Moon shot + free binos - what film is this ?

May 13, 2007 9:55 PM

Anyone remember this 1970's film which features a moon shot launch + 'nasty congressman' demanding freebies for his wife ?

Sometime in the 1970's on UK TV I watched a film (may have been a 'made for TV' or may have been a cinema film but in either case was a US production) which featured a sequence in which NASA have invited people such as Congressmen / Senators etc to come and watch a rocket launch.

The guests are being seated on an outdoor stand some miles from the rocket. Elected Rep and wife are shown to seat by young man who then presents ER with a pair of binoculars ('courtesy of NASA'). ER say 'thanks and my wife will have a pair too'. Young man explains that freebies are only for ER's. ER insists. Young man embarassed/confused but eventually hands over a pair.

Anyone know what this film is ? (Extra points if you can tell me why I remember this !)

posted by southof40 to media & arts (4 comments total)

That's from Capricorn One I believe.
posted by Happy Dave at 11:12 PM on May 13, 2007

Anyone know what this film is ?
Definitly sounds like Capricorn One. Then when a second VIP and his partner arrives the NASA host has two pairs of binoculars for them with out being prompted and the first VIP says something to the effect of "You learn fast son" or "You'll go far son".

Extra points if you can tell me why I remember this !
Sorry, can only answer questions about things that take place outside of your head. :)
posted by adamt at 12:19 AM on May 14, 2007

Yep, that's definitely it, that second quote confirms it in my head. I think the idea is basically to show that them gubmint types are all ruthless schmucks, or something, so rest of the film makes a sort of moral sense.
posted by Happy Dave at 12:43 AM on May 14, 2007

The second guest is VPOTUS. And I think the point of the scene was to show that the President didn't care enough to attend. In fact bino-complaint-man says something to that effect in this scene.
posted by genghis at 5:50 PM on May 14, 2007