Ladder 49

Ladder 49 is a 2004 American drama film, directed by Jay Russell, about the heroics of fictional Baltimore firefighter Jack Morrison, who is trapped inside a warehouse fire, and his recollection of the events that got him to that point. The movie is a celebration of the firefighting profession and the lifestyle associated with it. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta.

Plot

The film opens with Baltimore firefighter Jack Morrison (Joaquin Phoenix) saving a man's life in a massive four-alarm fire in a 20-story concrete grain elevator/warehouse in the Canton waterfront neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland; however the grain being stored in the warehouse explodes, sending Jack falling through several floors, breaking his leg on landing. The film follows the efforts of the other men in his unit, Ladder Company 49, led by the commands of Deputy Chief Mike Kennedy (John Travolta), Jack's longtime mentor, to rescue him while Morrison tries to reach a safe area of the burning structure. Interspersed with the current rescue efforts are a series of flashbacks showing how Jack joined the fire department, his first meeting (at a supermarket) with the woman who would eventually become his wife (Jacinda Barrett), his relationship with his children, and the bonds he formed and the trials and tribulations he endured with his fellow firefighters.