Review of The Right Stuff (1983) by Dante B — 20 Jun 2009
Director Philip Kaufman's The Right Stuff manages a skillful balancing act - at once an irreverent yet exhilarating chronicle of the men and women involved with the coming of the space age. It's the story of one man who broke the sound barrier - and the seven men who became the original Mercury program astronauts. Part drama, part comedy...and although the story focuses on the exploits of the men, Kaufman also shows the trails and tribulations faced by their wives.
The story opens just after WWII as test pilots stationed at an lonely California desert air base take turns trying to become the fastest man alive. Always dangerously pushing their experimental planes to fly just a bit faster than the last man.
The story then segues into the genesis of the space race between the United States and the USSR. Having already pushed their aircrafts to their extreme terrestrial limits, the test pilots are enticed and recruited to join a newly formed government agency - NASA.
Politicians and scientists seem to provide most of the comedy in this. Then senator Lyndon B. Johnson is hilarious as he tries to understand a heavily accented german scientist (presumably rocket whiz Werner von Braun). The paparazzi who swarm around the astronauts seem to always be accompanied by the sound of buzzing locust.
The cast is excellent...especially Sam Shepard as test pilot Chuck Yeager and Barbara Hershey is his wife. Ed Harris portrays the straight-laced astronaut John Glenn who has a publicity-shy wife. Dennis Quaid as the cocky pilot Gordon Cooper and Pamela Reed his troubled wife. Fred Ward as luckless astronaut Gus Grissom and Veronica Cartwright his publicity-hungry wife. Just wonderful performances all around.
A must see for aviation fans.
This is one of my all time favorite movie!
This review of The Right Stuff (1983) was written by Dante B on 20 Jun 2009.
The Right Stuff has generally received very positive reviews.
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