Capricorn One (1977)

Director:

Peter Hyams

Writer:

Peter Hyams (written by)

Release Date:

2 June 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The mission was a sham. The murders were real.

Plot:

A NASA Mars mission won't work, and its funding is endangered, so they decide to fake it just this once. But then they have to keep the secret...

Plot Keywords:

Mission | Astronaut | Mars | NASA | Journalist

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Elliott Gould	...	Robert Caulfield
James Brolin	...	Charles Brubaker
Brenda Vaccaro	...	Kay Brubaker
Sam Waterston	...	Peter Willis
O.J. Simpson	...	John Walker
Hal Holbrook	...	Dr. James Kelloway
Karen Black	...	Judy Drinkwater
Telly Savalas	...	Albain
David Huddleston	...	Hollis Peaker
David Doyle	...	Walter Loughlin
Lee Bryant	...	Sharon Willis
Denise Nicholas	...	Betty Walker
Robert Walden	...	Elliot Whitter
James Sikking	...	Control Room Man (as Jim Sikking)
Alan Fudge	...	Capsule Communicator

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate no. 25000) | Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) | Netherlands:6 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Long Beach, California, USA

Company:

Associated General Films

Trivia:

The end helicopter-crop-duster sequence was used in an episode of the television series "The Fall Guy" (1981).

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Lear Jet Pilot Clay Lacy appears twice in the closing credits.

Quotes:

Charles Brubaker: This is really wonderful. If we go along with you and lie our asses off, the world of truth and ideals is, er, protected. But if we don't want to take part in some giant rip-off of yours then somehow or other we're managing to ruin the country. You're pretty good, Jim. I'll give you that.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Sound of Thunder (2005)

A guilty pleasure

One of those movies I'm ashamed to admit that I love. The logic comes and goes in this roller-coaster ride of a film, but the emotional highs are most memorable. One of Elliot Gould's last starring roles. I particularly enjoyed Telly Savalas, who chews the scenery unmercifully but is fun to watch as he saves the day. Also James Brolin, who goes the extra mile and does things that some actors would balk at, such as eating a rattlesnake. When I saw this in the theatre, there were a couple of scenes that had the audience cheering, which is not something one sees very often. And how they ever got NASA to allow them to film has got to be a story in itself, one which I am eager to hear.