Quest for Fire (French La Guerre du feu) is a 1911 French novel by J.-H. Rosny aîné (1856-1940). It was first published in English in 1967. It was made into a film of the same name in 1981, directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud and adapted by Gérard Brach. The film stars Everett McGill, Ron Perlman, Nameer El-Kadi and Rae Dawn Chong. It won the Academy Award for Makeup.

The invented language spoken by the prehistoric humans was created by Anthony Burgess. The gestural and body language was overseen by Desmond Morris, author of The Naked Ape. The story was difficult to tell without any dialog in a recognizable language, but the cave people's language (a combination of signs and speech) worked well; along with the natural visual tapestry, the language was one of the most successful attractions of the film.

The story takes place 80,000 years ago, likely in Europe during the last major Ice Age. However, in the commentary accompanying the DVD release Jean-Jacques Annaud stated a much earlier date would actually have been more reasonable if he had made the film recently with modern knowledge of the subject matter. It focuses on a group of Paleolithic humans who travel their dangerous world in search of a flame to rekindle their lost fire. In the era of Quest for Fire, not all people know how to produce it at will. This film demonstrates the difficulty of keeping a fire going under the harsh conditions of the primordial past.

The anthropology in this film is muddled; four separate groups are represented, the Ulam, Kzamm, Wagabus and Ivaka. The Wagabus and Kzamm are the most primitive tribes, representing Homo neanderthalensis. The Ulam and Ivaka are more or less modern Homo sapiens sapiens

It should be noted that the Wagabu tribe is depicted as distinctly morphologically different and less advanced than the Kzamm and may be interpreted as Homo heidelbergensis. At the time of the film heidelbergensis was simply considered an archiac version of the Neanderthal rather than a separate species, but was known to Desmond Morris. The dating techniques now used to firmly place the two different species in different stages of the Oligocene epoch did not exist at the time of the film. This is why in the Orson Wells narrated documentary of the film both the Wagabu and Kazamm tribe were referred to as Neanderthals even though the former lacked the language, morphology, and advancements of the latter.

Plot

In the beginning of the film, members of the Wagabu tribe invade the Ulam tribe's territory and a battle breaks out. The Wagabus are depicted as animal-like savages, covered in hair, who show no sign of mastering advanced tools or fire, and demonstrate scant evidence of language. Despite this, the Wagabus manage to becaome victorious over the Ulams with superior numbers and brute force. Some of the Ulams escape, leaving casualties on both sides. The Ulams' fire tender escapes with the tribe's fire, but then accidentally extinguishes it, just when a member finds the remnants of the tribe. Without fire, they are doomed to freezing and starvation. So the Ulams, not wishing to turn to cannibalism, decide to send three men, Naoh (Everett McGill), Amoukar (Ron Perlman) and Gaw (Nameer El-Kadi), out on a dangerous quest for fire. During their journey, they encounter several different kinds of wild beasts, and other primitive species of human beings.

Eventually the Ulam scouting trio enter territory of the Kzamm tribe, who (in some cases) resort to capturing members of the Ivaka tribe as cannibalistic victims. Despite the Kzamm's brutish culture, low social status, and inhuman practices, they are masters at the art of producing fire. Naoh manages to steal some fire from the Kzamms, but not until he is injured in a fight with one of them. He rejoins Gaw and Amoukar. Ika (Rae Dawn Chong), an Ivaka prisoner who escapes with Naoh, tags along for protection.

One day, Ika recognizes that she is near her home. She tries to persuade the Ulam trio to go with her, but either lack of a common language or a sense of purpose keeps them on their way back to the Ulam. When Ika leaves them the next morning, Naoh is upset and at first continues on without her, but finds that he can't stop thinking about her. He turns around, followed by the reluctant Gaw and Amoukar. Naoh leaves the others behind to scout a village and is captured by the Ivakas.

At first, he is teased and subjected to several forms of humiliation, but eventually the Ivaka accept him and show him their ways. Ika's tribe is the most advanced. They have atlatls, arts (body painting), huts, ornaments, primitive pottery, and most importantly, fire. When Naoh is taught how to make fire, he is overwhelmed and his life is changed forever.

Growing impatient, Gaw and Amoukar go to find Naoh and are also captured. During their ordeal, they are disturbed to realize that one of the teasers is Naoh, almost unrecognizeable as he now resembles the Ivaka! Gaw and Amoukar escape during the night, 'persuading' Naoh to come along by knocking him unconscious. Ika, realizing she loves Naoh, follows the trio and helps them get away.

On their way back to the Ulam tribe, they have to deal with a bear and a group of renegades who were formerly part of the Ulam tribe. Gaw is severly wounded in a fight with the bear, but manages to escape the other three members of the group, finds Gaw, and Amoukar picks picks him up, and carries him over his shoulder. Fortunately, they had stolen several spear throwers from the Ivaka, and use them to dispatch their enemies, demonstrating the advantages of embracing new technologies.

Upon rejoining the Ulam tribe, the fire tender, having been given the flame, falls in the water, extinguishing the fire. Naoh tries to create fire by using some sticks, dung and dry grasses. After several failed attempts, Ika takes over, carefully rubbing the dry sticks together. Once the spark is lit, the tribe is overjoyed, silent and overwhelmed. In the end, Ika finds that she is pregnant with Naoh's child.

Trivia

• It was planned to be shot in Iceland, but was actually filmed in Kenya, Scotland, and Canada.
• Actress Rae Dawn Chong is nude (apart from body paint) throughout her entire screentime in the film.
• Anthony Burgess created the primitive language in the film, for the Paleolithic characters to speak.
• Ron Perlman's film debut.
• The heavy metal band Iron Maiden's album Piece of Mind contains the track Quest for Fire, based on this film.

External links

• http://www.moria.co.nz/sf/questforfire.htm

Reference

• http://www.rottentomatoes.com/

1981 films | 1982 novels | French novels | Historical novels

Am Anfang war das Feuer | La Guerre du feu (film) | 人類創世 (映画)