Race to Space (2001)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Sean McNamara

Writers (WGA):

Eric Gardner (written by) &
Steven H. Wilson (written by)

Release Date:

15 March 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Tagline:

Together they surprised America and made history.

Plot:

In the 1960s a young woman works at NASA as an animal trainer responsible for the chimpanzee who will go into space. |

Plot Keywords:

NASA | Chimpanzee | Space | Independent Film

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Mon. July 20

7:15 AM

HBO

Cast

James Woods	...	Dr. Wilhelm von Huber
Annabeth Gish	...	Donni McGuinness
Alex D. Linz	...	Billy von Huber
Wesley Mann	...	Rudolph
Patrick Richwood	...	Dieter
William Devane	...	Roger Thornhill
Mark Moses	...	Alan Shepard
William Atherton	...	Ralph Stanton
Michael Tylo	...	Guidance Technician
Scott Thompson Baker	...	Telemetry Technician
Michael Jeffrey Woods	...	Dexterity Technician
T.J. Beacom	...	Ed the Bully
James Benson	...	Gertz
Jack McGee	...	Fielding
Marc Kittay	...	Rat Patrol #1

Also Known As:

Race to Space - Mission ins Unbekannte (Germany) (TV title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some language and peril.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:G | France:U | Germany:6 | USA:PG | Italy:T

Filming Locations:

Cape Canaveral Air Station, Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA

Company:

Brookwell-McNamara Entertainment

Trivia:

The character Roger Thornhill (played by William Devane) is clearly a reference to Cary Grant's character, Roger O. Thornhill in Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest (1959).

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Although set in Cocoa Beach, Florida, Billy's jet ride with Alan Shepard lands at what is clearly Edwards Air Force base in California. There are no mountains in Florida, yet the air strip background clearly shows a Mojave mountain range.

Good feelgood film

Granted, it's sentimental, and obviously made for TV, but I thoroughly enjoyed this film, which I can't say of some much higher-rated films here. The acting was fine really, tho indeed funny to hear James Woods talk semi-German. I think everybody in the cast did a fine job however. The story was told well, and interesting enough to follow. It was also visually well executed.

All in all an inspirational film for kids and adults because the message is that everyone can make a difference, make friends and make dreams come true. I find it sad that movies like this get dismissed as sentimental garbage. I prefer it much over negative and pretentious pieces.

I would rate this 7/10, but kids will give it 9/10!