User Reviews

Made for TV movie about the Apollo 13 scare. Would love to see this again as my dad has a bit part

When "Apollo 13" came out, I thought I was the only person in America who remembered this made-for-TV effort. As a space-crazy 13 year old, I recall watching and enjoying this film, and I'm surprised that no effort was made to bring it out on video or DVD so people could compare the two films. No doubt the production values of "Apollo 13" are far superior and the presence of a by-then burnt out Sandra Dee in the cast probably signals the film wasn't all that good. Still, I'd like to see it again.

The fact that Apollo 13 was a disaster and the astronauts almost died in space is a commonly known part of our history. Much of this is because of Ron Howard's excellent film, as it's acquainted new generations of folks with this heroic story. However, long before this movie came out, there was a made for TV film about it...or, rather, kind of about it. While the film ostensibly is about the Apollo mission, it's much more a trite and soapy film about the folks on the ground who were trying to get the three astronauts back safe and sound. It's a shame, as these people were heroes...but in this story they just come off as silly characters and plot devices...almost like guest stars on "Fantasy Island" or "The Love Boat"!

While much of the story is set at Mission Control, so much of it takes place outside this NASA base...with one family crisis after another and the men are simply unable to deal with them because they must focus on saving the crew of Apollo 13. One guy (Robert Culp) has already had a coronary but remains on the job...and it might kill him. Another (Clu Gulager) is fighting a vindictive wife for custody of his son. Another (Gary Collins) is married to a hellish mess of a wife (Sandra Dee)--someone who would likely be diagnosed with a Borderline Personality and who does everything she can to undermine his work. And, finally, another (Steve Franken) is a devout Jew whose father is dying...and he cannot do what is required and expected of him.

The stories come off as very contrived and stupid. Many of these problems simply could have been solved if the men just screamed at everyone "The $^%# Apollo mission needs me, now $*%@ off and let me work!!!"....but this never happens. And, in the custody case, any sane judge would agree to a postponement and yet the film acts as if the man must choose between his son and saving the astronauts!! It's also, when you think about it, a very offensive film because it makes everything seem so trite and soapy! Surely the ground crew deserved better than this crappy film! One of the worst made for TV films I can recall...and I've seen a bunch!

This made for TV piece of junk shows exactly why made for TV movies are held in disdain.

This is supposed to be the Apollo 13 story, but it has nothing to do with the astronauts. All of the film is about the flight controllers and their personal problems at home. It is just stupid.

Gary Collins is in it... enough said.

Robert Culp should have know better than to be in this.

Most of the story in the film is fictitious.

Thank goodness Ron Howard came along twenty years later and told the Apollo 13 story is a way that NASA and everyone involved deserved.

It show the human side behind the technical marvels of the apollo program. The commentary keeps you informed as to what is going on and the included history videos fit in well with the flow of the movie.

Don't let the 5.9 rating fool you. There's one guy who has given this mess a 10 rating, while I and the other half-dozen people who remember this atrocity have been GENEROUS by giving it mostly two stars.

Yes, there was an Apollo 13 mission, and yes it had a problem. They also got most of the astronauts' names right (although many of the Mission Control personnel are, thankfully, not real persons.) But that's pretty mush where any accuracy ends.

For Pete's sake, the movie is a mistake before it even begins: the TITLE is incorrect! According to NASA transcripts of the flight, mission commander Jim Lovell said "Okay, Houston, we've had a problem" followed by Jack Swigert saying "We've had a problem here." (In fairness, Ron Howard didn't quite get it right in "Apollo 13" either.)

Go watch "Apollo 13" instead, which was based on Jim Lovell 's actual memoir, and had Apollo mission controller Jerry Bostisk and moonwalker Dave Scott as technical advisors. Leave this mess on the shelf.

When I saw this as a youngster, I was already deeply involved in the space program. So naturally I was excited to see a movie about a real space flight that I had followed only a few years before.

I was disappointed. The movie has less to do with the astronauts than with one of the flight controller's personal problems. As I recall, the plot centers around whether or not he should be working on his religious holiday; of course, the fate of the crew depends on him being there. He has to go through a lot of strenuous soul searching, flack from his relatives and other angst in order to make his decision.

I don't know if this was based on fact or not. But it didn't have the space flight thrills that I was looking for. And I remember reading a letter Jim Lovell wrote to TV Guide about the flick, saying that if this is what the flight controllers had to go through, then it was probably safer in the damaged capsule than it was on earth.