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    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1960s
    Movies - 1960s Movies - R 2 Mins Read

    Rocket to the Moon (1967)

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    “Inspired” by the writings of Jules Verne and filmed with all the atmosphere of the days when Britain ruled the world and Queen Victoria (Joan Sterndale-Bennett) was firmly in command, Rocket to the Moon has a cast headed by Burl Ives as American showman Phineas T Barnum, who comes to England in 1875 to escape his creditors, accompanied by his pint-sized companion, General Tom Thumb (Jimmy Clitheroe).

    In England, he learns of a new explosive strong enough to propel a rocket to the moon – developed by dotty German scientist Professor von Bulow (Gert Frobe) – and sees this as a chance to recoup his depleted fortunes.

    Barnum forms a syndicate to take Tom Thumb (a reluctant prospective spaceman) to the moon. The rocket is Gothic in design with high sharply pointed arches, doors and windows, and looks not unlike a flying church.

    Dashing young American balloonist Gaylord Sullivan (Troy Donahue) becomes embroiled in the proceedings while villainous duo Captain Sir Harry Washington Smythe (Terry-Thomas) and Sir Charles Dillworthy (Lionel Jeffries) are out for revenge having been sacked from the committee organising the moon-shot – one for embezzling the funds and the other for designing a rocket that will get a man to the moon but has no facilities for bringing him back.

    The large cast also includes Hermione Gingold (as a matron in charge of a home for wayward girls), Stratford Johns, Graham Stark and Israeli actress Daliah Lavi as Gaylord’s girlfriend.

    Released in some markets as Those Fantastic Flying Fools and Blast Off, the photography, sets and costumes are excellent but the script is bad (and unfunny) and many of the scenes are overlong.

    The film was shot almost entirely in Ireland. Burl Ives remained in the country after completing the film, buying a farm near Limerick and living there, on and off, until the early ’70s.

    Phineas T Barnum
    Burl Ives
    Gaylord Sullivan
    Troy Donahue
    Captain Sir Harry Washington Smythe
    Terry-Thomas
    Professor von Bulow
    Gert Fröbe
    Angelica
    Hermione Gingold
    Sir Charles Dillworthy
    Lionel Jeffries
    Madelaine
    Daliah Lavi
    Duke of Barset
    Dennis Price
    Grundle
    Graham Stark
    Warrant Officer
    Stratford Johns
    General Tom Thumb
    Jimmy Clitheroe
    Henri
    Edward de Souza
    Electra
    Judy Cornwell
    Anna
    Renate von Holt
    Bulgeroff
    Joachim Teege
    Puddleby
    Derek Francis
    Announcer
    Anthony Woodruff
    Carruthers
    Hugh Walters
    Scuttling
    Allan Cuthbertson
    Flood
    Donald Bisset
    Chambers
    Cecil Nash
    Mr Brown
    Vernon Hayden
    Professor Dingle
    Harry Brogan
    Queen Victoria
    Joan Sterndale-Bennett

    Director
    Don Sharp

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