The Reluctant Astronaut

1967
Approved
1 Std. 41 Min.

IMDb-BEWERTUNG

6,3/10

2807

IHRE BEWERTUNG

Don Knotts in The Reluctant Astronaut (1967)

trailer wiedergeben2:06

1 Video

21 Fotos

Space Sci-Fi Comedy Family Sci-Fi

Füge eine Handlung in deiner Sprache hinzuA NASA janitor is sent into space.A NASA janitor is sent into space.A NASA janitor is sent into space.

Regie
- Edward Montagne
Drehbuch
- James Fritzell
- Everett Greenbaum
Hauptbesetzung

Siehe Produktionsinformationen bei IMDbPro

IMDb-BEWERTUNG

6,3/10

2807

IHRE BEWERTUNG

Regie
- Edward Montagne
Drehbuch
- James Fritzell
- Everett Greenbaum
Hauptbesetzung

Siehe Produktionsinformationen bei IMDbPro

Auszeichnungen
- 1 Nominierung insgesamt

Topbesetzung63

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Don Knotts

Roy Fleming

Leslie Nielsen

Major Fred Gifford

Joan Freeman

Ellie Jackson

Jesse White

Donelli

Jeanette Nolan

Mrs. Fleming

Frank McGrath

Plank

Arthur O'Connell

Buck Fleming

Joan Shawlee

Blonde in Bar

Guy Raymond

Bert

Nydia Westman

Aunt Zana

Paul Hartman

Rush

Robert F. Simon

Cervantes
(as Robert Simon)

Robert Pickering

Moran

Budd Albright

Officer
(Nicht genannt)

Thomas Bellin

Technician
(Nicht genannt)

Marjorie Bennett

Woman at Mailbox
(Nicht genannt)

Jim Boles

Bartender
(Nicht genannt)

Paul Bradley

Engineer
(Nicht genannt)

Handlung

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WUSSTEST DU SCHON:

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Wissenswertes
According to Don Knotts's autobiography, the idea of the film originated during the writing of The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966). Knotts and screenwriter James Fritzell were in a tall building writing the script, but Fritzell's partner, Everett Greenbaum, wouldn't join them because of his fear of heights. Knotts and Fritzell then began joking about the worst job to have if one was scared of heights. Being an astronaut was the top choice.

Patzer
Roy is said to be an only child, but he has four nieces.

Zitate
Donelli: [hands Roy a broom] Here you are. Now in the mornings you sweep all locker area and boiler room. In the afternoons, you wet down and mop. Now the top of the lockers should be kept - clean at all times. They'll be inspected by me personally daily at 1700 hours. Now in the morning when you...
Roy Fleming: Excuse me sir, uh, is this all sorta like, uh, part of the training program?
Donelli: What training program?
Roy Fleming: You know... whoosh!
[imitates a rocket]
Roy Fleming: Space.
Donelli: This is your space: from there, to there, and I expect you to keep it clean Fleming! Now then...
Roy Fleming: You mean, I-I-I'm a, I'm a janitor?
Donelli: [laughs] Why of course not! My boy, you are a WB-1074 *apprentice* janitor.

Verbindungen
Featured in Der Chef: Five Miles High (1969)

Soundtracks
Space Song
(uncredited)
Music by Joseph Gershenson
Lyrics by James Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum

The Reluctant Astronaut stars Don Knotts as the owner and operator of kiddie ride in an amusement park somewhere in rural Missouri who has a fear of heights. He's something of a disappointment to his WW1 veteran father Arthur O'Connell, but he's mother Jeanette Nolan's darling little boy.

With a bit of pressure Knotts applies for a position with NASA. But after a big farewell blowout, he finds he's been hired as a janitor with Jesse White as a perpetually exasperated supervisor.

He does go into space, but quite accidentally and then because NASA is testing a most automatic space capsule one designed for idiots in space. That provides a lot of climatic laughs.

The film owes a lot of Preston Sturges's classic comedy Hail The Consquering Hero. And some of the astronaut sequences were tried out in the Road To Hong Kong with Bob and Bing.

A couple of other major roles are filled out well by Joan Freeman as Knotts's Missouri girlfriend and Leslie Nielsen as an astronaut who befriends him.

The comedy which is set in America's early days of space travel still holds up well for today's audience.