Into the Fire (1988)

**_The wintry ambiance is good, but the story isn't_** A young musician (Lee Montgomery) drifts into a Northeastern town in the Winter and takes a job by a guy (Art Hindle) who has issues with his inebriated wife (Susan Anspach). The guitarist & his dog stay at the small rental house adjacent to their huge home, Wolf Lodge, which looks like it was really something back in the day. The wife is intrigued by the rock stud, but he's more interested in a local waitress (Olivia d'Abo). "The Legend of Wolf Lodge," aka "Into the fire," was actually released to some theaters in 1988. Yet, aside from the tame nudity, it feels like a TV movie, and not a good one, which isn't to say it doesn't have some positive qualities. Someone criticized it on the grounds that the only likable character is the dog, and this is pretty accurate. Montgomery, in his final film, is always likable, but his character here is so stupid he loses the viewer's sympathy. For instance, the husband proves himself to be a masculinity-on-overdrive man and yet the rocker willingly makes out with his wife when the guy's barely around the corner. It's not just stupid, it's unbelievable. However, Montgomery is such a quality protagonist that you tend to overlook it, sort of. Speaking of unbelievable, the final act spirals out of control on this front. Olivia d'Abo is in her prime here and there's some tame top nudity of her and Anspach, but the latter's character is so questionable it's difficult to see her as alluring. What makes this B flick worth maybe catching is the effective Winter ambiance, shot in Kirkfield Ontario in the middle of Winter. The blaring 80s score often detracts, but it has some interesting elements as well. Although I appreciated these factors, my wife gave me a look when the credits rolled that said: "You made me sit through THAT?" It short 'n' sweet at 1 hour, 18 minutes, but has too many uninteresting stretches. GRADE: C-