The Fire Raisers

Michael Powell’s atmospheric thriller about an insurance man in over his head with a gang of arsonists.

After a prolific run of ‘quota’ films, Powell signed to Gaumont-British on a four-film deal, where he benefited from better facilities and higher budgets. His first production was this atmospheric thriller about an insurance man in over his head with a gang of arsonists. A clear step up, the film boasts some well-staged set-pieces and is often surprisingly tough.