User reviews

The movie was shot mostly in and around my hometown, Vernonia, Oregon. I was in sixth grade at the time, and I was an extra, one of the townspeople running to catch the escape train. We would run the length of the town center, then walk back six blocks, and do it over and over again. Andrew Stone, the producer/director had a lot of cooperation from the US Army; in the climactic scene of burning the town, there were flamethrowers on top of all the downtown buildings. I had the misfortune of being outside when a soldier was setting off smoke bombs. I couldn't see one foot in front of me. In the 1920's Vernonia had the largest all-electric sawmill in the world. But they cut down all the trees, and the mill closed in 1957. They completely stocked the mill with new lumber for the movie; then they burned it all down. If anyone is interested, Vernonia Sentry Supermarket sells DVD's of the movie, and they will ship.

Just caught this little gem and I must say, I was quite surprised... and entertained. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a great or even good movie, but what it lacks in acting and direction it more than makes up in well, ingenuity and effort. The basic plot is fine and the story plausible until the protagonists emerge from the forest and all hell breaks loose. There's a forest fire of massive proportions, an evacuation of equally massive proportions and disaster upon disaster. The bad guys buy it the good ones survive the good townspeople get away. What was amazing though is how many people crowded that little Rocky Mountain town. And the cars, they must have each owned a dozen. During the evacuation people kept running around, cars kept honking, and they all kept coming at you, scene after scene, with no letup. It also seemed like other than the three teenage protagonists and our hero, the town was populated by the middle aged and senior citizens. Quite spry I must admit, but where did the younger people go? It looked to me like the producers made the conscious decision to hire older actors. And then there was the forest fire. It was massive, awful, mesmerizing, utterly gigantic in scope. This must have been actual footage of a forest fire. I witnessed an unstoppable force of nature in all its awesome finality.

As for the actors, the three principals were quite good delivering their cornball lines, especially Frank Gorshen and Joyce Taylor. David Janssen was well, David Janssen. Straight faced all the way, little emotion, the picture of composure in the face of utter despair. Gorshen was fun to watch but his character was too one dimensional. Joyce Taylor on the other hand was worth the price of admission. Saucy all the way, dangerously sexy and with more than enough complexity to make her character an interesting standout. And what a fox. I was sorry to discover that her career was quite limited. Nonetheless she impressed me and I'll be looking out for more films with her.

So there you have it. Another bad film that's actually quite fun.

I saw "Ring Of Fire" as a kid growing up in Seattle and it stuck with me, though I couldn't remember exactly why. I kept looking and finally found a copy. (hint) You don't have to look too far.

If you want the plot laid out you'll find many great synopsis above and below . My point here is to say that even though it's dated the picture is fast paced and exciting. The characters are all archetypes: "Good Cops" versus "Bad Girl" and "Delinquent Punks" very crudely drawn but you find yourself caring about what happens to them. The other actors look like they might have been pulled in off the streets of Vernonia but it gives the film a realistic feel. The super real color cinematography reminds me of the boxes of Kodak slides and photographs us boomer's have stuffed in closets and attics.

David Janssen stands out as the big hearted cop. His shy mumbling affect is a sharp contrast to his large frame and ruggedly handsome face. Frank Gorshin is creepy as the ringleader and Joyce Taylor is, well, Joyce Taylor. Probably one of the worst actors to ever "grace" the silver screen. Watch her in "Atlantis The Lost Continent" and see if you don't agree. The opening scene with Taylor in the café is as comical as a Carol Burnett skit. Though the acting in this picture could be better it's well worth your time. The ending is very tense and will hold your interest.

While the film was set in Oregon, the burning bridge was filmed in Grays Harbor, Wash.

I have been to the site of the bridge and have been down to the bottom of the canyon where the bridge collapsed. The engine is still upside down in the river and the passenger cars are cut in two and laying on the side of the river canyon floor.

At low water the wheels are all that are able to be seen of the steam engine.

I had to use ropes to get down to the bottom.

The area has grown up now and one would never know what lies at the bottom of the canyon unless they had seen the movie.

