Rocketship X-M (1950)

An astronaut crew on their way to the Moon are unexpectedly propelled by gravitational forces and end up on Mars instead.

Director:

Kurt Neumann

Writers:

Orville H. Hampton (additional dialogue) (as Orville Hampton), Kurt Neumann

Stars:

Lloyd Bridges, Osa Massen, John Emery

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Lloyd Bridges	...	Col. Floyd Graham
Osa Massen	...	Dr. Lisa Van Horn
John Emery	...	Dr. Karl Eckstrom
Noah Beery Jr.	...	Maj. William Corrigan
Hugh O'Brian	...	Harry Chamberlain / Voice on Loudspeaker
Morris Ankrum	...	Dr. Ralph Fleming
Patrick Aherne	...	Reporter #1 (as Patrick Ahern)
Sherry Moreland	...	Martian Girl
John Dutra	...	Physician
Kathy Marlowe	...	Reporter (as Katherine Marlowe)

Storyline

Astronauts (Lloyd Bridges, Osa Massen, John Emery, Noah Beery, Jr., and Hugh O'Brien) blast off to explore the moon. Because of craft malfunction and some fuel calculations, they end up landing on Mars. On Mars, evidence of a once powerful civilization is found. The scientists determine that an atomic war destroyed most of the Martians (who surprisingly look like humans). Those that survived reverted to a caveman-like existence.

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | blood pressure | meteor shower | outer space | bare chested male | 

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Taglines:

ZOOM through the Universe the Screen's First Story of Man's First Conquest of Space! GASP at the Daring Courage of Four Men and a Girl as They Thunder Between Planets on a Runaway Rocket! You've Read About It! You've Heard About It! Now SEE it!

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Genres:

Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 June 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

None Came Back

Filming Locations:

Mojave Desert, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$94,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lippert Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

77 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The gravity-assist method of achieving escape velocity shown is similar to the one actually used in 2013 by India's Mars Orbiter Mission to leave Earth for Mars.

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Goofs

When the rocket reduces power the first stage of the rocket begins approaching the second stage in a violation of the laws of physics. The rocket has pulled away from the first stage and even if the power of the second stage was completely cut off inertia would keep the second stage moving faster than the first stage.

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Quotes

Floyd: I've been wondering, how did a girl like you get mixed up in a thing like this in the first place.
Dr. Lisa Van Horn: I suppose you think that women should only cook and sew and bear children.
Floyd: Isn't that enough?

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Alternate Versions

In the original theatrical version, the Mars scenes were tinted pink/red.

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Connections

Referenced in Attack of the 50 Foot Monster Mania (1999)

User Reviews

The easiest 50s sci-fi film to misunderstand

I low-rated this film for years -- but for all the wrong reasons. There's one key scene in the film, and if the viewer misses the point of this scene, the whole story seems ridiculous and badly done. Some sci-fi fans tend to reject stories that have a spiritual element in the plot. Don't reject this one until you've given it a fair chance. The story involves a lunar mission which suffers engine failure en route. After repairing the engines, the ship accelerates too fast, causing the crew to black out. When they regain consciousness, they discover that the ship is within a few hundred thousand miles of Mars. This is the part that used to bother me. How the heck could a ship accidentally go to Mars? The odds against this are about the same as the odds against evolution being true (oops, that different soap box. Continuing...) But the scientist in charge of the mission specifically states that the only way this could have happened was by the act of a `higher power'. Most reviews do not mention this important idea. The rocket did NOT accidentally go to Mars. You'll have to watch the movie to find out why the `higher power' brought them to Mars. Suffice it to say, the reason was good enough to have been copied by dozens of later films. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. And while your watching, keep your ears open for the great music by Ferde Grofe, with the very first use of a therimin in sci-fi films. During the 1970s, the rights to `Rocketship X-M' were bought by Wade Williams for $2,000 (what a deal!). He had seen the film as a child and loved it. Williams shot a series of redone special effects scenes which are now part of the prerecorded tape and DVD. He even makes an on-screen appearance as one of the characters in a long shot of the ship on the Martian surface. Consider the irony in this -- Williams saw the movie as kid, and LATER he actually appeared in it! Marty McFly, eat your heart out!