Destination Moon
Seen it?1950 | 91 min | Science Fiction, Adventure, Drama
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It won an Oscar and it made about 8 times its budget, though it had a lukewarm 5.9 out of 10 from audiences. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for sci-fi fans and adventure fans. If you loved 2001: A Space Odyssey or The Martian, start here.
- The mood
- Exciting.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 31 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1950: an older pace and style.
A team composed of an aerospace scientist, an ex-Air Force general, and an industrialist conceives an ambitious plan to land Americans on the moon. From their base in the Mojave Desert, they construct and successfully launch a spacecraft named "Luna" that contains a cargo of four astronauts. But a critical miscalculation of needed power to escape the moon's gravitational pull may put the astronauts' lives in danger.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsSolid
67% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesBelow par
5.9 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Won 1 Oscar: Best Special Effects. Also nominated for 1 more Oscar.
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$5 million worldwide on a $592K budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 36K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Irving Pichel
- John ArcherJim Barnes
- Warner AndersonDr. Charles Cargraves
- Tom PowersGeneral Thayer
- Dick WessonJoe Sweeney
- Erin O'Brien-MooreEmily Cargraves
- Steve CarruthersBusinessman at Meeting (uncredited)
- Franklyn FarnumFactory Worker (uncredited)
- Jack GarganBusinessman at Meeting (uncredited)
- Everett GlassMr. La Porte (uncredited)
- Kenner G. KempBusinessman at Meeting (uncredited)