fire and heads to the hotel where Greg and Joe are waiting. Despite what they want, she says she will stay. Greg and Tish seem to be hit by the lightning bolts of love.
That night, explosions wake Tish. The oil fire can be seen in the distance. She drives out to the fire. Greg is upset that she is there in her PJs. Greg said they missed on the first try and will need to try again.
Chance wakes up in the hospital, and he and Lomax have hot words. Chance cools when he is told that Tish is outside. It is an awkward meeting. When Chance finds out, she went to an oil fire with Greg, the man-whore, Chance opens the door and punches Greg in the face. From the floor, Greg says they were married the day before. Tish tells her father that she can handle the fires. Chance is happy. Chance leaves the hospital.
Chance has been leaving messages for Lomax. Chance is upset that Madelyn is flying in from Paris. Lomax has set up a dinner for the two couples. Both of the men are nervous. Madelyn (Vera Miles) is very stiff. Madelyn gigs Greg a little.
Madelyn says her daughter will not be able to take Greg going to fires. She is still wearing her wedding ring. Chance starts to charm his wife. After dinner, they drive out to a house that Tish wants to buy. The car phone rings, and it is Irene calling. The signal is garbled, so they have to go to Chance’s and get the message that the fire is in Canada. Chance wants to take George along and leave Greg off the job. Tish says that Canada is the perfect place for a honeymoon. Chance asks Madelyn if she will stay and she says she will if he asks. Then she says, please don’t ask. Wait, what?
Tish looks at the men working on the Canadian fire, and she feels the pressure. Chance and Greg are working in the fire while George and Joe are in the tractors. The control-head starts rocking, and Chance kicks Greg out of the way. The tractor operators move the gear, and the fire sparks back up. Chance is trying to give Greg easier jobs, but he is resisting. When the nitro comes, Greg asks Tish to get way back. She is pushed out by her husband, and Chance is not sure she should be there either.
On the flight back, Greg has an issue with Chance trying to take care of his son-in-law. They have a nice blowout. When they get home, Lomax says Madelyn thinks Tish is put on an act about not being afraid Greg or her father will get hurt. Just then another fire call comes in from Irene. The fire is a poison well fire in Malaya, which we know as Malaysia. Joe asks if Irene is going.
Greg is pulled off the golf course where he is playing with Tish and Madelyn. Tish hits a worm burner into the sand trap, and her mother knows the truth. She doesn’t rake the sand after she hits out. Bad form.
Chance, Greg, Tish, Joe, George, and Irene travel to Malaysia. They are met by Amal Bokru (Valentin de Vargas). Amal says they are gathering the equipment and seven men are already dead. Tish opts out after dinner, and the men are all going to Madam Loo’s to gamble. Chance says the jungle location is too rough for Tish and she must stay in town.
Madam Loo (Frances Fong) makes a big production about loving Chance, but it is most likely the money. A Balinese dancer named Gumdrop (Bebe Louie) runs off the stage when she sees Greg. Chance is shocked, but when Greg tells Gumdrop he is married now, she goes back to dancing.
They meet the drunken Australian crew that is working the well. Chance tells them they shouldn’t be drinking so heavily before work. They have words, and a real donnybrook breaks out. The Americans win the fight because they are fatter and older. Chance will pay for the damage, and everybody is happy.
The poison fire is burning by a lake. They have a zone near the well where the workers must wear gas masks. Chance meets the local crew and says the nitro can’t come in over the road. They decide to have it flown in.
They begin working, and the helicopter comes in with the nitro. Tish is also on the helicopter. Chance and Greg are not happy. She says she is responsible for getting the nitro flown out. Just then a jeep careens into the lake. The head Australian driller is dead, and the safety zone has to be moved back. Tish says she was going back, but since Greg has not told her the truth about the poison, she is staying.
They spend the few workdays pulling wreckage off the well. One day, some metal falls and traps Greg in the lake. Chance has to run in to hook on and save his son-in-law. Greg is running out of oxygen because his hose is cut. Chance almost buys it getting him out as Tish watches in horror from a distance. The local doctor gives Greg oxygen, and he is fine.
Back in Texas, Chance is now a suited businessman. Greg is using a cane. He tells Greg he is going to dissolve the company and said he is joining Lomax Oil. He wants Greg to come with him. Tish won’t tell Chance how she really feels. Chance gives Greg the company for free. Joe and the guys will stay with Greg to keep him safe.
Greg begins fighting fires, and Tish goes along. Chance is in a boardroom meeting with Lomax. Lipman (Big John Hamilton) John Wayne’s restaurant friend, discusses restroom colors. Soft Willow Green is preferred by all ages. Greg does turn down some fires that are too tough.
