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 | psychotronic film | year 1970 | space | near future | 

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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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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shot in ten days.

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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

Col. Briteis: [a saboteur has just caused the ship to make an unplanned landing on the Moon. The commander is being helped off her bunk by the second in command, a seasoned pilot who had trained thoroughly for the flight, only to have been replaced by her at the last minute. She has been making snarky, catty comments at and about him the whole trip, but now she looks up at him in alarm] Bill, I muffed it!
[pause]
Col. Briteis: What'll we do?
Maj. Bill Moore: [gently] Take it easy. Come on.
[Helps her off her couch]
Col. Briteis: But you don't understand! ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest: Project Moonbase (1969)

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.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 September 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

Project Moonbase

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