''Destination Space'' is a

1959 Events January * January 1 - Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance. * January 2 - Lunar probe Luna 1 was the first man-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reached the vicinity of E ...

American science fiction

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

. It was produced and written by Rip Van Ronkel and directed by

Joseph Pevney Joseph Pevney (September 15, 1911 – May 18, 2008) was an American film and television director.

Summary

James Benedict, the director of the United States space program, is in charge of operations aboard an American

rotating wheel space station A rotating wheel space station, also known as a von Braun wheel, is a concept for a hypothetical wheel-shaped space station. Originally proposed by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky in 1903, the idea was expanded by Herman Potočnik in 1929. Specifications ...

, the first of its kind. The imminent launch from the station of the first crewed lunar orbital spacecraft is aborted due to a meteor impact. Benedict testifies before a

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

committee, some of whose members believe that the construction of the station was an unnecessary expense which is delaying achievement of the Moon mission. An impartial observer, Dr. Kurt Easton, travels to the space station to observe operations as the crew prepares for the second attempt to launch the Moon mission. This launch is also aborted, however, when the lunar spacecraft's nuclear engine malfunctions due to ice buildup, necessitating rapid action by Dave Reynolds, the spacecraft's commander, to prevent an explosion. Meanwhile, Benedict, whose long-term romantic relationship has not yet led to marriage, finds himself to be one corner of a love quadrangle when Reynolds' wife reveals that she is in love with him.

Cast

Harry Townes Harry Rhett Townes (September 18, 1914 – May 23, 2001) was an American actor who later became an Episcopalian minister. Early life Harry Townes was born in Huntsville, Alabama. the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Townes. He had a brother and ...

: James Benedict *

John Agar John George Agar Jr. (January 31, 1921 – April 7, 2002) was an American film and television actor. He is best known for starring alongside John Wayne in the films ''Sands of Iwo Jima'', '' Fort Apache'', and '' She Wore a Yellow Ribbon''. In h ...

: Matthews *

Charles Aidman Charles Leonard Aidman (January 21, 1925 – November 7, 1993) was an American actor of stage, film, and television. Early life Aidman was born in Frankfort, Indiana, the son of George E. and Etta (Kwitny) Aidman. Aidman graduated from Frank ...

: Dave Reynolds *

Whitney Blake Whitney Blake (born Nancy Ann Whitney; February 20, 1926 – September 28, 2002) was an American film and television actress, director, and producer. She is known for her four seasons portraying Dorothy Baxter, the mother, on the 1960s sitco ...

: Jane Kramer *

Gail Kobe Gail Kobe (born Gabriella Kieliszewski; March 19, 1932 – August 1, 2013) was an American actress and television producer. Early years Kobe was born Gabriella Kieliszewski in Hamtramck, Michigan (near Detroit) to Benjamin and Theresa Kobe. She ...

: Kim Reynolds * Edward C. Platt: Kurt Easton

Production history

According to science fiction scholar

Gary Westfahl Gary Wesley Westfahl (born May 7, 1951) is an American scholar of science fiction. He has written reviews for the ''Los Angeles Times'', ''The Internet Review of Science Fiction'' and Locus Online. He worked at the University of California, River ...

, "virtually no information savailable about this film." Westfahl speculated that ''Destination Space'', a joint production of

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

and

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

, was actually a pilot for a prospective TV series about space travel, produced in competition with the pilot for '' Men into Space''. According to Westfahl's theory, CBS chose the latter series, which debuted in 1959. Rip Van Ronkel, the producer and writer of ''Destination Space'', was the co-screenwriter of the 1950 science fiction film '' Destination Moon''. ''Destination Space'' makes extensive use of stock footage from the 1955 Paramount science fiction film ''

Conquest of Space ''Conquest of Space'' is a 1955 American Technicolor science fiction film from Paramount Pictures, produced by George Pal, directed by Byron Haskin, that stars Walter Brooke, Eric Fleming, and Mickey Shaughnessy. The film's storyline concern ...

''.

Reception

The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction ''The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction'' (SFE) is an English language reference work on science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and f ...

'' found the movie to be weighed down by a forced romantic triangle and more talking than action; however, the movie had some positive points. The movie points out the extreme cost of space travel and strives for realism. The movie also notes the dangers of space travel as many missions have failed. In all, the ''Encyclopedia'' found the movie of interest.

Home media

The movie was released in Region 1 in 2000.

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0289690, Destination Space 1950s science fiction films 1959 television films 1959 films American science fiction television films Films about astronauts Hard science fiction films Paramount Pictures films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films