Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Burl Ives | ... | Phineas T. Barnum | |
![]() |
Jimmy Clitheroe | ... | General Tom Thumb |
Terry-Thomas | ... | Captain Sir Harry Washington Smythe | |
Graham Stark | ... | Grundle | |
Gert Fröbe | ... | Professor von Bulow (as Gert Frobe) | |
Lionel Jeffries | ... | Sir Charles Dillworthy | |
Dennis Price | ... | The Duke of Barset | |
Troy Donahue | ... | Gaylord | |
Daliah Lavi | ... | Madelaine | |
Edward de Souza | ... | Henri (as Edward De Souza) | |
Hermione Gingold | ... | Angelica | |
Judy Cornwell | ... | Electra | |
Renate von Holt | ... | Anna (as Renata Holt) | |
![]() |
Joachim Teege | ... | Bulgeroff |
Stratford Johns | ... | Warrant Officer |
Phineas T Barnum and friends finance the first flight to the moon but find the task a little above them. They attempt to blast their rocket into orbit from a massive gun barrel built into the side of a Welsh mountain, but money troubles, spies and saboteurs ensure that the plan is doomed before it starts. Written by Rhino <rhino@blueyonder.co.uk>
There is nothing wrong with 'Blast Off", if you are willing to travel back to Victorian England, and enjoy the era. The era of scientific wonder and adventure, is depicted quite nicely. What is not depicted quite nicely is any kind of cohesive story. Vascillating between science fiction, farce, and romance, gradually scrambles the story to the point of bewilderment. While things start off with master showman P.T. Barnum and his miniature sidekick Tom Thumb trying to stage one of their spectacular "events", the movie eventually deteriorates into slapstick. "Blast Off" does have a few moments of dark comedy intertwined with all the nonsense. "Don't they usually give medals after the return trip?" - MERK