Way... Way Out (1966)

In a futuristic world, the USA decides to send a married couple of astronauts to its moon base in order to prevent any improper contact with the Soviet female cosmonauts manning the USSR moon base.

Director:

Gordon Douglas

Writers:

William Bowers, László Vadnay (as Laslo Vadnay)

Stars:

Jerry Lewis, Connie Stevens, Robert Morley

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jerry Lewis	...	Peter Mattemore
Connie Stevens	...	Eileen Forbes
Robert Morley	...	Harold Quonset
Dennis Weaver	...	Hoffman
Howard Morris	...	Schmidlap
Brian Keith	...	Gen. 'Howling Bull' Hallenby
Dick Shawn	...	Igor Valkleinokov
Anita Ekberg	...	Anna Soblova
William O'Connell	...	Ponsonby
Bobo Lewis	...	Esther Davenport
Sig Ruman	...	Russian Delegate
Milton Frome	...	American Delegate
Alexander D'Arcy	...	Deuce Hawkins (as Alex D'Arcy)
Linda Harrison	...	Peggy
James Brolin	...	Ted Robertson

Storyline

In 1989, the Americans and the Russians each have a two-person base on the moon. The Americans have had to keep replacing their astronaut teams because they quickly go crazy; they have been using only male astronauts on the unspoken assumption that this would avoid any possibility of impropriety. The Russians, as godless Communists, are under no such constraints, and their male-female team has remained well-adjusted. At the start of the film, a male and female American astronaut team is sent up to replace the sex-starved all-male team. The government insists on them being married first to preserve morality. Most of the story revolves around the eventual consummation of this marriage of convenience, and around their relationship with their Russian neighbors, who keep casually dropping by.

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | astronaut | marriage of convenience | faked pregnancy | video telephone | 

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Taglines:

Once Upon A Time In 1989, The Americans And The Russian Went To The Moon

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Genres:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The song Connie Stevens hums in the bath is the title tune to "A Certain Smile," a previous 20th Century Fox release,from 1958.

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Goofs

On their first night on the moon the valve on Pete's pillow appears and disappears.

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Quotes

Gen. 'Howling Bull' Hallenby: There goes that damned fool Indian falling off his horse again.

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Connections

Features Frankenstein (1931)

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Soundtracks

Way... Way Out
Words by Hal Winn
Music by Lalo Schifrin
Sung by Gary Lewis & The Playboys (as Gary Lewis and the Playboys)

User Reviews

60's spoof

"Austin Powers" spoofed spy films of the sixties and this film is somewhat in that vein except "Way... Way Out" was made from a sixties perspective, not a nineties perspective. Also, this film spoofed a sacred cow, the space program (Disney's "Moon Pilot" in 1962 covered much of this territory already and if you like one you'll probably like the other...though very few people have heard of either). Any fan of the sixties will recognize likeable Brian Keith (he also starred in "Moon Pilot"), sophisticated Robert Morley, leggy bombshell Anita Ekberg, frumpy character actor Milton Frome, studly James Brolin, wacky Howard Morris, even wackier Dick Shawn, and forever Chester, Dennis Weaver. Jerry Lewis of course is the star and delicious Connie Stevens (who Jerry introduced in the must superior "Rock-a-Bye Baby") is the eye candy. By today's standards one might consider the casting of the actresses for their physical attributes a bit sexist (like that doesn't happen today) but this is a physical comedy and placing Connie Stevens among a group of men (men always have sex on their mind don't you know) is not really all that sexist (at least not for the women). Connie Stevens success has been that she's a good comedian too. Some of the comedy is Benny Hill style (or "Austin Powers") but not crude like contemporary films "Something About Mary" or "Scary Movie."

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 October 1966 (USA)

Also Known As:

Das Mondkalb

Filming Locations:

Stage 18, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,955,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Coldwater, Way Out Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (DeLuxe) Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1