There are some things (more philosophical points than anything having to do with the actual production of the movie) that I liked about this film. The opening scenes were thought-provoking and disturbing. They depicted a group of arms merchants sitting around a table lamenting that with the end of the America Civil War their profits were down. This calm and matter of fact and very practical approach to warfare strikes me as something arms manufacturers of every place and age would share. The group was gathered to hear a proposal from industrialist/scientist Victor Barbicane (Joseph Cotten) about a new type of explosive he had invented and a proposal that the explosive could be used to launch a rocket to the moon - in 1868! Since there was potential profit involved (and because countries all over the world would want to buy the explosive to protect themselves from each other) they all signed on to the project. That, of course, was a prophetic reference to the theory of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) - a phrase which was coined several years after this movie's release. And Barbicane's new explosive is obviously intended to remind people of the atomic bomb. So there's a combination of typical 50's sci-fi with the paranoia that existed at the time about the bomb. There was some interesting enough material to reflect on.
Unfortunately ... yes, there's an "unfortunately." The actual story is about as dry as can be. It plods along with very little happening that's really all that interesting. The special effects are virtually non-existent - which is especially noticeable once the rocket takes off with Barbicane and some associates aboard. Somehow the rocket has gravity and the shots of the rocket are cheap looking - as is the very bare bones interior of the ship. I also wondered why they were worried that the rocket would heat up and burn as it landed on the moon? There's no atmosphere on the moon. There's nothing to heat it up? The ending of the story was very abrupt and seemed to leave an awful lot hanging. And there was one historical anomaly that puzzled me. As I understand the story it's set in 1868. But when Barbicane is asked to meet with the president, it's obvious that the president is Ulysses Grant. But Grant became president in 1869. In 1868 the president was Andrew Johnson. Although I don't recall a specific date being mentioned in the movie - but most of what I've read about the movie says that it's set in 1868. That puzzled me.
Personally, I thought that even as 50's sci-fi (which is full of cheap and cheesy movies) goes, this was one of the weaker examples I've seen. (4/10)
Unfortunately ... yes, there's an "unfortunately." The actual story is about as dry as can be. It plods along with very little happening that's really all that interesting. The special effects are virtually non-existent - which is especially noticeable once the rocket takes off with Barbicane and some associates aboard. Somehow the rocket has gravity and the shots of the rocket are cheap looking - as is the very bare bones interior of the ship. I also wondered why they were worried that the rocket would heat up and burn as it landed on the moon? There's no atmosphere on the moon. There's nothing to heat it up? The ending of the story was very abrupt and seemed to leave an awful lot hanging. And there was one historical anomaly that puzzled me. As I understand the story it's set in 1868. But when Barbicane is asked to meet with the president, it's obvious that the president is Ulysses Grant. But Grant became president in 1869. In 1868 the president was Andrew Johnson. Although I don't recall a specific date being mentioned in the movie - but most of what I've read about the movie says that it's set in 1868. That puzzled me.
Personally, I thought that even as 50's sci-fi (which is full of cheap and cheesy movies) goes, this was one of the weaker examples I've seen. (4/10)