Project Moonbase (1953 film)

Project Moonbase is a 1953 monochrome science fiction film directed by Richard Talmadge. It's set in the year 1970 with the US planning to build a base on the moon. However a series of events lead the survey rocket, sent to find a suitable location for this moonbase, to become stranded on the moon.

Plot
In the year 1970 Madame President of the United States and other US Authorities are considering establishing a base on the moon. Before finalizing plans for this base the United States sends a survey rocket crewed by female Colonel Briteis, Major Bill Moore, and Doctor Wernher with the mission of finding prospective locations for the moonbase. However Doctor Wernher isn't who he claims to be and plans to destroy the United States Space Station by colliding the rocket with it on the return trip. Doctor Wernher accidently reveals his true identity during the flight and a struggle for control of the rocket ensumes. Due to the chaos on the rocket and damage to it during this struggle Colonel Briteis makes an emergency landing on the moon. Doctor Wernher, in light of their marooned state redeems himself by re-establishing communications with Earth but an accident results in his death. To avoid deminishing public opinion of the space program General Greene decides to make the stranded rocket the center of the new moonbase and proposes that the Colonel and the Major get married so an unmarried male and female are not stranded on the moon for two weeks. Briteis agrees but ony on the condition that the Major be promoted so as to outrank her.

Production
The film was completed after 10 days of shooting in the same studio as the film 'Cat-Woman from the Moon, which was released a day after this film. The two film crews shared sets, costumes, etc making the two films asthetically similiar in some regards.

Cast

 * Donna Martell as Colonel Briteis
 * Hayden Rorke as Gen. 'Pappy' Greene
 * Ross Ford as Maj. Bill Moore
 * Larry Johns as Doctor Wernher
 * Herb Jacobs as Mr. Roundtree
 * Barbara Morrison as Polly Prattles
 * Ernestine Barrier as Madame President
 * James Craven as Commodore Carlson
 * John Hedloe as Adjutant
 * Peter Adams as Captain Carmody

Crew

 * Director: Richard Talmadge

Source Citation
text