Countdown

The space-race between the United States and the Soviet Union reaches new heights when the Russians employ plans to send cosmonaughts directly to the moon. In the desperate attempt to be first, NASA sends Lee (James Caan) in an old style Gemini probe on a make-shift mission after three weeks training: to land on the Moon, and then live there for a year until rescued by the Apollo crew. This wry absurdity, directed by Altman after a ten year absence from filmmaking, makes great viewing for it depicts the US government as the “bad guy” and contains several anti-Cold War gestures. Screenplay by Loring Mandel. Based on the book, “Countdown” by Hank Searl.