The few times this movie emerges from the tube, the listings rate it with 1 or 2 stars, but when I saw it in 1961 (in NC, aged 9 or 10) I remembered liking the movie and being confused only by not hearing Johnny Cash sing the theme song. David Janssen, the lead, earned his fame as an impressively intense, underspoken, and charismatic TV actor. The overall look of Ring of Fire resembles TV of the time when it filmed outside the studios. Except for the concluding spectacle of the fire, low production values prevail. Yet within said limits the direction is adept, well-paced, building anxiety and suspense while at the same time creating some reasonably complex characterizations and relations. The intimate scale of most of the scenes along with amateur actors and extras plus real outdoor sets and grainy footage combine for a compelling reality effect. Not a great movie, but redeeming evidence that serious professionals can make a rewarding film from unpromising parts.

The idea of "Ring of Fire" is very good...but unfortunately the cops in this film too often seem like complete idiots...particularly, Steve (David Janssen). It's frustrating, as it's not a horrible film and with some decent editing of the script, it could have been exceptional.

The film begins in a small town in Oregon and two cops catch three young thrill-seeking idiots. The trio have been committing robberies just for kicks but they are surprisingly easy to capture. But here's the part that makes no sense at all...they don't frisk the lady AND they don't handcuff any of them! Not all all surprisingly, the trio soon overpower the cops and cuff one to a tree...and take Steve hostage. They then soon set out on a trek across the wilderness--and again and again it looks like they might just shoot the cop. However, it gets REALLY stupid when the cop overpowers one of the punks (Frank Gorshin) and takes his gun. He's able to disarm everyone...and then behaves like he has a tomato for a brain. Repeatedly they try to get the gun away from him. So why doesn't Steve just shoot them? He didn't even need to kill them...just shoot them in the kneecap! They even say "...all you do is make one little slip...and will kill you...dead"! I don't think the police procedure manual would have a problem with shooting at least one of them...but instead they keep trying and trying until they ultimately retake his gun and eventually take Steve prisoner once again!! What a total dummy!! Well, the crooks aren't much smarter, as a careless cigarette butt soon starts a fire and threatens to envelop them and the rescue party.

Does it sound like I was frustrated by the writing in this film? You betcha! It's a real shame as often the film seems intelligent and interesting...and the next moment it's bone-headed. Plus they waste the beautiful color scenery...which is lovely. It could easily have scored a 7 or higher had Janssen's character been written better.

By the way...the girl in the film is apparently supposed to be under 18...so why does she look 30?!?! Well, I checked and the actress was 29 and this little plot twist, too, is pretty stupid. And, how all this comes out and works itself out is REALLY stupid...especially since a raging forest fire is about to strike! Do you notice that I used the word 'stupid' or words like it many times during the review!

Also, if you do watch the film, pay attention to the burning bridge sequence. When the bridge ultimately collapses and the train falls, notice that the bridge collapses at the base...where there is no fire!!!

Ring of Fire opens with a great Duane Eddy song that accompanies the credits. For that reason, it's best to see this film from the beginning.

David Janssen plays a small-town Oregon police officer who tries to arrest three hoodlums played by Frank Gorshin, James Johnson, and Joyce Taylor. They are eating lunch in the town diner, when Janssen discovers that they are the prime suspects of a gas station hold-up the previous night. As he's driving them to the police station to book them for the gas station robbery, one of them grabs his gun, primarily because they weren't handcuffed. Thus begins the movie. As the four of them camp out in the outlying forest, Joyce Taylor decides to seduce David Janssen. Along with the cool Duane Eddy song, she is another reason not to miss this film. Frank Gorshin, who plays the supposed leader of the group, is good as a hardened juvenile delinquent. Of the Andrew Stone movies that I've been lucky enough to see, this is undoubtedly my favorite. It's in color, outdoors, on location, and manages to be amusing and exciting at the same time. The culminating fire scene, with the whole town running for their lives, isn't to be missed.

Always liked David Janssen but ohmygosh this is a cheeseball movie. The dialogue, the music, the 17-going-on-30 "teenaged" chick...oy vey. I can't wait for the fireball & the trainwreck, I'm jumping off.

