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) (as Robert Heinlein), Jack Seaman (screenplay)

Stars:

Donna Martell, Hayden Rorke, Ross Ford

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Donna Martell	...	Colonel Briteis
Hayden Rorke	...	General Greene
Ross Ford	...	Major 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 | moon | space station | outer space | secret agent | 

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Taglines:

They found romance 100,000 miles from the earth!

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Genres:

Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 September 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cat Woman on the Moon

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal 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

As the Magellan is landing on the moon and descending behind the rocks, the black arm that is connected to the left of the model can be seen blocking out the stars behind it as it lowers.

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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

Referenced in Cat-Women of the Moon (1953)

User Reviews

Expanded TV show doesn't know what it really is. Are we laughing with it or at it?

Failed TV show becomes a wildly uneven feature film about a space station and misdirected space shot becoming the first moonbase. Weird mix of comedy, drama and science fiction with more than a dash of (unnamed) anti-communist propaganda doesn't seem sure what it wants to be. Worse you don't know whether you're supposed to laugh at or with the film. The mere fact that this was an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 in its early days gives you an idea about how odd the film is. Its regrettably not very good and there's a good chance you'll end up turning the film off before the ending. Robert Heinlein was unhappy with the finished product because the TV show he worked on was changed against his wishes. Looking at the film and guessing what he actually had a hand in, I'm pretty sure that the evil "red" plot is his, I think that the film would still be quite silly- especially in retrospect. For bad film lovers or Heinlein completeists only.