Ring of Fire (MGM) (1961)

David Janssen and Joyce Taylor are the romantic principals of ‘*Ring of Fire,”’ new Andrew and Virginia Stone suspense-drama for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Story of a man hunt, filmed in color on locations in the Pacific Northwest, the picture is highlighted by such thrilling episodes as a spectacular forest fire and the toppling of a locomotive and coaches from a 200-foot high trestle into a raging river. Still 5037-91 Ring of Fire Mat 2-E venting his anger on Joyce Taylor in a scene from ‘‘Ring of Fire,” new Andrew and Virginia Stone suspense-drama for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Story of a man hunt, filmed in color on locations in the Pacific Northwest, the picture is highlighted by such thrilling episodes as a spectacular forest fire and the toppling of a locomotive and coaches from a 200-foot high trestle into a raging river. Still 5037-23 Ring of Fire Mat 2-D David Janssen and Joyce Taylor are the romantic principals of *‘Ring of Fire,’’ new Andrew and Virginia Stone suspensedrama for Metro-GoldwynMayer. Story of a man hunt, filmed in color on locations in the Pacific Northwest, the picture is highlighted by such thrilling episodes as a spectacular forest fire and the toppling of a locomotive and coaches from a 200-foot high trestle into a raging river. Still 5037-92 Ring of Fire Mat 1-B Joyce Taylor plays the feminine member of a gang of young hoodlums in ‘*Ring of Fire,’’ new Andrew and Virginia Stone suspense-drama for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. David Janssen and Frank Gorshin also star in the excitementpacked picture, filmed in color on locations in the Pacific Northwest and climaxed by a spectacular forest fire. Still 5037-101 Ring of Fire Mat 1-D SPECTACULAR FOREST FIRE AND TRAIN PLUNGING FROM TRESTLE THRILL HIGHLIGHTS OF MGM'S SUSPENSEFUL “RING OF FIRE” Topping even such of their thrillers ase (Civ hernom. sande he-oleast Voyage,” the unique husband-and-wife producing team of Andrew and Virginia Stone have come up with a new suspense-spellbinder, “Ring of Fire,” filmed in Metrocolor entirely on locations in the vast forest country of Washington and Oregon, with its tense plot of a manhunt climaxed by a spectacular forest fire. Starring in the Metro-GoldwynMayer release are David Janssen, known to millions of TV viewers as “Richard Diamond, Private Eye”; Joyce Taylor, glamorous screen newcomer who scored in “Atlantis, the Lost Continent”; and Frank Gorshin. Featured are Joel Marston, James Johnson, Ron Myron and Marshall Kent. In “Ring of Fire’ Miss Taylor is cast as Bobbie Adams, a wayward girl who has become involved with Henderson and Cole, two teenage hoodlums, in the holdup of a service station in Tacoma, Washington. They are caught by deputy sheriffs Walsh and Pringle, but escape in the dense mountainous forest region, taking Walsh with them as a guide. A posse of nearly three-hundred citizens begins a search for the hoodlums in a manhunt that is permeated with terrific suspense as Henderson and Cole threaten Walsh’s life, with Bobbie playing a cat-and-mouse game of befriending and menacing him in turn. It is Cole who plunges to his death in a ravine when he attempts to push Walsh over a precipitous cliff. When the posse entraps Henderson and Bobbie, the latter accuses Walsh of having made advances to her, and it is in the midst of her questioning that a conflagration, resulting from a dis BRIEF SUMMARY Andrew and Virginia Stone, famous husband-and-wife producing team, who make all their suspense-films entirely on location rather than within the confines of a Hollywood studio, went to America’s northwest forest country to film their newest thriller, “Ring of Fire,” starring David Janssen, Joyce Taylor and Frank Gorshin. The action-filled story involves a manhunt, with a deputy sheriff held captive by a trio of hoodlums, including a girl who plays-cat-and-mouse with the detective, leading him on and repelling him by turns. The drama moves to an unforgettable climax in the holocaust of a spectacular forest fire and burning of a planing mill which sets an entire community on fire. The only way out is by a train which has to cross a 200foot-high railroad trestle over a river. Before it reaches the end of the trestle, the wooden structure itself becomes a raging inferno. What happens from there on, the viewer will have to see for himself. “Ring of Fire” was filmed in wide screen and Metrocolor. It was written and directed by Andrew L. Stone. Playing prominent roles with the stars are Joel Marston, James Johnson, Ron Myron and Marshall Kent. Crew Measurements More Important Than Stars’ For the first time in motion picture history, measurements of the crew in a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture were more important than those of the stars. It happened in the case of “Ring of Fire,” new Andrew and _ Virginia Stone suspense-drama, starring David somes Joyce Taylor and Frank Gorshin. A spectacular highlight of the film is a staged forest fire, which was shot on location near Shelton, Washington. Because of the intense hit engendered by the realistic sequence, members of the camera crew who had to film close-ups were outfitted in asbestos suits leased from the Washington State Forestry Service. Stones Can't Make a Movie Without This Actor! Young character actor Joel Marston must be “lucky” for Hollywood’s successful husband-wife producing team, Andrew and Virginia Stone. They rarely make a movie without him. In their latest MGM __ suspensedrama, “Ring of Fire,” Joel