Man in the Moon (1960)

Expected more

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

This is a classic English comedy as the surreal opening sequence will show. We start with a lovely pan through the English countryside and end up a four poster iron bed, which is fully made in the middle of a field. When you're wondering what the hell is happening, out pops William (brilliantly portrayed by Kenneth More), who then has a nut dropped on him from a passing squirrel... But it only gets stranger when a beautiful and glamorous woman comes across the stream on stepping stones. She ignores William when he speaks to her and as she clambers over the style we see an approaching vehicle. When the land rover pulls up we realise that William is out on the field trying to catch a common cold. It's William's great good health that sets him on the route to being the first man on the moon.You have to remember that this movie was made in the '60's so most of the technology within the story is now incorrect and, at times, laughable. What made this such a good film for me was the acting. As not only do we have the great Kenneth More, who I can listen to and watch all day, but Shirley Anne Field is so beautiful and plays Polly brilliantly, then there's Norman Bird and Michael Hordern who add gravitas to the film.Secondly, there's the story which is well written with lots of believable and funny narrative along with realistic characterisations. For me, this is the way that comedy works best. Keep the characters solid and make the lines and situations comedic. Today, too many writers and directors like to have wacky characters - though, on the whole, they appear juvenile and pretty stupid.This isn't the best comedy, though it did raise a few smiles and laughs. I would gladly recommend this for an afternoons or evenings entertainment.

While there are some slow spots here and there, I still enjoyed "Man in the Moon" and thought it was a cute little curio from the era of the Space Race. However, instead of showing the fledgling American or Russian space programs, this movie is about the fictional British program.The film begins with a team of scientists performing a wide variety of grueling experiments on people--all of which take a serious toll on them--causing the participants to get sick. Well, all but one becomes sick. For some odd reason, a rather nice but dim bachelor seems immune to all illnesses. Now you'd think this would be a case for the medical community--as his genes must be incredible. However, the scientists are only concerned about the space program--and none of these guinea pigs knew that was the purpose of the study. What they also didn't realize is that the egg-heads were looking for the perfect stooge to send to the moon. You see, the scientists hated all the bad press they got when animals were killed and they didn't want well-trained astronauts to die--so they were looking for someone expendable and resilient...and William Blood (Kenneth More) was their choice for this dubious honor.Much of the film is about both the training Blood undergoes as well as his relationship with a nice stripper! But, because this lady might distract Blood, for much of the film her letters are kept from him. Later, he not only gets the girl but makes the first moon shot. To find out what happens next, try watching this cute film.I liked the film's very cynical and tongue-in-cheek humor--though I am sure younger people in the audience would be less impressed because sometimes the humor was subtle and they really have no recollection of this interesting period in history. Well done all around, but with a few slow moments here and there.

I think this film is brilliant. It depicts an era in British history that has long gone.Bubble-type cars, bars of chocolate at the railway station where you could just hop on a steam train and go up to town (London) or anywhere,without having to worry about pre booking or reserving seats, leave your car on the road just outside the station, and it would be there when you got back and no fee! There is a great scene where the use an emersion tank very similar to the stress relieving floatation tanks of today but this looks more fun. Another great scene is near the beginning when Blood reports to the Common Cold Research Station, which actually existed, and there are scenes of galeforce winds in the corridors and rain stopping play in a cricket match. The story line rattles along with pace and as usual in these films, there's a great supporting British cast.

The concept that space flight is too dangerous to waste highly trained astronauts on is so splendidly British.Spike Milligan would have been proud to have thought it up.This forgotten film has many felicities,a cast of top-drawer English comedy actors and is beautifully photographed by one of the busiest cameramen in the business,Harry Waxman who shot around 70 films including the superb "Brighton Rock" and the cult classic "The Wicker man". Mr Kenneth More is cast as William Blood,the very epitome of hale and heartiness,who has never had a day's illness in his life,thus meeting the most important criterion set out by the British Space Programme. The lovely Miss Shirley Anne Field,displays a nice light touch as his nemesis.It seemed at the time that Miss Field might be at the start of a long career in comedy as a sort of "Liz Fraser with brains"character,but it never happened.Shortly after "The man in the moon" she made the serious "The War Lover" where she gave Mr Steve McQueen a run for his money. Mr More was a genuine copper-bottomed star.He was far more versatile than often given credit for.His "Freddy" in "The Deep Blue Sea" showed the depth beneath his eternal cheeriness.Critics were forced to take him seriously after TV's "The Forsyte Saga" ,but ordinary moviegoers had long recognised his qualities. Like Samson of old he is undone by a beautiful woman,falls in love with Miss Field and catches a cold. Those were the days when our space programme,such as it was,was based in Woomera where the only living things at risk from our falling rockets were a few kangaroos. We liked to think we approached space exploration with the Corinthian spirit but the fact is we were dabblers, the merest of amateurs compared to the Americans and Russians.To them - the glory.To us - Kenneth More sleeping on his iron bedstead in a field of cows.