Man in the Moon

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.

I always have time to watch a Basil Deardon film, and this is an unusual film in his oeuvre, as it's a comedy. It starts with a delightful eccentric opening scene and I was fired up, from then on, particularly with Shirley Ann Field's entrance.

After the wonderful start I then had to persevere, as Kenneth More was starting to grate on me, as there was too much dialogue from him. I'm pleased to say it was worth it, as there are some good visual gags, some pure slapstick, and I particularly liked the windy Common Cold Research Station.

There are a couple of interesting scenes when Keneth More dons his space suit and goes through the process of entering the space ship. The other was in the immersion/flotation tank, where they are tryng to change Charles Gray's bad attitude, with mind control (?).

There is a belter of a line in the film when they ask about the potential astronault's politics, that made me crease up with laughter, but I will not spoil it for you.

It's all ridiculous of course, and the only other actor worth mentioning (other than Shirley Ann Field) is Michael Horden, who plays it generally straight, which was needed. Back to Shirley Ann Field, and she steams through this film and is as sultry as they come (it was 1960 after all). Each moment she is on screen is worthwhile, just a shame that we do not see enough of her, but then again, I wouldn't want more.

Whether to watch or pass? If you can sit through cheaply made black & white British films from 1960 (before the 60's swung), that are playful with some worthwhile moments, then I'd say yes. Not high art, but I'm glad I watched it, and it did make me laugh at times.

If the British had ever mounted a moon exploration mission I wouldn't expect this film to be too far from the truth. Kenneth More plays Billy Blood, an everyman selected to be the first man on the moon by three crackpot 'NASTI' scientists who deem the trip too dangerous to be made by trained astronauts.

There follows a series of experiments, three jealous astronauts, a stripper girlfriend and a baked beans tin in the Australian Outback...

It's British, it's mad, and it's fanciful, if not a little wayward in parts..look out for a young Charles Gray enjoying himself as the upper-crust astronaut brainwashed into being Blood's new best friend...

"I say chaps, I shouldn't have had that last bit of tea and toast before take-off"...

Lighthearted British comedy about a man immune to everything who gets hired for a space flight. Although most of the humor in "Man in the Moon" is of the more subtle type, a wacky scene takes place in the Common Cold Research Center, where they have a constant wind blowing. And then of course, there's a surprise when the man lands on the, ahem, moon. But overall, I'd say that the best thing about this movie is Shirley Anne Field. What a babe! Obviously, space travel was still in its infancy at this point, and an actual moon landing was still a few years away. No matter. It's an enjoyable movie. You're sure to like it.

PS: Charles Gray, who plays Leo, also played Dikko in "You Only Live Twice".

Did we really laugh at films like this? Strangely, yes, once upon a time. In this black and white non-classic, Kenneth More plays the semi-moronic William Blood who makes his living volunteering for medical trials. Until now, no one seems to have realised that Blood is a medical marvel himself, he doesn't get ill however they try to infect him, something that may be due to his laid back attitude.

This prompts the British space research team (seriously) to recruit him for a trip to the Moon. The only problem is that this is purely a one-way trip, which of course Blood doesn't realise. Needless to say, things don't go quite according to plan. There is a minor sub- plot featuring a very blonde ingénue, who deserves that appellation in spite of her being a stripper by profession.

"Man In The Moon" is all very tame but it does give a couple of good lines to one of its minor characters that will deserve to be remembered by Libertarians and philosophers long after the film itself is forgotten.