The Firechasers

The Firechasers (also known as Cause for Alarm) is a 1971 British crime film directed by Sidney Hayers and starring Chad Everett, Anjanette Comer, and Keith Barron.^[1][2] It was written by Philip Levene.

The Firechasers
British quad poster by Brian Bysouth
Directed by	Sidney Hayers
Written by	Philip Levene
Produced by	Julian Wintle
Starring	Chad Everett Anjanette Comer
Cinematography	Alan Hume
Edited by	Lionel Selwyn
Music by	Laurie Johnson
Production company	ITC
Distributed by	Rank Film Distributors (UK)
Release date	3 June 1971 (1971-06-03) (UK)
Running time	101 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

An insurance investigator who tries to find out who is behind a series of arson attacks.

Plot

While investigating the cause of a series of lethal fires in London, U.S. insurance man Quentin Barnaby falls in love with beautiful journalist Toby Collins. Working alongside and pooling information with Toby and her photographer, Jim Maxwell, Barnaby hopes they share a common goal, that of "firechasing" the identity of the arsonist responsible.

Cast

• Chad Everett as Quentin Barnaby
• Anjanette Comer as Toby Collins
• Keith Barron as Jim Maxwell
• Joanne Dainton as Valerie Chrane
• Rupert Davies as Prentice
• James Hayter as Inspector Herman
• Robert Flemyng as Carlton
• Roy Kinnear as Roscoe
• Allan Cuthbertson as D.O Jarvis
• John Loder as Routledge

Production

The film was shot at Pinewood Studios.^[3]

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "A straightforward thriller, presumably made with the American TV market in mind. (Its director, Sidney Hayers, made several episodes of The Human Jungle and The Avengers for ITC.) The emphasis is on action and the photogenic qualities of the fires; but while these are mounted with due dramatic flair, the performances are generally wooden, though Keith Barron does manage to invest an unlikely role with some bite. But the only time The Firechasers really rises above its romanticised world of highpowered journalists and insurance detectives is in the presentation of the mechanics of fire fighting, especially in the climactic fire in a large department store, with the heroine trapped in a lift between floors, fire above and below, and water spraying in on her from the ceiling sprinklers."^[4]

TV Guide called it "so-so entertainment."^[5]

Radio Times wrote, "director Sidney Hayers keeps up the pace as unlikely insurance investigator Everett hunts an arsonist throughout a London peopled with well-known British character actors."^[6]