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.
Practical Effects
Chesley Bonestell's gorgeous matte paintings of lunar landscapes
Production
Woody Woodpecker cameo explaining rocket science, no really
Director
Irving Pichel
John Archer
Jim Barnes
Warner Anderson
Dr. Charles Cargraves
Tom Powers
General Thayer
Dick Wesson
Joe Sweeney
Erin O'Brien-Moore
Emily Cargraves
Steve Carruthers
Businessman at Meeting (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum
Factory Worker (uncredited)
Everett Glass
Mr. La Porte (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp
Businessman at Meeting (uncredited)
Knox Manning
Himself (uncredited)
Irving Pichel
Off Screen Narrator of Woody Woodpecker Cartoon (voice) (uncredited)
Cosmo Sardo
Businessman at Meeting (uncredited)
Grace Stafford
Woody Woodpecker (voice) (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
George Pal produced this as the first major Hollywood space travel film, beating the actual moon landing by 19 years. It won the 1950 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
Robert A. Heinlein co-wrote the screenplay and his novel 'Rocket Ship Galileo' formed the basis; the Woody Woodpecker cartoon was his idea to make rocketry accessible to audiences.
US
