Join Preservation Houston for a special screening of Hellfighters at 2:45 p.m. Sunday, September 28, at the historic River Oaks Theatre. We’re proud to co-present this showing at the restored Art Deco landmark — and to revisit a larger-than-life Hollywood take on one of Houston’s own legends.

Released in 1968, Hellfighters stars John Wayne as Chance Buckman, a globe-trotting oil well firefighter whose dangerous profession threatens his family life as much as the infernos he battles. The film is loosely based on Houston’s Red Adair, whose daring exploits made him an international figure. With a cast including Katharine Ross, Jim Hutton and Vera Miles, the movie mixes high drama, romance and spectacular pyrotechnics — capturing both the danger and the swagger of the oil patch in its heyday.

Seeing Hellfighters on the big screen offers a chance to experience the full blaze of its action and a uniquely Houston story, filtered through Hollywood’s lens.

Tickets are $15 ($12 for students and seniors) and available now through the River Oaks Theatre box office. Reserve your seat today →

Runtime: 2 hours, 1 minute / rated G