There's not enough fire in Fire Down Below, which is a bad thing in a movie that demands burning passion. It's not the fault of the stars, though -- Rita Hayworth, Robert Mitchum, and Jack Lemmon provide all the spark that a writer and director could ask for. Unfortunately, when the material is as damp as it is here, no amount of sparking is going to result in combustion. Irwin Shaw's screenplay has structural problems -- it can't seem to make up its mind what kind of film it wants to be -- but the bigger problem is its triteness. The characters are poorly drawn, the situations are overly familiar, and the dialogue alternates between dull and ridiculous. Robert Parrish's direction is somewhat better, as he manages to keep the pace fairly brisk, and he's aided enormously by both beautiful on-location scenery and expert Desmond Dickinson camerawork. Mitchum and Hayworth are solid, with Hayworth turning in one of her patented sexy dance numbers, but it's Lemmon that makes the greatest impression. He's the most connected with his role, and his commitment is visible throughout, enabling him to take full advantage of the opportunities provided in the shipwreck sequence. This helps a great deal, but ultimately Fire is a disappointment.
