White Fire (1984)

White Fire (1984)
★★½/★★★★★

Wow.. Yep, wow. "White Fire" can be class as one of those films you got to see to believe. Talking to you action fans... of low-end schlock and exploitation. Well, also if you got a thing for Robert Ginty’s sandy mane and manly stache. Also not to forget Fred "Hammer" Williamson’s chest hair. Oh, there’s a lot hair on show! And some minor chainsaw carnage Too. A little too quick for a my liking, but oh well. So don’t hesitate to check out this multinational production. This 80s film (which looks like a 70s relic) is just so outrageous, but more in a reckless and incomprehensible mould. Just figuring out what's going it just as bemusing as trying to understand the unusually repressed relationship between brother (Ginty) and sister (Belinda Mayne). It is strange, and very taboo! You get numerous touchy-feely encounters and awkward innuendo dialogues, which will have you returning back to scenes just to make sure you heard it right the first time. Like the scene of Ginty looking at his sister in the nude replying; "A pity you're my sister", as she tries to cover up only her breasts in spite of being entirely in the nude. Nonetheless the entire script is clumsy. Acting is stiff (Mirella Banti gets top prize followed by Gordon Mitchell) and dubbing is terrible. But the incest angle which keeps creeping in gives it a bizarre edge.



After a pointless beginning; I guess to show why this brother and sister relationship is so close? Suddenly its 20 years later, where the two siblings are adventurous diamond thieves. Ingrid is working in a desert diamond mind smuggling the goods with the help of her brother Beau and the base's security commander. When they come across the white diamond, they see it as their last hurrah. But it won't be that easy, as there are other people who are keen on getting their hands on the diamond too.

I find Ginty rather agreeable in the lead role, where he has the same dopey expression you're never too sure what he is actually thinking. He goes about it all, including his macho beat-ups, virtually in the same manner. Well, nearly everything. While Mayne was somewhat wooden, but you can see why she got the tick of approval. Then there's bad-ass Williamson, who really doesn't show up until an hour in with his pals (and this gang really do like to show off their chest hair). His energy really does get things moving. Like his first appearance ("I detest psychical violence"). Too bad about the cheery ending though, as I was hoping to see Ginty and Williamson square off. As for the title object, it actually takes awhile before we come face-to-face with the legendary white fire diamond, which burns a hole into whoever touches it. Williamson's smooth talking, trouble-shooting character has nothing to do with this side of the story, but more so with film's midway twist that only seems to make the brother-sister relationship even creepier. Watch how Ginty dramatically fights his desires for his sister(!?).... it cuts him deep.

The story had a lot going on with soapy plot development and characters coming and going. Nothing complex, but so random and patchwork that it's hard to make sense of it. One thing though, the siblings sure knew how to find trouble. When it came to the action, be it martial arts (sound FX included) to crates falling out of skies and full-on explosions, it’s just as clunky, low-grade as the budget, yet it remained plentiful and frenetic (outside the slowest ever vehicle chase caught on film) with few grisly, and torturous details. Mostly coming off tacky, but there’s one scene which will have men squirming! Add to it a tripped-out soundtrack, which I wouldn’t mind owning and you get an amazing title song that finds it way on a loop.

And what a better way to end my thoughts on this rough-around-the-edges, and feverish b-grade action romp with Ginty’s choice of dialogue.   

”Remember take good care of my sister".