Marooned (1969)

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
Duke Hobbie	...	Air Force Titan specialist
Walter Brooke	...	Network commentator
Dennis Robertson	...	Launch Director
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bill Couch	...	Russian cosmonaut (uncredited)
Mauritz Hugo	...	Hardy - Reporter (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Guest in Observation Room (uncredited)
Mary Linda Rapelye	...	Priscilla Keith (uncredited)
Bruce Rhodewalt	...	Computer technician (uncredited)
George R. Robertson	...	VIP (uncredited)
George Smith	...	Cape Weather Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
John Sturges

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Martin Caidin		novel
Mayo Simon		writer

Produced by
Frank Capra Jr.	....	associate producer
M.J. Frankovich	....	producer

Cinematography by
Daniel L. Fapp		(as Daniel Fapp)

Film Editing by
Walter Thompson

Production Design by
Lyle R. Wheeler

Set Decoration by
Frank Tuttle

Production Management
William O'Sullivan	....	executive production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ralph E. Black	....	second unit director (as Ralph Black)
Michael Daves	....	second assistant director
Daniel McCauley	....	assistant director (as Daniel J. McCauley)
Mel Swope	....	first assistant director: second unit (uncredited)

Sound Department
Les Fresholtz	....	sound
Arthur Piantadosi	....	sound

Special Effects by
Chuck Gaspar	....	special effects coordinator (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Lawrence W. Butler	....	special visual effects
Donald C. Glouner	....	special visual effects
Robie Robinson	....	special visual effects

Stunts
Bill M. Ryusaki	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
W. Wallace Kelley	....	director of photography: second unit
Hal Landaker	....	video supervisor
Nelson Tyler	....	aerial photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Seth Banks	....	costumer

Other crew
Martin Caidin	....	technical advisor
John Franco	....	script supervisor
George Smith	....	technical advisor
Norman Stuart	....	dialogue coach
William Widmayer	....	photographic consultant

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Frankovich Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Film-Verleih (1970) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (1969) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1995) (USA) (laserdisc)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Sunset Gower Studios  sound stages

Also Known As:

Space Travelers (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (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: The Russian Soyuz spacecraft depicted only shows the orbital module. The launch/re-entry and service modules are missing.

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:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Rocketship X-M (#3.1)" (1990)

A little dry, but good.

I just rented this on VHS recently. After watching it, I remember that I had seen it many years ago. It was so long ago that I didn't remember details.

I actually liked it. The movie is rather dry, but I actually found it a refreshing change from movies that will throw in all sorts of irrelevant extras to make it an "excitement fest".

Apollo 13 did do a much better job of showing how Mission control worked in a crisis, but Marooned was made before the Apollo 13 mission took place.