Project Moon Base (1953)

A saboteur posing as a scientist strives to destroy the world's first space station.

Director:

Richard Talmadge

Writers:

Robert A. Heinlein (screenplay), Jack Seaman (screenplay)

Stars:

Donna Martell, Hayden Rorke, Ross Ford

Cast

Cast overview:
Donna Martell	...	Colonel Briteis
Hayden Rorke	...	Gen. 'Pappy' Greene
Ross Ford	...	Maj. Bill Moore
Larry Johns	...	Doctor Wernher
Herb Jacobs	...	Mr. Roundtree
Barbara Morrison	...	Polly Prattles
Ernestine Barrier	...	Madame President
James Craven	...	Commodore Carlson
John Hedloe	...	Adjutant
Peter Adams	...	Captain Carmody
Robert Karnes	...	Sam
John Straub	...	Chaplain
Charles Keane	...	Spacom Operator
John Tomecko	...	Blockhouse Operator
Robert Paltz	...	Bellboy

Storyline

In the not-too-distant future of 1970, the United States is considering building bases on the Moon, and send a female colonel and two men to investigate. One of the men turns out to be a foreign spy, and the entire operation--and the future of the free world--is in danger.

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Plot Keywords:

1970s | space station | moon | theremin | secret agent | 

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Taglines:

Thrills Come Rocketing to the Screen as Science Smashes a New Frontier!

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Genres:

Sci-Fi

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 September 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cat Woman on the Moon

Filming Locations:

Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Galaxy Pictures Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

63 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was initially intended as a pilot film for a TV series to be called "Ring Around the Moon". When science-fiction movies suddenly became popular, producer Jack Seaman added enough footage to the film to bring it up to feature length. This was done without the knowledge of writer Robert A. Heinlein, and he disowned the result.

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Goofs

When the moon spacecraft leaves the space station from Dock 4, views from space show the docking hatch open. Views from inside the ship of the space station on the big screen clearly show the docking hatch closed.

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Quotes

Gen. 'Pappy' Greene: Colonel, I'm sending Major Moore as your co-pilot.
Col. Briteis: Bill Moore? Oh no General, you can't!
Gen. 'Pappy' Greene: And why not?
Col. Briteis: The big lug hates me, he's jealous of me.
Gen. 'Pappy' Greene: Now you listen to me, 'Brighteyes'...
Col. Briteis: "Bright-ice", if you please...
Gen. 'Pappy' Greene: Shut up BrightEYES, and listen to me! Major Moore is the best pilot we've got, better than you are!
Col. Briteis: But, I don't understand why you...
Gen. 'Pappy' Greene: PIPE DOWN! If he weighed 90 pounds instead of 180, he'd be a Colonel and a public hero and you'd still be a Captain. But you got the orbiting flight, ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in The Canned Film Festival: Project Moonbase (1986)

User Reviews

Donna Martel looks good in this movie

In the early '50s when real space travel was yet another 8 years in the future, this was average view of space travel for most people. In that paradigm, movie like this was a pretty standard format as a space rocket based stories.

Story's premise sound's ridiculous now that a rocket goes off course and can land on moon as an alternate plan and become the first people to land on the moon, but movie like this was never intended to be a serious science fiction. Some things were predicted accurately such as giant screen TV monitor, and forward thinking concept such as woman president of the country.

But let's get to the bottom line here. The only thing that's worth watching in this movie in my opinion is the beautiful Donna Martel. She looks great as the female astronaut. This movie would not be worth a watch without her.

Movie is a bit of cheese, but I find decent entertainment, and not a terrible movie to watch. I like this movie better than many of the rocket movies from this era such as Cat Woman of the Moon.

So, I wouldn't give a high rating, but it's an okay movie for this category.