Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Of 2025Holiday Watch GuideGotham AwardsCelebrity PhotosSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Fire with Fire

  • 1986
  • PG-13
  • 1h 43m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
2.1K
YOUR RATING
Virginia Madsen and Craig Sheffer in Fire with Fire (1986)
A young woman from a Catholic school and a young man from a nearby prison camp fall in love and must run away together to escape the law, the church and their parents.
Play trailer1:40
1 Video
23 Photos
DramaRomance

A young woman from a Catholic school and a young man from a nearby prison camp fall in love and must run away together to escape the law, the church and their parents.A young woman from a Catholic school and a young man from a nearby prison camp fall in love and must run away together to escape the law, the church and their parents.A young woman from a Catholic school and a young man from a nearby prison camp fall in love and must run away together to escape the law, the church and their parents.

  • Director
    • Duncan Gibbins
  • Writers
    • Bill Phillips
    • Warren Skaaren
    • Paul Boorstin
  • Stars
    • Craig Sheffer
    • Virginia Madsen
    • Jon Polito
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    2.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Duncan Gibbins
    • Writers
      • Bill Phillips
      • Warren Skaaren
      • Paul Boorstin
    • Stars
      • Craig Sheffer
      • Virginia Madsen
      • Jon Polito
    • 30User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:40
    Official Trailer

    Photos23

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 15
    View Poster

    Top Cast33

    Edit
    Craig Sheffer
    Craig Sheffer
    • Joe Fisk
    Virginia Madsen
    Virginia Madsen
    • Lisa Taylor
    Jon Polito
    Jon Polito
    • Boss
    J.J. Cohen
    J.J. Cohen
    • Mapmaker
    • (as Jeffrey Jay Cohen)
    Kate Reid
    Kate Reid
    • Sister Victoria
    Jean Smart
    Jean Smart
    • Sister Maria
    Tim Russ
    Tim Russ
    • Jerry
    David Harris
    • Ben
    D.B. Sweeney
    D.B. Sweeney
    • Baxter
    Dorrie Joiner
    • Sandy
    Evan Mirand
    • Manuel
    Ann Savage
    Ann Savage
    • Sister Harriet
    William G. Schilling
    William G. Schilling
    • Watley
    • (as William Schilling)
    Penelope Sudrow
    Penelope Sudrow
    • Stephanie
    Star-Shemah Bobatoon
    • Margo
    Kari Wuhrer
    Kari Wuhrer
    • Gloria
    Smitty Smith
    • Keyes
    Franklin Johnson
    • Old Man
    • Director
      • Duncan Gibbins
    • Writers
      • Bill Phillips
      • Warren Skaaren
      • Paul Boorstin
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews30

    6.42K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    poohtoes

    a must see movie for a tender teen heart

    I am in my 30's now and i saw this movie when it was released. it has stayed with me all these years. for any romantic young teen it is a must! i have not revisited it in years but specific images are still very clear in my memory. i will rent it soon!
    7preppy-3

    Saw it back in 1986...never forgot it

    Two teenagers fall in love--one is in a prison camp (Craig Sheffer), the other is at a Catholic school (Virginia Madsen). He escapes and they run with the law in hot pursuit...

    I was one of the few who saw this theatrically back in 1986. I had seen Sheffer and Madsen in movies before. I knew they were good actors (although Madsen is a little better) and very physically attractive (especially Sheffer). The whole audience consisted on me and a bunch of teenage boys (I was 24 at the time). The guys hated it but I loved it! The soundtrack, the direction, the acting--all were just great. Sheffer and Madsen also worked well with each other which helped. Purportedly Madsen couldn't stand Sheffer but you'd never know it watching this movie.

    It was being pushed by the studio as an updated version of "Romeo & Juliet" (the similarities are there) without the unhappy ending. But with no stars to "sell" it this died quickly and disappeared. That's too bad--it's one of the better teen romances of the 80s. See it if you get a chance.
    ppl85

    It's my favorite movie

    When I saw this movie for the first time I was going through a hard time. I was a lonely teenager and I felt that love would never come to me. This movie made me dream and believe that unexpectedly love would appear in my life. Joe is the perfect man; he is beautiful, romantic and so in love with life.... Lisa is also beautiful and I think all teenagers would like to be like her. They live a story who talks about freedom. A love without frontiers that always win... it's a simple movie, but the beauty lives in simple things. I'm sorry that the sound track is not available. If anybody loves this movie like me, contact me...
    10iamtheblackdynamite

    The best 1980's breathtaking romantic drama.

    I saw this movie only 2 days ago..and it has turned into one of my favorites. Their chemistry is incredible, for you start to believe their passion for each other is real.Trust me, don't waste your time trying to find a 1980's movie with a good love story, watch this one! This movie makes you feel happy,intense,and love stricken.Once you watch it, you can never forget it. It is one of those movies where you will always remember watching.The first time you watch it, you will want to play it over again. For any hopeless romantic person wanting to watch a good romantic drama, well with this movie you are in for one. So take a chance with this movie, you won't regret it.
    7msmolner

    Lover of Romance movies

    I really loved this movie when I saw it back in 2000. A friend and I had rented it and watched it over and over. If you love romance movies, then you should watch it especially for the scene at the school dance. The music playing, the whole setup. That was probably one of the best scenes in a romance movie to date. Sure, the acting wasn't Oscar worthy, but they did their part in making you believe they would have done anything for each other. I am a big fan of Virginia Madsen and she really did steel the scenes she was in, but Craig Sheffer is wonderful to look at and plays a great "bad boy". To all those hopeless romantics out there, its a fun one for a rainy Saturday afternoon.

    More like this

    The New Kids
    6.1
    The New Kids
    Tuff Turf
    6.0
    Tuff Turf
    Reckless
    6.3
    Reckless
    Some Kind of Wonderful
    7.0
    Some Kind of Wonderful
    Fire with Fire
    5.6
    Fire with Fire
    Guarding Tess
    6.2
    Guarding Tess
    Sibling Rivalry
    5.4
    Sibling Rivalry
    Into the Night
    6.4
    Into the Night
    Rambling Rose
    6.5
    Rambling Rose
    April Fool's Day
    6.1
    April Fool's Day
    Beyond Desire
    4.6
    Beyond Desire
    For Richer or Poorer
    5.9
    For Richer or Poorer

    Related interests

    Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Herman Caheej McGloun, Edson Jean, Alex R. Hibbert, and Tanisha Cidel in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film is based on a 1978 incident in Pasadena, California where a local girls convent school held a dance for the boys from a nearby honor camp.
    • Quotes

      Joe Fisk: So... what... studying to be a nun?

      Lisa Taylor: No. Are you studying to be a crook?

    • Connections
      Features The Opera Caper (1967)
    • Soundtracks
      Fire with Fire
      Written and Produced by Chas Sandford

      Performed by Wild Blue

      Courtesy of Chrysalis Records, Inc.

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ17

    • How long is Fire with Fire?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 9, 1986 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Canada
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Fuego con fuego
    • Filming locations
      • Hope, British Columbia, Canada(finale)
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $4,636,169
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,770,043
      • May 11, 1986
    • Gross worldwide
      • $4,636,169
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 43m(103 min)
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.