makes his seventh appearance in a Stone production. Previously he had important roles in “The Last Voyage,” “Cry Terror!”, “Julie,” “The Decks Ran Red,” “The Steel Trap” and “Confidence Girl.” carded, burning cigarette, envelopes the lumber mill town of Matlock. With all roads blocked, the only way of escape is by way of a train consisting of the passenger coaches pushed by a locomotive. This is where “Ring of Fire” reaches a climax which will keep spectators rooted to their seats. The scenes of panic as citizens of the town flee from their burning homes, the crush as they attempt to board the crowded coaches, the demolishment of a huge planing mill as the flames engulf the building, are only the beginning. For now the train has to cross a 200-foothigh wooden trestle over a river, and before it reaches the end of the trestle, the structure itself becomes a raging inferno. No reviewer ever gives away the ending of an Andrew and Virginia Stone suspense-thriller, and the conclusion of “Ring of Fire” will be saved for the audience. Stones’ Penchant for “Real McCoy” Is Hazardous For Film Players, But They Haven't Lost One Yet! After Andrew and Virginia Stone, Hollywood’s famous husband-wife producing team, sank a famous ocean liner for “The Last Voyage,” everyone asked, “What will they do for an encore?” The answer is their new MetroGoldwyn-Mayer production, “Ring of Fire,” in which they successively burn a lumber mill, stage a spectacular forest fire and then topple a real locomotive and two coaches over a 200foot-high railroad trestle. The Stones, sometimes referred to as Mr. and Mrs. Suspense, are not only devotees of realism but are insistent upon it to the degree that they, their actors and their. movie crews often appear to be in serious personal danger, In the burning of the mill, for ex “Taylor” a Magic Name The name “Taylor” is a magic one at MetroGoldwyn Mayer. First it was Robert, then Elizabeth and now Joyce Taylor, who plays the feminine starring role opposite David Janssen in MGM’s new Andrew and Virginia Stone suspense-drama, “Ring of Fire.” Joyce, who has had a successful career in the popular record field and has also appeared on many TV shows, made her screen debut in “The FBI Story.” After being chosen by George Pal for the role of the Princess in “Atlantis, the Lost Continent,” she was signed to a long-term MGM contract. It appears that this pretty young actress, 5-foot-2 with eyes of blue, is going places fast. CAST Sergeant Steve Walsh__......... David Janssen BobbiesAdams.....--.:.-..---=.-..-.-22 Joyce Taylor Frank Henderson..._................ Frank Gorshin DepulycPringle =... Joel Marston Roy*Golet:-3 Ws ee) James Johnson OOFITT IN UeS5.2-355-5-2, 220220 eee en Ron Myron Deputy. -..-22.....--.--.—-=.-.-.s.amorshallKent MG ODOM 2.0.20. oo eco Doodies Weaver An Andrew and Virginia Stone Production. Written and Directed by Andrew L. Stone. In Metrocolor. A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Release. THE ADDITIONAL SCENE AND PLAYER MATS, SHOWN IN THE COMPLETE CAMPAIGN MAT ON ANOTHER PAGE, MAY BE ORDERED SINGLY. ample, more than 1,000 sticks of dynamite were involved, plus 2,000 gallons of kerosene, 1,000 gallons of 100octane gasoline and 500 liquid gallons of napalm. Once ignited by the flamethrowers, the old mill, provided for the picture by the International Paper Company, would have burned by itself. But Stone wanted a truly spectacular blaze, hence the addition of incendiary elements. The scene involving burning of the mill was filmed at Veronia, Oregon. “We had federal, state and motion picture technical experts check every phase before we torched the mill,” Stone explained. “The actors, principally David Janssen and Joyce Taylor, were satisfied that there was no serious personal danger and were willing to enact their roles without the use of stunt doubles. The whole effect would have been lost if we had had to rely on long shots of the players rather than being able to move in for close-ups with the actual blaze around them.” In spite of all precautions, a premature explosion of overheated dynamite almost caused disaster. Actors, crew and the Stones fled for their lives, leaving a locomotive in which they were filming alongside the blazing mill. At the last second, a special effects technician, Herman Townsley, mounted the locomotive and, although never having operated one in his life, moved it to safety along with the equipment and the exposed film. For the trestle scene, other risks occurred. Two straight days of rain had weakened the 500-foot-long structure to the point that a strong wind could topple it and the railroad cars. With no possibility of retakes, the picture would have been ruined. However, on a day that started with a driving rain, a one-hour break in the weather occured. Stone got his shot and it was even better than he had anticipated. The cars fell individually as if on cue, then the whole trestle disintegrated. 200 Oregonians Became Actors for MGM Film The small community of Veronia, Oregon, became a sprawling motion picture set and 200 of its citizens turned “actors” when a_ spectacular fire scene, in which an actual planing mill was burned, was filmed for Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s “Ring of Fire.” For the super-realistic sequence of the new Andrew and Virginia Stone suspense-drama, starring David Janssen, Joyce Taylor and Frank Gorshin, smudge pots were touched off on house and garage roofs and scattered controlled blazes were set to give the impression of the entire community being engulfed by flame.