The Right Stuff - A Movie Review

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"The Right Stuff" is an epic historical drama which was released in 1983. The screenplay was written by Philip Kaufman and adapted from the 1979 best-selling book of the same name by Tom Wolfe. There was overwhelming acclaim for the movie; but it bombed at the box office with a budget of $27 million and receipts of $21.1 million. There were 8 Academy Awards nominations; and 4 Oscars were won. CAST Fred Ward - Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom Dennis Quaid - Gordo Cooper Ed Harris - John Glenn Scott Glenn - Alan Shepard Sam Shepard - Chuck Yeager Lance Henriksen - Walter "Wally" Schirra Scott Paulin - Donald K. "Deke" Slayton Charles Frank - Scott Carpenter It's 1947 and a group of men gather at a remote Air Force base (now called Edwards) in California. The goal is to break the sound barrier with a small rocket-powered test plane, the X-1. Not all previous pilots have survived. Wartime ace, Chuck Yeager, volunteers to be the next test pilot. The X-1 is carried aloft by a large B-29 bomber. At the right altitude it is dropped free. Yeager manages to break the deadly Mach-1 mark. This mission is top secret. The base becomes the center for all test and experimental aircraft in the United States. A few years pass; and Gordo Cooper wants Yeager's spot as the best test pilot. In the meantime, the Russians have beat us by launching Sputnik, the first orbiting satellite. The race for space is on! Looking for the first American astronauts, reps from the newly-formed NASA visit Edwards. The candidates are tested to their limits of endurance, tested for physical worthiness and mental stability. In the movie you will see the many tests that prospective astronauts must endure, many of which cause pain and discomfort. There are now seven candidates left: Scott Carpenter, Gordo Cooper, Gus Grissom, Deke Slayton, Alan Shepard, John Glenn and Wally Schirra. If you want to find out what happens next, you will have to watch the movie. I will get right to the point. This is a great movie. Not only is it entertaining; but it's informative. Hands down, without a doubt, I recommend this movie. This movie is rated PG. Photo Credit: Pixabay