Bahr and Hickenlooper present the extraordinary spectacle of a filmmaker at the peak of his clout, banking everything on his ability to pull inspiration out of the fire, and getting scorched.

NEWYORKER: Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse

Collingwood, Jones and Giles managed to pull the game out of the fire to set up a dramatic finale but, at the same time, they also put the efforts of the early batsmen firmly into perspective.

BBC: Jonathan Agnew column

"In this case it was an F15, an awesomely superb ground attack aeroplane but if you don't want that you have to provide enough troops on the ground... such as you don't need to call on the Americans to pull your chestnuts out of the fire, " he said.

BBC: UK soldiers in Afghanistan

It is the one to whom others in trouble turn, hoping that we will pull their chestnuts out of the fire, and we have been doing that with some frequency.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Space power: What is at stake, what will it take

Unable to get enough leverage, Officer McClintick came out into the hallway, directly under the attic opening and under fire, to grab Marshal Ley and pull him out of the kill zone and into the bathroom.

WHITEHOUSE: Background on Medal of Valor Ceremony