Directed by:
Philip KaufmanScreenplay:
Philip KaufmanCinematography:
Caleb DeschanelComposer:
Bill ContiCast:
Sam Shepard, Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid, Fred Ward, Barbara Hershey, Kim Stanley, Veronica Cartwright, Pamela Reed, Scott Paulin, Charles Frank (more)VOD (3)
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This epic chronicle of the seven pilots chosen to become astronauts for Project Mercury is based on the novel by Tom Wolfe. Deep in the desert during the 1950s, army test pilots courageously fought to break the sound barrier. These maverick men would stop at nothing to achieve winning speed. Led by their champion, Chuck Yeager (Sam Shepard), they caroused at the local watering hole while sharing tales of extreme sport and bravery--until the Russians successfully sent their Sputnik satellite into the skies, and the United States government panicked, quickly launching a space program of its own. In an effort to find the right men for the job, the government searched the desert and the seas, compiling a crew of daredevil space cowboys willing to do anything for the chance to represent America in the space race. After grueling medical, physical, and psychological tests, seven men were left standing, led by American hero John Glenn (Ed Harris), test pilots Gordon Cooper (Dennis Quaid), Gus Grissom (Fred Ward), and Scott Carpenter (Charles Frank), and Navy man Alan Shepard (Scott Glenn). With the help of the media and the government, these men became overnight heroes, sacrificing their freedom and their families for the dream of space travel. This piercing exploration of the men and wives behind the mission serves as a testament to the determination of America to dominate the field of space exploration, while offering an intriguing portrait of a period in which America wanted to believe in perfect men and their perfect wives, even if the reality was vastly more complex. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (3)
Maybe this didn’t have to be so romantic and airy, but then it would have lost that special aura that makes the length of the movie more than bearable. In any case, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that these are two separate movies (one about Yaeger and the other about seven space pioneers - and both excellent!) that don’t really fit together, forcibly combined.
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A little-known, yet absolutely essential film about the USAF experimental pilots and the struggle to conquer space in the 1960s. 200 minutes of heroic dudes, odes to the USA, some healthy humour and self-parody in places, and dramatic scenes brilliantly shot for their time, with an emphasis on realism and historical accuracy. Until Apollo 13, probably the best space conquest film with a legendary ensemble cast that you can only get in the Avengers movies these days.
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I was very worried about how long the film was, but it's just so well made that it won me over and I just stared at how good it was and how much I enjoyed it. There are great scenes for relaxation here, but there are also absolutely captivating aerial scenes. It doesn't need a strong action-packed climax; it's just good in how skillfully it's filmed and captured. The special effects were great.
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Gallery (61)
Photo © 1983 Warner Bros.
![The Right Stuff - Photos - Fred Ward, Dennis Quaid, Scott Paulin, Ed Harris, Charles Frank, Scott Glenn, Lance Henriksen](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/159/580/159580475_1bd1da.jpg)
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