Capricorn One (1977)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Peter Hyams

Writer:

Peter Hyams (written by)

Release Date:

2 June 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The mission was a sham. The murders were real.

Plot:

A NASA Mars mission won't work, and its funding is endangered, so they decide to fake it just this once. But then they have to keep the secret...

Plot Keywords:

Mission | Astronaut | Mars | NASA | Journalist

Awards:

4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Nov. 8

2:00 PM

TCM

Cast

Elliott Gould	...	Robert Caulfield
James Brolin	...	Charles Brubaker
Brenda Vaccaro	...	Kay Brubaker
Sam Waterston	...	Peter Willis
O.J. Simpson	...	John Walker
Hal Holbrook	...	Dr. James Kelloway
Karen Black	...	Judy Drinkwater
Telly Savalas	...	Albain
David Huddleston	...	Hollis Peaker
David Doyle	...	Walter Loughlin
Lee Bryant	...	Sharon Willis
Denise Nicholas	...	Betty Walker
Robert Walden	...	Elliot Whitter
James Sikking	...	Control Room Man (as Jim Sikking)
Alan Fudge	...	Capsule Communicator

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate no. 25000) | Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) | Netherlands:6 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Long Beach, California, USA

Company:

Associated General Films

Trivia:

Jerry Goldsmith wrote the soundtrack for Capricorn One (1977) as well as Star Trek: Insurrection (1998). If you listen to the Insurrection soundtrack at about 3:30-3:45 minutes, you will hear the distinct theme of Capricorn One.

Goofs:

Factual errors: A title card at the beginning of the film indicates it is January 4. An onscreen announcer lists the time as three minutes after six, Eastern Daylight Time. Daylight Time normally doesn't begin until April.

Quotes:

Albain: [after killing helicopter pilots] Perverts!
[Turns to Caulfield]
Albain: Remember I get half.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Opération lune (2002) (TV)

Exciting thriller

Capricorn One is interesting and exciting, with a very well worked out plot and a fast-moving script, nicely enlivened by the all star cast.

It is about a trio of astronauts about to embark on the first manned mission to Mars who are taken off their shuttle at the eleventh hour and whisked away to a secret building in the middle of nowhere. From there, they are forced into acting out the mission, thus taking part in one of the most audacious hoaxes of all-time against their will. However things get worse when they discover that they are going to be killed when their part in the ruse is over, under the believable cover story that their shuttle burned up during re-entry. Elliot Gould enters the story here, as a nosy reporter who gets wind of the deception and sets out to expose it.

This is probably the best of all Peter Hyams' films, because it has the most ingenious script and feels fresh and lively throughout. Most of the performances are well judged, although the climax is spoilt somewhat by Telly Savalas's unnecessary comic relief cameo. James Brolin, OJ Simpson and Sam Waterson as the unfortunate astronauts turn in convincing performances as men forced to deceive the world - including their families - against their wishes. Gould, as the witty and quick thinking reporter, produces the most colourful characterisation of his entire career.