The Rocket Man

this rare hard to find film should appeal to those science fiction collectors that like a nostalgic typical "greed verses good" message, the cast should be very impressive to veteran fans of 1950"s classic science fiction,check out those names folks!, modern present day corrupt politicians would not approve of this film,the stereotypes are in our newspapers and on television everyday at the present time,****my favorite line from the film is when the orphan boy asks the judge, "what is a birthday card?",**** i sincerely hope someday the distributors will release a quality print of this almost forgotten film, but my gut feeling is that will not happen due to current marketing practices. in my humble opinion,this is an interesting study of a 1954 moralistic science fiction comedy/drama very similar to some episodes of the latter excellent twilight zone television series.

Young orphan Timmy (George "Foghorn" Winslow) is given what appears to be a toy ray-gun only to discover that the futuristic-looking gadget has some peculiar powers. The story, penned in part by Lenny Bruce, is a simple wish-fulfillment fantasy and spends no time explaining what the ray-gun is, what it can do (generally it does whatever the plot requires), or where it came from (beyond glimpses of a mysterious spaceman - presumably the titular character). Winslow is fine as typical '50s movie-kid but the film is held together by old pros Charles Coburn and Spring Byington. The soon to be lord-of the-Bs John Agar is on hand to spark the obligatory romance (with Anne Frances - a remarkably rapidly blooming relationship). The sci-fi trappings are presumably for marketing purposes, as the 'ray-gun' could have been any kind of magic gizmo. The film was not particularly well received then, and now is likely only of interest to those nostalgic for a small-town '50s that likely never existed or hard-core sci-fi completists.

"The Rocket Man" had some terrific actors who I normally love in movies. Spring Byington and Charles Coburn are terrific supporting actors and here they get a chance to star in a film. Additionally, while I sometimes dislike child stars, 'Foghorn' Winslow is always enjoyable in movies. But here they seem wasted as the story had some excellent elements but it was also quite sappy and schmaltzy.

Timmy (Foghorn) is a cute orphan...but one who drives the folks at the orphanage batty. Despite this, or because of this, the kindly Justice of the Peace, Amelia Brown (Byington) decides to bring Timmy to stay with her for a while. Soon a space alien arrives and he gives Tommy a special sort of gun...one that can make people tell the truth or stop speeding cars). The alien then informs Timmy that he'll know exactly when to use it. And, since Timmy is such a nice kid, he doesn't use the gun for evil but to make the world around him a nicer place by the end of the film.

In the meantime, a horrible drunkard arrives in town. He nearly runs over a child (prevented only by Timmy using the gun to make the car stop) and then acts VERY belligerently with the cop as well as the Justice of the Peace. He keeps telling them that he's a big political boss...and he can do ANYTHING he likes. And, if they punish him, they'll be sorry! Well, you can probably guess where this goes next given that Timmy has this special alien hardware.

The story drips with schmaltz. It's a shame, as Foghorn and Charles Coburn excelled in films with cynicism and an edge. But here, it's all so gooey and sickeningly sweet. Plus, the story really did NOT need an alien nor that weird gun. Some really great actors wasted as a result.

Spring Byington is a small town justice of the Peace who believes in the goodness of all people, except for county political boss Emory Parnell. Parnell has just put in a bid to buy the local orphanage using John Agar as a front. Agar is in love with Miss Byington's daughter, Anne Francis, and pretending to be parolee Stanley Clements. Fortunately, George Winslow, whom Miss Byington is adopting, has a ray gun which makes everyone tell the truth.

Carried on the capable shoulders of Misses Byington, Francis and Charles Coburn, this movie, co-written by Lenny Bruce, leaves me a bit groggy as to what is going on, except for the rather nonce romance between Agar and Miss Francis. A bit of reading bout the movie turned up the word 'wacky' a lot, and yes, that is a word that describes this. If, that is, one wishes to be charitable. Perhaps it would be wisest to leave it at that.

This moved me the way no other movie has. Only Lenny Bruce could write such a life affirming film that could restore your faith in humanity. I am now a changed person.