This movie was supposedly a financial bomb but it is still a great movie in my opinion. I guess the reason for me feeling that way is because I was in the 8th grade for the first Mercury launch with Alan Shepard and thusly through high school for Gemini and the 2nd corps of astronauts. I had just returned to the states from overseas in the Navy in 1969 in time for the first moon landing. I was enamered with the entire space program from my youth through to the end of Apollo. I was never a big fan of the shuttle program feeling it was mis-managed and too costly for what we were getting. It was simply playing in the sand box. Sadly it proved to be far too costly. I was not sad when they pulled the plug on it.
One of the more bizarre facts of my own life is that I saw this at age 13 with my dad in 1983, and then decades later a woman who had a bit part, whom I saw on the screen for a half second in this film, would become a great friend of mine. The scene is the Texas BBQ hosted by LBJ. Gordo Cooper's wife is in the food line and there is an elderly woman right next to her. That elderly woman became my friend many years later. She lived into her 90s. Her daughter and I schemed in 2013 to get her to a local 30th anniversary screening, attended by Dennis Quaid (Cooper) and the woman who played Cooper's wife (sorry, can't remember her name) I went up to that actress and asked her to come over and see my friend. Crazy, I actually.spoke just for a moment to that actress, and I had them take a photo together. All the scenes that actress was in in this film and I, age 13, had no idea I would one day see her face to face, along with Quaid. RIP, Ida Lee. You were and are the best.
1903 - wright brothers first flight. 1961 glenn orbits earth. before 1970 usa lands on moon. what technological wonders and advancements were made in this short time span.
Can someone explain what the "fireflies", how John Glenn said, were? Something burning off the capsule? Or some mythical stuff because the aborigines lit a fire?? 😂
Some interesting observations about the editing of the launch footage for this movie. This is actually footage from three or four different launches blended together At :18-:20, it’s actually a static test firing on the launch pad. At :48-:59 with the atlas soaring past the clouds it’s actually a Scott Carpenter mercury flight from May 1960 to 3 months after the John Glenn flight. The clouds increase the sensation of speed. At 1:04, The footage with the rocket fins and Cape Canaveral rotating below is from a “Little Joe” unmanned scout rocket. The bit at 1:35 Is actually from a failed atlas launch. What you’re saying is the escape tower firing to pull the mercury capsule off the Atlas rocket (MA-3 in 1961) just before the range safety destruct system blew it up. Which makes it all the more ironic when you see a Mercury-Atlas launch still flying across the sky with its contrail forming at about 1:49. In fact it may actually be the same footage you see at the very end of the movie with the end titles on it. Anyway, it’s pretty clever editing of film to tell the story.
I met the man as a young boy, and I told him, “Godspeed, John Glenn.” I didn’t know what it meant, but I had heard it so many times, I repeated it like a parrot. What else do you say to a guy like that?
They are called Vernier thrusters and are used to control the alignment of the booster during flight. These days, the same thing is achieved by the main engines being able to gimbal.
John Don Diana Persy Glen USA flag to each American through Jimmy Carter years, from Bobby Bruffett Seniors oldest son John Robert Bruffett Junior of Branson Missouri America, awesome air and space craft, neat USA flag!!!!!!
Goodbye Fred Ward! You sure did do some great films. Thanks for all the good flics! Godspeed! If ya can, put in a good word to St. Pete for all of us fans.
I was very fortunate to be an usher in a movie theatre when this first came out and I got to see that scene very often. Over time, that scene never lost it's magic and beauty and it hasn't now decades later.
First man to OFFICIALLY orbit the Earth. According to the International Aeronautics Association, for a record or achievement to count?...the pilot had to LAND with his craft. Neither Gagarin nor Titov (or any other Vostok "pilot") did that. So....Shepard was first in space, officially...Glenn first in orbit, officially.
Well, they're both part of the same piece. The first part you mention is from "Mars" --- and then it segues into" Jupiter"....both from Gustav Holt's "The Planets."
I grew up during those days . My son was 6 months old when "Eagle" landed . My grandson was 13 when our last Space Shuttle flew . We were ashamed as Russia took our people to and from the ISS . Now we all watch Space X do what NASA only dreamed of doing !
The heady days of the 1980s was driven to produce such optimistic films of why we should remain optimistic about our future. Today Hollywood is a joke. I know because I live there.
I met John Glenn Twice...got 2 of his Books...He was known to be Cuss Worthy...only around the Guys. Around the Lady's..the smiling Charmer...yeah Ohio..
God Bless John Glenn, for you were a noble & selfless patriot, a spectacular fighter pilot, record breaking flying daredevil, fearlessly pioneering astronaut, an indomitable Scottish warrior, a proud family man, an upstanding, dedicated politician, a class act all the way along with being a true, courteous gentleman & a real, amazing yet humble hero, one who never forgot his small town roots, you make me proud to be an American 🇺🇲🇺🇲🙏🙏
