The Fire Raisers

BFI NFTVA-TIK DATORREN KOPIA/COPY FROM BFI NFTVA/COPIA PROCEDENTE DE BFI NFTVA

A fire investigator builds up a large business and marries the daughter of a Lloyds underwriter. He also runs up big betting debts and goes into partnership with an arsonist in an attempt to pay them off, but when he is unmasked, he goes to his own death, after rescuing another investigator. Based on a typical newspaper headline story of the day. Topicality was one economical way of trying to escape from the treadmill of quota production, and a wave of arson attacks, no doubt prompted by the Depression, provided the background for The Fire Raisers (1933). Again the plot creaks, but Leslie Banks contributes vigorously as a crooked fire assessor, anticipating his fine performance as the dynamic shipbuilder in the following year's Red Ensign, while the mechanics of arson and counter-arson clearly intrigued Powell, who also makes a cameo appearance as a radio-operator. Ian Christie (Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger: Arrows of Desire)

YEAR   1933 PRODUCTION   Jerome Jackson Gaumont-British DIRECTOR   Michael Powell SCREENPLAY   Michael Powell, Jerome Jackson PHOTOGRAPHY   Leslie Rowson EDITION   D. N. Twist CAST   Leslie Banks (Jim Bronson), Anne Grey (Arden Brent), Carol Goodner (Helen Vaughan), Frank Cellier (Brent) RUNNING TIME   77 m.

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