When Time Ran Out (1980) Bridge Over Molten Lava | Volcano Scene
Hank and Kay go for a picnic on the beach to discuss their relationship. As they kiss, the volcano erupts and most of the island's population are wiped out. Tiny and all of Hank's workers are killed in town when a tsunami generated by Mauna Nui's eruption suddenly strikes. Sam takes Mona and two of his "bar girls," Delores and Marsha, and escapes by car, while Hank and Kay rescue Nikki and some others at stables in the path of the eruption by helicopter. The only survivors are those at Shelby's hotel, ignoring disaster, as the volcano spews fireballs. Small fireballs land at the hotel, and Conti is burned and blinded by one of them, to Fendly's horror. Conti is told by the paramedics that the injury is superficial, and given time to heal, he will regain his eyesight. Some of the hotel guests panic and try to escape by stealing the helicopter, but it crashes, killing those inside.
Hank insists everyone must evacuate the hotel and journey to a forest on high ground to await rescue. Spangler tells the crowd that Hank's own men got killed and blames him for it, thus convincing the majority of the guests to stay, including his mistress Iolani. Shelby bids farewell to Nikki, who insists on staying with her husband. After one final attempt to persuade others to join them, Hank and Kay leave the hotel with Shelby, Brian, Rene and Rose, Fendly and Conti, Sam, Mona and the girls, plus a few more. At the hotel, Nikki stumbles upon her husband's affair with Iolani, but now it is too late for her to follow the others.
Trucks carrying the survivors manage to travel as far as a mountainside gorge, where the road has fallen away. Everyone must cross the gorge on foot. Conti is guided by Fendly, and the two become friends. From there, the party comes upon a rickety wooden bridge over a river of molten lava. Hank crosses first to see if it is safe. The others go in pairs. Two native children, whose father died crossing the gorge, are afraid and run away. Rose, who had stopped to rest with Rene because of her weak heart, dies after telling her husband to find the children.
After an explosion beneath the bridge causes Sam and Marsha to fall to their deaths into the lava, Rene hoists a child onto his back and recreates his old tightrope act to get the child safely across. Hank guides the second child to safety. The survivors take refuge in a cavern, during which time large fireballs streak across the sky. Spangler pays for his arrogance when one huge fireball arcs directly towards the hotel; destroying it and killing him, Nikki, Iolani and all who chose to stay. The next morning, the survivors emerge from the cave and see two rescue ships, previously dispatched from Fiji.