Marooned (1969)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

John Sturges

Writers:

Martin Caidin (novel)
Mayo Simon (writer)

Release Date:

11 December 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Three marooned astronauts. Only 55 minutes left to rescue them. While the whole world watches and waits...

Plot:

Three American astronauts are stranded in space when their retros won't fire. Can they be rescued before their oxygen runs out?

Plot Keywords:

Astronaut | Oxygen | Space | NASA | Orbit

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	Charles Keith
Richard Crenna	...	Jim Pruett
David Janssen	...	Ted Dougherty
James Franciscus	...	Clayton Stone
Gene Hackman	...	Buzz Lloyd
Lee Grant	...	Celia Pruett
Nancy Kovack	...	Teresa Stone
Mariette Hartley	...	Betty Lloyd
Scott Brady	...	Public Affairs Officer
Craig Huebing	...	Flight Director
Frank Marth	...	Air Force System Director
John Carter	...	Flight Surgeon
Vincent Van Lynn	...	Aerospace journalist
George Gaynes	...	Mission Director
Tom Stewart	...	Houston Cap Com

Also Known As:

Space Travelers (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Iceland:12 | USA:TV-PG | West Germany:12 (f) | Australia:G | Finland:K-8 | Norway:12 (original rating) | Sweden:11 | UK:U | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Based on a novel by Martin Caidin, who would later write "Cyborg", the basis for the TV series "The Six Million Dollar Man" (1974).

Goofs:

Factual errors: A Saturn V rocket would not be necessary for a spacecraft bound for low-Earth orbit. A more preferable choice would have been a Saturn 1B.

Quotes:

[Keith is pulled over by the Highway Patrol for speeding]
Charles Keith: Look, I've got to get to a telephone!
Texas DPS officer: Will you shut off your engine please?
Charles Keith: Officer, I'm Charles Keith, head of Manned Space!
Texas DPS officer: I know who you are. You have no brake lights. Your license is expired. You may be able to get to the moon, but mister you're a menace on the highway!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Space Travellers (#5.1)" (1992)

Marroned: a great movie on its time, and beyond

For those who still believe in movies without CGI or too fancy special effects, Marroned is your kind of movie. Based in great performances by Gregory Peck, Richard Creena, Gene Hackman, David Jansen and all the great crew, this Apollo-era film is a good movie for entertaining and a short view of the Space Program in the early 70's. When I was reading some of the history of the production, the idea of Philco-Ford to "lend" a replica of the Mission Control Room for the movie (they actually were the creators of the original room in Cape Kennedy, according to the publication) was an exceptional element of accuracy and realism. The space scenes are part of the movie, not the movie itself and, well, was 1970, the chroma effects were still very simple. Still, the acting quality is the best value of Marroned. Please take a look and make your own opinion. I love it!