Destination Moon (1950)

Director:

Irving Pichel

Writers:

Alford Van Ronkel (written for the screen by) &
Robert A. Heinlein (written for the screen by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

August 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

TWO YEARS IN THE MAKING!

Plot:

One of the first science fiction films to attempt a high level of accurate technical detail tells the story of the first trip to the moon.

Plot Keywords:

Moon | Astronaut | Scientist | General | Doctor

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

John Archer	...	Jim Barnes
Warner Anderson	...	Dr. Charles Cargraves
Tom Powers	...	General Thayer
Dick Wesson	...	Joe Sweeney
Erin O'Brien-Moore	...	Emily Cargraves
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Franklyn Farnum	...	Factory Worker (uncredited)
Everett Glass	...	Mr. La Porte (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Businessman at Meeting (uncredited)
Knox Manning	...	Knox Manning (uncredited)
Mike Miller	...	Man (uncredited)
Irving Pichel	...	Off Screen Narrator of Woody Woodpecker Cartoon (uncredited)
Cosmo Sardo	...	Businessman at Meeting (uncredited)
Grace Stafford	...	Woody Woodpecker (voice) (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Businessman at Meeting (uncredited)
Ted Warde	...	Brown (uncredited)

Directed by
Irving Pichel

Writing credits
Alford Van Ronkel		(written for the screen by) (as Rip Van Ronkel) &
Robert A. Heinlein		(written for the screen by) and
James O'Hanlon		(written for the screen by)
Robert A. Heinlein		(novel)

Produced by
George Pal	....	producer

Original Music by
Leith Stevens

Cinematography by
Lionel Lindon		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Duke Goldstone

Production Design by
Ernst Fegté

Set Decoration by
George Sawley

Makeup Department
Webster Philips	....	makeup artist (as Webster Phillips)

Production Management
Martin Eisenberg	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Harold Godsoe	....	assistant director

Art Department
Chesley Bonestell	....	technical advisor of astronomical art

Sound Department
William H. Lynch	....	sound (as William Lynch)

Special Effects by
Lee Zavitz	....	special effects

Animation Department
Walter Lantz	....	cartoon sequences by
Walter Lantz	....	animation producer (uncredited)
Fred Madison	....	animator (uncredited)

Music Department
Dave Torbett	....	orchestration (as David Torbet)
Clarence Wheeler	....	composer: animation sequence (uncredited)

Other crew
John S. Abbott	....	technical supervisor
Robert Brower	....	Technicolor color consultant
Robert A. Heinlein	....	technical advisor
Miles E. Pike	....	technician
Dale Tholen	....	technician

Production Companies

• George Pal Productions (presents) (as George Pal Productions, Inc.)

Distributors

• Eagle-Lion Films (1950) (USA) (theatrical) (released by) (as Eagle Lion Films, Inc.)
• United Artists (1954) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue)
• Budd Rogers Releasing Corporation (1956) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Wade Williams Productions (1982) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Cinema Classics (video)
• Englewood Entertainment (video)
• Image Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (laserdisc)
• Mass Production
• Nostalgia Merchant, The (198?) (USA) (VHS)
• Punto Zero (2007) (Italy) (DVD)
• Punto Zero (2008) (non-USA) (all media)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (video)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes

Also Known As:

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:Not Rated (DVD) | UK:U | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (certificate #14432)

Filming Locations:

General Service Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

George Pal Productions

Trivia:

Of the film's 90-minute runtime, only half actually shows the trip to the Moon. The film's entire first half is devoted to the construction of the rocket and to giving reasons for going to the Moon in the first place.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Although the characters mention that radio signals take 3 seconds to travel between the earth and the moon, earth replies arrive almost instantaneously during conversations with the men on the moon.

Quotes:

[after stepping onto the Moon's surface]
Jim Barnes:Claim it, Doc! I'm your witness - claim it officially.
Dr. Charles Cargraves:By the grace of God, and the name of the United States of America, I take possession of this planet on behalf of, and for the benefit of, all mankind.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Midnight Movie Massacre (1988)

A wonderment for a nine year old boy

I saw this film when it came out in 1950 along with my cousin - I was carried away with the absolute beauty of the graphics. I was too young to realize the hamming of the script and actors. I must have seen the film 3 or 4 times in 1950. I now have it on DVD - at my 63 years of age it still brings back wonderful feelings as it did in 1950. The scenes of the lunar landscape were incredible (painted by Chesney Bonestell). The actual way of getting there and back would not have been possible - Apollo program showed the way by a lander launched from an orbiter. Destination Moon also was in brilliant Technicolor which was a treat to see in 1950. It also used some real footage of what may have been USA captured German V2 rockets in flight.