The Rocket Man (1954 film) explained

The Rocket Man
Director:Oscar Rudolph
Producer:Leonard Goldstein
Screenplay:Lenny Bruce
Jack Henley
Story:George W. George
George F. Slavin
Starring:Charles Coburn
Spring Byington
Anne Francis
John Agar
George "Foghorn" Winslow
Cinematography:John Seitz
Editing:Paul Weatherwax
Color Process:Black and white
Studio:Panoramic Productions
Distributor:20th Century Fox
Runtime:79 minutes
Country:United States
Language:English

The Rocket Man is a 1954 American comedy science fiction film directed by Oscar Rudolph and starring Charles Coburn, Spring Byington, Anne Francis, John Agar and George "Foghorn" Winslow. The script was co-written by Lenny Bruce and Jack Henley from a story by George W. George and George F. Slavin.[1] A comedy with science fiction overtones, the film carries the tag line, “Out-of-this-world laughter and down-to-earth charm when the face from space turns out to be… the kid next door!”[2]

The New York Times found the fact that comedian Lenny Bruce was one of the film's screenwriters was the "strangest aspect of the low-budget production", noting that the film contains little of Bruce's trademark humor.[3]

Plot

As a result of the sudden and unexplained appearance of a mysterious rocket man, a little boy comes into possession of a mysterious ray gun that compels anyone caught in its beam to tell the truth. He uses it to prevent his orphanage from being foreclosed upon by creditors and to help a young couple fall in love.

Cast

Critical reception

Writing in AllMovie, critic Hal Erickson described the film as "essentially an Andy Hardyesque comedy drama with a peripheral sci-fi slant," and that despite having Lenny Bruce as a co-screenwriter, "there's nothing scatalogical or even satirical in the film itself."[4] Film critic Derek Winnert wrote that "any acid wit, high-spirited fun or real charm are sorely lacking from director Oscar Rudolph’s lame, would-be whimsical" film, adding that it is an "often very silly and mostly boring movie, though the cast have charm and the skills to save it."[5]

Notes and References

  1. "Movies Were Always Magical": Interviews with 19 Actors, Leo Verswijver - 2003 Page 40- Rocket Man (20th Century Fox, 1954). DlR Oscar Rudolph. PROD Leonard Goldstein. SCR Lenny Bruce, Jack Henley (story by George W. George, George F . Slavin). CAM John F. Seitz. ED Paul Weatherwax. Ml's Lionel Newman. RUNNING
  2. Laura Wagner Anne Francis: The Life and Career 2011 -p 25 "She was given the second lead (with John Agar) in The Rocket Man (1954), an ordinary, passable comedy with some sci-fi elements made for Panoramic Productions, the company run by producer Leonard Goldstein that made flat-screen pictures for Fox " ; Page 129 "The Rocket Man (1954) “Out-of-this-world laughter and down-to-earth charm when the face from space turns out to be ... the kid next door!” Director: Oscar Rudolph."
  3. Web site: The Rocket Man (1954) . https://web.archive.org/web/20131114165237/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/108202/The-Rocket-Man/overview . dead . November 14, 2013 . Movies & TV Dept. . . . Hal Erickson . Hal Erickson (author) . 2013 . November 6, 2013.
  4. Web site: Erickson . Hal . The Rocket Man (1954) . AllMovie . Netaktion LLC . 2023-07-12.
  5. Web site: Winnert . Derek . The Rocket Man . DW . Derek Winnert . 2023-07-12.