Chance goes to his apartment, and Madelyn is waiting inside. Madelyn has sent Greg and Tish away so Chance, and she can be alone.
Greg, Tish, Joe, and George are in Venezuela at a fire. Madelyn calls Tish to let her know that her parents are getting married. Guerilla’s, not gorillas have been shooting the water lines. The army has sent a colonel and his men in to protect them. Right on cue a guerilla jeep rides through and shoots the place up. The guerillas set some more wells on fire.
The next day a general comes with the countries Secretary of the Interior and a US State Department man. They explain that the wells must be put out to keep the Marxist revolution from spreading. Greg says the end wells can be put out. But the three in the middle will have to be put out simultaneously. Three more companies of infantry are brought in. Greg convinces Tish to go to the city. She flies back to Huston to see her mother. Tish tells Madelyn that Greg needs help from Chance. Madelyn knows Chance will go, and she will not try to stop him. Madelyn says she will ask Chance to help. Unknown to the ladies, the State Department has already contacted Chance as has Greg.
When Madelyn gets back Chance is already making plans to go to the fires. Chance asks her what this means to their relationship. Madelyn doesn’t know the answer, but she said she will be going to where Tish is staying.
Chance arrives in Venezuela with the support of the US Air Force. He is smiling and happy. Greg apologizes for what the fire is doing for his relationship with Madelyn. The Colonel promises to protect them. Chance says the nitro will have to go into the three center wells at the same time.
Tish is freaking out, and Madelyn is being stoic. Madelyn says Lomax is a friend of the President and he can get the two ladies into the fire area.
The team practices while the locals unload the nitro. Chance gets them double-double time for the work. Some guerilla snipers are on the hill, but they are scared off by an Army helicopter patrol.
In the morning, they use nitro to blow the two end wells. The guerillas are still hiding on the hill. It works, and they have two of five fires out. They then start putting the control-heads on. The guerillas kill a guard and start shooting Chance and company. One of the fires is reset. Chance rides out on the control-head. George is shot in the leg. The Colonel guns the two guerillas down from a helicopter.
After they cap the one well, Chance, Greg, and Joe go to see the Colonel. They are expecting more trouble from the guerillas. Greg orders the extra nitro buried. The Colonel has more infantry brought in.
The general, Madelyn, Tish, and Lomax arrive by helicopter. Madelyn is all in with staying at the fire. Chance and Madelyn are left alone. She is on board now. Greg says Tish is going back, but Chance says Madelyn is staying.
Chance shows the plan to Lomax, and he says it is almost impossible. Lomax says they should walk away from this fire. Chance asks Lomax if he wants to push the plunger. The old man’s eyes light up, and he says he would like that very much.
As they are moving in on the three wells, the Army gets word that there is danger and takes Tish and Madelyn inside. It blows, and all five wells are out. They begin putting the control-heads on the last three. An air-raid siren goes off. The general tells Madelyn that radar has picked up guerilla airplanes. Two planes attack and are shot down by the Army. In spite of this, Chance et al. get the wells capped. Madelyn busts the chops of the General. He is happy because five airplanes came over and only two made it to the oil field. Chance and Madelyn are happy, and so are Tish and Greg. The Buckman Company jet flies away.
I’ll be right back with conclusions and the World-Famous Short Summary following a word from our sponsors.
Summary – Hellfighters (1968)
Red Adair was the most famous oil well firefighter and the most knowledgeable until after the first US Gulf War, codenamed Desert Storm 1990-1991. The retreating Iraqi Army set fire to around 700 Kuwaiti oil well[5]. As a consequence, more was learned about extinguishing oil well fires than was previously known in the history of oil drilling.
It would seem that Adair was the first oil well firefighter. However, he and his crew worked for and learned from an older oil well firefighter. Myron Macy Kinley was born in 1898 and “developed many patents and designs for the tools and techniques of oil firefighting.”[6]
Kinley’s father Karl was a shooter, a job where wells are dynamited to increase flow. In 1913, Karl put out a large fire with a dynamite explosion. Myron helped with this fire and went into the business. He did well financially but was injured a couple of times. He died in 1978.
Oddly enough, Hellfighters (1968) was not the first oil well fire fighting movie. In 1939, Edward G. Robinson, the original penultimate gangster in films, and Ruth Hussey stared in Blackmail (1939). Robinson plays a successful oil well firefighter. When he is shown in a new reel, an x-con comes and threatens to reveal that Robinson has escaped from a chain gang years before. The man steals Robinson’s oil well and has him sent back to a prison farm.
World-Famous Short Summary – The Duke demonstrates a dysfunctional relationship set against the backdrop of oil well fires.
Beware the moors
[1] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063060/
[2] https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/hellfighters-1968
[3] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063060/trivia
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Adair
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_War
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myron_M._Kinley
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