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6.3/10
251
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The story of rocket scientist Dr. Werner von Braun's career, from the 1920s until the late 1950s.The story of rocket scientist Dr. Werner von Braun's career, from the 1920s until the late 1950s.The story of rocket scientist Dr. Werner von Braun's career, from the 1920s until the late 1950s.
Don Burnett
- Newspaper Reporter
- (uncredited)
Paul Carpenter
- Launch Countdown Coordinator
- (uncredited)
Arpad Diener
- Horst
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAccording to the American Film Institute: "The film was greeted with demonstrations against von Braun at showings in Europe and New York, according to various news stories. Prior to the world premiere in Munich, von Braun and Jurgens held a press conference during which members of the Communist and British press hounded von Braun with charges that the film whitewashed his war work. The press conference prompted von Braun to issue the following statement: 'I have very deep and sincere regrets for the victims of the V-2 rockets, but there were victims on both sides. A war is a war, and when my country is at war, my duty is to help win that war.' Later, a crowd of protesters mobbed the theater where the premiere was held. Demonstrators in London dropped anti-Nazi pamphlets onto theatergoers from a balcony. In New York, the film was picketed by an anti-Fascist youth organization. The film was previewed in Washington at the Senate Office auditorium, and its Oct 1960 opening in Washington was attended by First Lady Mamie Eisenhower and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The film was chosen to open the Edinburgh Film Festival, where it received a special diploma of merit."
- GoofsDuring the Allied bombing raid on Peenemünde, dive-bombers are heard. No such aircraft would have been used.
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"What is that it always takes a war to see how useful scientists are?"
As the world turned its attention to the possibilities of manned spaceflight Werner von Braun acquired a sufficiently high profile to be the subject of a movie.
The film that emerged got a hostile reception in a Britain still scarred by wartime bombing (von Braun had himself ruefully admitted "We aim at the stars, but sometimes we hit London").
After playing Ernst Udet in 'The Devil's General' Curt Jurgens was for the next few years Hollywood's favoured personification of The Good German; which is why when a whitewash was required of von Braun Curt was the man they enlisted.
The central part of the film plays like the director's next film 'The Guns of Navarone' from the point of view of the Germans. Physically Jurgens was all wrong for the part (Braun was a much younger man for starters). The Holocaust is briefly alluded to but the film tactfully skirts the issue of his enthusiastic use of slave labour.
The later section when he takes over at White Sands to help the Americans in Korea is far less well known and is therefore more informative. And then it's up and away into the heavens.
The film that emerged got a hostile reception in a Britain still scarred by wartime bombing (von Braun had himself ruefully admitted "We aim at the stars, but sometimes we hit London").
After playing Ernst Udet in 'The Devil's General' Curt Jurgens was for the next few years Hollywood's favoured personification of The Good German; which is why when a whitewash was required of von Braun Curt was the man they enlisted.
The central part of the film plays like the director's next film 'The Guns of Navarone' from the point of view of the Germans. Physically Jurgens was all wrong for the part (Braun was a much younger man for starters). The Holocaust is briefly alluded to but the film tactfully skirts the issue of his enthusiastic use of slave labour.
The later section when he takes over at White Sands to help the Americans in Korea is far less well known and is therefore more informative. And then it's up and away into the heavens.
helpful•10
- richardchatten
- Nov 5, 2023
- How long is I Aim at the Stars?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- A Rocket and Four Stars
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 47 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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