Space Cowboys (2000)

When retired engineer Frank Corvin (Clint Eastwood) is called upon to rescue a failing satellite, he insists that his equally old teammates accompany him into space.

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Ken Kaufman, Howard Klausner

Stars:

Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Clint Eastwood	...	Frank Corvin
Tommy Lee Jones	...	Hawk Hawkins
Donald Sutherland	...	Jerry O'Neill
James Garner	...	Tank Sullivan
James Cromwell	...	Bob Gerson
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Sara Holland
William Devane	...	Eugene Davis
Loren Dean	...	Ethan Glance
Courtney B. Vance	...	Roger Hines
Barbara Babcock	...	Barbara Corvin
Rade Serbedzija	...	General Vostov (as Rade Sherbedgia)
Blair Brown	...	Dr. Anne Caruthers
Jay Leno	...	Jay Leno
Nils Allen Stewart	...	Tiny
Deborah Jolly	...	Cocktail Waitress

Storyline

When a Russian satellite orbiting the Earth starts to veer off course. It seems like the guidance system in the satellite is of American origin. It's important to try and fix it before it comes into the atmosphere. N.A.S.A. man, Bob Gerson (James Cromwell) tries to find out who designed it, and discovers that it was designed by Frank Corvin (Clint Eastwood), an Air Force pilot who, forty years ago, was part of a team who was originally suppose to go to space, but when N.A.S.A. was formed and Gerson's influence, they were dropped. Gerson asks Frank to help, but Frank still holds a grudge. But after some prodding, he agrees but only if he and his team can go there so he can fix it. Gerson reluctantly agrees, so Frank recruits his former team members, "Tank" Sullivan (James Garner), Jerry O'Neill (Donald Sutherland), and "Hawk" Hawkins (Tommy Lee Jones) to join him. After some strenuous tests, they're cleared. And they go up with two other astronauts and check out the satellite and ...

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Plot Keywords:

space shuttle | astronaut | one last job | old age | satellite | 

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Taglines:

Boys will be boys.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some language

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the beginning of the movie after Frank and Hawk eject and are in free fall, it shows Tank almost hitting Hawk with the B-29. Hawk is visible straight ahead and at the same altitude as the B-29 passes him, as if he's floating instead of falling which would mean that the B-29 would've had to been in a steep dive as skydivers fall at about 120 MPH, but the B-29 is shown in level flight. Tank should've seen Hawk fall past in front of him, not simply float by.

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Goofs

While Jerry desperately needs his glasses for everything, including reading, on board of the shuttle he does some fine tuning on a computer panel without his prescription (sun) glasses. This is not unusual since glasses (including distance, reading, and progressive lenses) have a definite "starting" distance for proper focus. Many people who read glasses remove them for up close work. When Jerry is working on the panel and also using the calculator, he's working just a few inches from his nose, much closer than a person normally reads at. This is to adjust for his vision problems and be able to focus on things up close.

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Quotes

Col. William 'Hawk' Hawkins: Hello, Ikon. How we feeling today?

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Crazy Credits

There are no opening credits after the title is shown.

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Alternate Versions

In some television versions, Tank's recitation of Alan Shepard's prayer "Dear Lord, please don't let me fuck up" is replaced by "Dear Lord, please don't let me screw up".

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Connections

Referenced in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World/Eat Pray Love/The Expendables (2010)

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Soundtracks

Patricia
Written by Dámaso Pérez Prado (as Pérez Prado)
Performed by Dámaso Pérez Prado (as Pérez Prado)
Courtesy of the RCA Records Label of BMG Entertainment

User Reviews

A nice little movie, not too outrageous and the expert acting makes it enjoyable

We own this movie in our home collection and we haven't watched it in a while. Saw it again tonight on TV, and realized that it is still a good movie.

Clint Eastwood produces and directs this movie, and draws some "experienced" actors to help him fill the lead roles. They manage to extol the trials and tribulations of the senior years, while still capturing the exuberance of youth from the past.

the story leads a mildly predictable pattern, but in this case it is not the end of the story that is primarily important, but instead how they get there. Also, all 4 lead actors all come off as really having a good time in the movie, it feels like they really enjoyed making this one and it comes out on the screen in the performances.

The pace is even and smooth, again demonstrating Clint Eastwood's legacy of directing and acting in watchable, enjoyable movies, no matter what the gender.

I should also mention that the special effects and the space sequences are stunning and much better done than most other movies in near-earth space. That would be the industrial Light and Magic team doing it again.

Overall, enjoyable.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 August 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Space Cowboys

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$65,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$18,093,776, 6 August 2000

Gross USA:

$90,464,773

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$128,884,132

Company Credits

Production Co:

Clipsal Films, Mad Chance, Malpaso Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1