Year: 1971
Language: English
Runtime: 9 min
Director: Zlatko Grgic
Producer: Wolf Koenig, Robert Verrall
Writer: Don Arioli
Cinematographer: Simon Leblanc
Animation: Zlatko Grgic
Music: Bill Brooks
Production Company: National Film Board of Canada

This humorous animated film traces man’s carelessness with fire since its discovery. Early man is warned that he must keep fire under control, but he gradually ignores this warning, resulting in overloaded sockets, smoldering cigarettes and other fire hazards that lead to the destruction of property. From a characteristically bizarre script by Don Arioli (which won a Canadian Film Award for best non-feature screenplay), Yugoslav animator Zlatko Grgic created one of the funniest sponsored films ever made (it was produced for the Dominion Fire Commissioner). The film is peopled with distinctive Grgic characters – not the least of whom is the self-important cat.

By: Peter Morris