This movie has always been special to me; The town scenes were shot in Oregon in Vernonia, but the rest around Shelton, WA in Mason County and Grays Harbor County. The Sheriff's dept depicted, and all the personnel - wear Mason County Sheriff's Uniforms and patches - complete with Christmas tree logo and 'Mason County' prominently displayed. I have one of these patches in my collection. The Mason County Sheriff played by Ron Myron was actually a real Mason County Deputy at the time. The State Trooper who is nearly killed in the telephone booth in Matlock (which has hardly changed at all by the way - and last time I passed through still had a telephone booth in the same spot!) was a real trooper from the shelton detatchment and was a fellow road trooper at the time with my Dad in Shelton. The best part however, is my uncle plays an extra in the 'posse' sent to hunt down the kidnappers. It's always great fun to point him out whenever it is on. The annual forest festival in shelton sometimes plays this movie during their celebration. I recall my parents, and relatives pointing out many more familiar faces in this movie. I have been to the site where the bridge was burned and the trains dropped - you can make out the train cars but I couldn't see the engine; Apparently it is very difficult to make out but it's not hard to find but VERY dangerous to try to actually go down to look at. FYI - this movie used to play fairly regularly on TNT network. I have taped this movie and copied it onto a DVD. I would love to see this film released on a commercial DVD and in wide-screen if it was shot that way, which I believe it was. I invite anyone else - particularly those involved with this production at the time to leave comments as well. For small town folk - even those like me who weren't born yet, it is still an incredibly interesting piece of local history.

Here we have David Janssen in colour as a cop before he went on to run away from the cops in 'The Fugitive'. Even with his uniform, he doesn't look or act like a policeman. He is forever a fugitive in his soul because he always has that wandering look in his eyes as though he's not quite settled in the here and now.

There are some unresolved issues in this film. If the girl is under eighteen and that it's illegal for a police officer to kiss her, why doe she kiss her at the end? She is seductive whilst he's on duty, but he doesn't show restraint. The film also doesn't make up its mind whether or not it's a film about kidnapping, under-age petting or forest fires. In fact, it's about nothing in particular, and unless you want to see Janssen in colour before 'The Fugitive' I would say stay away from this film.

Two cops take two bad guys (delinquent types) and a girl into custody in the backwoods of Washington state. However, the tables are soon turned, leading to a risky trek across a wooded wilderness and a killer forest fire.

Good thing there's a second half, because the first is a yawner. That's surprising considering the first half is two cops and three outlaws holding one another captive as they clamber through a lush forest. Trouble is the trek is treated more like a walk in the woods than anything tension building. Then too, the cast has got Frank Gorshin as chief bad guy, which you would think would generate a ton of sneering tension. But everybody underplays including Gorshin and especially an emotionless David Janssen. I suspect an already over- burdened Andrew Stone (producer-director-writer) found these sequences difficult to direct. But whatever the reason, what should be a real pressure cooker of life and death turns into a Sierra Club hike in the scenic woods. Too bad.

The second half, however, amounts to a real barn burner. The woods catch fire causing the near-by town to evacuate as sky high flames close in. The effects are great, including real forest fire footage. Of course, the Stones, husband and wife, specialized in just such realism and it's on great display here. Looks also like the entire town was recruited into the evacuation and escape scenes. Then too, that halting train trip across the burning trestle is a real white-knuckler. Anyway, as long as the screen's filled with fiery effects instead of dialog, the production's a memorable one. All in all, the result amounts to half of a good movie.

I've seen this at least 10 times not because it's an awesome movie but because it was filmed in the small town I grew up in. Every July it played in the small movie theater in Vernonia for at least one weekend, sometimes for the whole month. I have a lot of fun memories around it including the hoopla around the filming. Vernonia is not just a small town it's rural with only ~1500 people so it was a huge deal. As a 3rd grader it was a big deal when one of the folks from the production company showed up at my grandmother's to ask if they could film on her property. David Jansen flew in and out of Vernonia on a helicopter, landing on Bridge Street (the main street)so that he could sign autographs. I haven't seen the complete movie since 1972 and would like to see it again but can't find it.

Sassy Bobbie 'Skidoo' Adams, Frank Henderson, and Roy Anderson are arrested for car theft. She's actually carry a hidden gun. The trio takes Sergeant Steve Walsh captive. It leads to a forest fire and various other mayhem.

The sassy female criminal is slightly interesting. It's too bad that the guys are such duds. It would work better with only one guy. Bonnie and Clyde is a more compelling criminal setup. It's all rather second rate. The acting and the general directing are all saying B-movie. There are some impressive real fires in the end in addition to the miniature work. The real fires are the best but it also has some rather fake special effects.

