The Right Stuff

The Right Stuff (1983)

Genres - Drama, Action, Adventure, Historical Film  |   Sub-Genres - Docudrama  |   Release Date - Oct 21, 1983 (USA - Limited), Feb 17, 1984 (USA)  |   Run Time - 193 min.  |   Countries - United States  |   MPAA Rating - PG
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson

Covering some 15 years, The Right Stuff recounts the formation of America's space program, concentrating on the original Mercury astronauts. Scott Glenn plays Alan Shepard, the first American in space; Fred Ward is Gus Grissom, the benighted astronaut for whom nothing works out as planned; and Ed Harris is John Glenn, the straight-arrow "boy scout" of the bunch who was the first American to orbit the earth. The remaining four Mercury boys are Deke Slayton (Scott Paulin), Scott Carpenter (Charles Frank), Wally Schirra (Lance Henriksen) and Gordon Cooper (Dennis Quaid). Wolfe's original book related in straightforward fashion the dangers and frustrations facing the astronauts (including Glenn's oft-repeated complaint that it's hard to be confident when you know that the missile you're sitting on has been built by the lowest bidder), the various personal crises involving their families (Glenn's wife Annie, a stutterer, dreads being interviewed on television, while Grissom's wife Betty, angered that her husband is not regarded as a hero because his mission was a failure, bitterly declares "I want my parade!"), and the schism between the squeaky-clean public image of the Mercury pilots and their sometimes raunchy earthbound shenanigans.

Characteristics

Moods

Keywords

astronaut, aviation, competition, courage, family, media, mission [quest], NASA, politician, publicity, space-exploration, test-pilot, training, wife

Attributes

High Artistic Quality, High Production Values