L'Homme des fusées secrètes

"I Aim at the Stars" purports to be the story of Werner von Braun, one of the men responsible for getting the U.S. into space. In many ways, it is, but like many geniuses, von Braun lived a life full of controversy. To the film's credit, that controversy is somewhat handled here, though not enough.

The film covers von Braun's obsession with space travel, his work for Germany during the war, which resulted in rockets being used as war weapons, and he and his teammates handing themselves over to the Americans after the war. One word comes to mind: collaborator, but in von Braun's case, it goes a little deeper. Some people, such as opera star Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, collaborated with the Nazis. von Braun collaborated with anybody who could help him further his work. When that was no longer Germany, he was out of there.

It's foolish to go into all the aspects of von Braun not covered in the film. There are many more objective accounts of his life and work with the Nazis and whether or not he had to join or was a devoted member of the party. Curt Jurgens does an excellent job as von Braun, depicting him as a strong and determined man dedicated to his work first, last, and always.

The beautiful Victoria Shaw has a small role as his wife, Maria; James Daly plays an American soldier violently opposed to von Braun working for the U.S. Herbert Lom plays a member of von Braun's team who refuses to go to America, and he's very good.

There is some great rocket footage; many of the scenes in the film are short, almost like television scenes. It's not a big-budget movie. There is a love story subplot between a spy and one of von Braun's team; in fact, there was a spy, a female dentist, who reported some of his negative comments to the Nazis.

Werner von Braun was an individual of great accomplishments who helped the U.S. win the war in space. In the film, he is depicted as a reluctant Nazi, and it's true that he was, in fact, arrested by the Nazis for saying things against the party privately. In the end he was an opportunist and a survivor who did what had to be done to achieve his goals. Like many biographies, this film is merely one view. As to his efforts to get into space and instead making war weapons, there's always the joke about the movie: "I aim at the stars, but sometimes I hit London."

This movie starts with the younger years of von Braun's life when he was experimenting with rockets and propulsion.

The film shows the March 1944 arrest of von Braun by the Gestapo. The alleged crime was that Von Braun had declared his main interest in developing the V-2 was for space travel, not as a weapon. Also, since von Braun was a pilot, it was suggested that he was planning to escape with V-2 secrets to the Allies.

After a recording of von Braun referring to Adolf Hitler in an insulting manner is heard, the scientist is told he will be executed, but through Dornberger's influence, Hitler becomes convinced that von Braun's intellect puts him in a class of people too important to be executed.

After surrendering to the Americans, Von Braun refuses to consider himself a war criminal, but Maj. William Taggert, a former newspaperman whose wife and baby were killed in a London bombing raid, argues that because von Braun "invented an infernal device used to support an iniquitous regime," he was a war criminal.

Wernher von Braun was responsible for the space age becoming a reality in the 20th century. Von Braun was named by Life magazine as one of the "100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century," touting him as the man who "launched the greatest adventure of all, a journey to the Moon".

This interesting film includes some of von Braun's strongest critics but is balanced with von Braun's contributions to the American space program. The film ends in 1958, however von Braun when on to design the Saturn V moon rocket that put a man on the moon (the Saturn V still remains the most powerful rocket ever built, and it never had a critical failure).

Anyone interested in space travel will enjoy this movie.

This very interesting biopic of Werner von Braun was unfortunately badly received at the time of its release. Americans weren't happy when the brilliant scientist found sanctuary and a new home in America after WWII, and they weren't happy that Hollywood made a movie about him without making him out to be a villain. In fact, in England, rioters cruelly scribbled on promotional posters, "I Aim at the Stars, but Sometimes I Hit London." If you know the life story of von Braun, chances are you followed the space race and will be very anxious to rent this movie. If you're not interested in space at all, you might need a little more to the story - and thankfully, it has more. Friendship conflicts, betrayal, romance that makes you wait, secrets, rebellion, and all under the cloud of Nazi Germany. It really is an interesting story, and with Curd Jurgens at the helm, you can rest assured you're going to see some fine acting. It's not his usual character, since he usually played either soldiers or ladies' men. He's a scientist who thinks of rockets and the stars more than anything - including politics and women. He may have strength, but he puts his usual swagger on the shelf and embodies a different role; after all, that's called acting.

Herbert Lom is also very good, playing Curd's friend and colleague with a different idea of patriotism. There are a couple of women in the cast, even though they're not the focus: Victoria Shaw and Gia Scala, as their love interests. James Daly plays a good villain, making you grit your teeth and root for Curd all the more. I enjoyed this movie, and I'm not interested in space in the slightest!

As a member of the National Association of Rocketry (hobby group). I enjoyed this movie's historical footage for its value to the scale modeler (model rockets that fly). It also tries to capture some of the internal struggle within the man. With working with the military while fostering his dreams of manned flight after the War.

For a more un-laundered perspective seek out _Man/Moment/Machine_ and the von Braun episode concerning the V-2 on the History Channel.

The only time I've seen this movie on television was about ten years ago on the _Super Station_ (WTBS). I don't recall if his rank as a Colonel in the S/S was indicated in this film. Enjoy it for what it is. A glorification of one of the most important persons responsible in our beating the _Russkies_ in getting to the Moon first.

As the world turned its attention to the possibilities of manned spaceflight Werner von Braun acquired a sufficiently high profile to be the subject of a movie, with the film that emerged getting a hostile reception in a Britain still bearing the scars wartime bombing (von Braun had himself ruefully admitted "We aim at the stars, but sometimes we hit London").

After playing Ernst Udet in 'The Devil's General' Curt Jurgens was for the next few years Hollywood's favoured personification of The Good German; which is why when a whitewash was required of von Braun Curt was the man they enlisted.

The central part of the film plays like the director's next film 'The Guns of Navarone' from the point of view of the Germans. Physically Jurgens was all wrong for the part (Braun was a much younger man for starters). The Holocaust is briefly alluded to but the film tactfully skirts the issue of his enthusiastic use of slave labour.

The later section when he takes over at White Sands to help the Americans in Korea is far less well known and is therefore more informative. And then it's up and away into the heavens.