I've just seen the movie for the first time, on German television that is. Although they dub foreign movies with sometimes strange results (John Wayne and Indians speaking German...), they make sure not to compromise a film's integrity, so atmosphere, sound quality etc. are always perfectly preserved. And I must say, this film, of 1961, managed to do what only few films have in years - the grand finale with the escaping townsfolk made me hold my breath several times and had me moved to the edge of my chair. The rest of the film is also impressive, it all looked so very lifelike. No overacting, no exaggerated pathos, yet at times even poetic. A great film which makes your heart beat faster. And in spite of its age, amidst all the licked special effects block-busters of these days a refreshing experience.

Maurits Reijnen, Amsterdam

A nicely photographed film with great special effects is ruined by a trashy plot. Though I have to admit I can see why solid sheriff's deputy David Janssen might well have strayed with what young Joyce Taylor was offering.

Two punks and their junior moll do a bank robbery and are caught by Janssen. But the punks played by Frank Gorshin and James Johnson overpower him and hold him hostage. But they've fled into a forest and these city kids aren't equipped for forest survival. They need Janssen.

Ring Of Fire has some nice scenic photography in Oregon as Janssen and his three go through the woods. The forest fire is also well staged.

But having Janssen and Taylor really fall for each other, too too much.

Seems most reviewers have a strong connection to southwestern Wash. State or northern Ore. as reasons they like the film. I live in Seattle, but have little to say about the geography. But I am amazed how 'naughty' this film is for 1961!

And the double entendres coming out of Chickee-Pooh's lips are so funny, e.g. something like "'That daddy's a (something-something) beatin' off dead beat!" and other nasty-talk from her (one about 'balling'). She should have her mouth washed out with Gleem, or even Mr. Clean!

I think the U.S. Forest Service must have negotiated into the script a "Only YOU Prevent Forest Fires!" but couldn't get Smokey the Bear into the script to finger-point, since it would seem a bit unbelievable to have Yogi or any other bear talking in a drama. So instead David J. gets a line off about a still-lit fag not being squashed out, and later a still-lit cigarette a future problem.

All-in-all, it's a sleeper and I'm going to bed.

An Oregon Police Sgt (an intense David Jansen) is surprised and kidnapped by two thugs and a babe who then go on a journey for freedom through the deep forests of Oregon. There are escape attempts, a death, a turning of the tables, and possible "intimate relations" with the pulchritudinous babe (Joyce Taylor, who is supposed to be "under 18" but looks 26). The movie climaxes with the entire forest and town being burned down and everyone, including hundreds of townsfolk, desperate to escape. An exciting movie, with menace and threat maintained thoroughout. Frank Gorshin is notable as the #1 thug (his pre-impressions days). A good movie.

Love it I am from Shelton Washington and even tho Oregon gets the credit and the opening I remember as a child watching it be made here in Mason County. My Dad was the real sheriff then and Ron Marston actually used his badge and hat in the movie and I have camped at the falls where they camped at the falls. A lot of Dad's deputies were in the film along with some of the people of the town. This movie holds a special place in my heart and I will always be partial to it. Even though it may be a B rated movie with lots of mistakes it shows what a beautiful country we have up her with the mountains. The actors did one heck of a job portraying their characters.

This is a an excellent movie! . .

With a great guitar sound track by Dwayne Eddy . .

The movie maybe dated . .

But the story holds up . .

It's worth seeing . .

David Janssen is great as the police officer . .

Frank Gorshen plays an excellent juvenile delinquent . .

The fire scene towards the end isn't too great . .

But the acting makes up for it! . .

With all the crap being released on DVD . .

why can't the distributors release older movies like this one!?

Although this movie takes place in Oregon. The burning of the railroad bridge scenes were filmed around the Grays Harbor area of Washington State.

Another thrill ride from Andrew & Virginia Stone that with the aid of veteran cameraman William Clothier provides a triple feast for the eyes in the form of the lush verdant hills of Oregon, foxy beat girl Joyce Taylor and a final conflagration that makes the burning of Atlanta in 'Gone with the Wind' look like a rehearsal.

Miss Taylor in her skinny jeans, long-life lipstick, permanent wave and a white blouse that remains spotless almost until the very end is supposed to be underage (she was actually in her late twenties) but exudes a mischievous knowingness worthy of Louise Brooks; and she and David Janssen bring a humour as dry as the local brush to their scenes together as she decides she digs him more than the two punks with whom she's previously been wasting her time.

As I write this fire fighters are ironically still struggling to keep under control some of the worst wildfires in living memory now ravaging Saddleworth Moor in North West England. So keep watching what you do with those discarded cigarette ends.