Man in the Moon (1960)

Just perfect...

Good movie but grossly overrated

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

MAN IN THE MOON is a somewhat whimsical and likeable British comedy film, almost as laidback as its central character. The delightfully charming Kenneth Moore plays William Blood, a man who turns out to be a step up on the evolutionary ladder: impervious to extremes of temperature, unable to get sick or ill by normal methods. He reminded me a bit of Bruce Willis's character in UNBREAKABLE in this respect. The rest of the film sees him caught up with a group of boffins who prod and probe and examine and test him, before finally sending him to the Moon, although there are further twists in store. The humour is genteel and dated but quite affectionate, and Shirley Anne Field pops up as a glamorous blonde. A fine supporting cast, including a youthful Charles Gray, stands out too.

This is a classic English comedy as the surreal opening sequence will show. We start with a lovely pan through the English countryside and end up a four poster iron bed, which is fully made in the middle of a field. When you're wondering what the hell is happening, out pops William (brilliantly portrayed by Kenneth More), who then has a nut dropped on him from a passing squirrel... But it only gets stranger when a beautiful and glamorous woman comes across the stream on stepping stones. She ignores William when he speaks to her and as she clambers over the style we see an approaching vehicle. When the land rover pulls up we realise that William is out on the field trying to catch a common cold. It's William's great good health that sets him on the route to being the first man on the moon.You have to remember that this movie was made in the '60's so most of the technology within the story is now incorrect and, at times, laughable. What made this such a good film for me was the acting. As not only do we have the great Kenneth More, who I can listen to and watch all day, but Shirley Anne Field is so beautiful and plays Polly brilliantly, then there's Norman Bird and Michael Hordern who add gravitas to the film.Secondly, there's the story which is well written with lots of believable and funny narrative along with realistic characterisations. For me, this is the way that comedy works best. Keep the characters solid and make the lines and situations comedic. Today, too many writers and directors like to have wacky characters - though, on the whole, they appear juvenile and pretty stupid.This isn't the best comedy, though it did raise a few smiles and laughs. I would gladly recommend this for an afternoons or evenings entertainment.

While there are some slow spots here and there, I still enjoyed "Man in the Moon" and thought it was a cute little curio from the era of the Space Race. However, instead of showing the fledgling American or Russian space programs, this movie is about the fictional British program.The film begins with a team of scientists performing a wide variety of grueling experiments on people--all of which take a serious toll on them--causing the participants to get sick. Well, all but one becomes sick. For some odd reason, a rather nice but dim bachelor seems immune to all illnesses. Now you'd think this would be a case for the medical community--as his genes must be incredible. However, the scientists are only concerned about the space program--and none of these guinea pigs knew that was the purpose of the study. What they also didn't realize is that the egg-heads were looking for the perfect stooge to send to the moon. You see, the scientists hated all the bad press they got when animals were killed and they didn't want well-trained astronauts to die--so they were looking for someone expendable and resilient...and William Blood (Kenneth More) was their choice for this dubious honor.Much of the film is about both the training Blood undergoes as well as his relationship with a nice stripper! But, because this lady might distract Blood, for much of the film her letters are kept from him. Later, he not only gets the girl but makes the first moon shot. To find out what happens next, try watching this cute film.I liked the film's very cynical and tongue-in-cheek humor--though I am sure younger people in the audience would be less impressed because sometimes the humor was subtle and they really have no recollection of this interesting period in history. Well done all around, but with a few slow moments here and there.

If the British had ever mounted a moon exploration mission I wouldn't expect this film to be too far from the truth. Kenneth More plays Billy Blood, an everyman selected to be the first man on the moon by three crackpot 'NASTI' scientists who deem the trip too dangerous to be made by trained astronauts.There follows a series of experiments, three jealous astronauts, a stripper girlfriend and a baked beans tin in the Australian Outback...It's British, it's mad, and it's fanciful, if not a little wayward in parts..look out for a young Charles Gray enjoying himself as the upper-crust astronaut brainwashed into being Blood's new best friend..."I say chaps, I shouldn't have had that last bit of tea and toast before take-off"...