When Mr and Mrs Little (Hugh Laurie and Geena Davis) visit an orphanage to find a brother for their son George (Jonathan Lipnicki) they come away with a charming talking mouse called Stuart. After initial misgivings, George and Stuart begin to get on famously, and everything seems to be going perfectly; but unknown to the family, the neighbourhood cats have ganged together with the sole intention of getting rid of Stuart. Co-written by M. Night Shyamalan ('The Sixth Sense') and featuring state-of-the-art computer-generated effects and Michael J. Fox as the voice of Stuart.

A huge glass tower block, touted as the tallest building in the world, bursts into flame on its opening night.

An all-star cast includes Steve McQueen as Michael O'Hallorhan, the fire chief determined to get the blaze under control, while Paul Newman stars as embarrassed architect Doug Roberts, trapped inside with fellow guests Fred Astaire, Richard Chamberlain and Robert Wagner.

The Towering Inferno became the biggest of the Seventies cycle of disaster movies, which began four years earlier with 'Airport'.