
The pilot for an unsold weekly series, Uncommon Valor stresses the courage and resourceful of a team of firefighters in Salt Lake City, Utah. Headed by dauntless battalion chief Tom Riordan (Mitchell Ryam), the unit tries to drench a raging conflagration at County General Hospital (a disaster enhanced by some pretty good special effects). They also have to battle the villain of the piece, discreetly described in the original network press release as a "deranged arsonist."
Directed by Rod Amateau, Uncommon Valor leans on a strong ensemble — Mitchell Ryan, Barbara Parkins, Ben Murphy — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about tv movie titles of 1983.
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