In the "future" year of 1970, the Space Force is determined to establish a base of operations on and above the moon, but the first order of business is to survey the moon. So an orbital flight is planned, which will be commanded by striking, comely female officer Briteis (the sexy, buxom Donna Martell, "Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff"). Joining her are studly co-pilot Major Moore (Ross Ford, "Challenge to Lassie"), and a scientist (Larry Johns, "Dakota Lil") who turns out to be an enemy agent who wants to sabotage the project.
The first half is mostly about set up and dialogue, with things getting a little more interesting and exciting in the second half. While "Project Moon Base" is admittedly hampered by budgetary limitations, the involvement of noted sci-fi author Robert A. Heinlein ("Starship Troopers", "The Puppet Masters") gives it some value. Heinlein clearly wanted to make this thing at least reasonably realistic, but he would disown the film after it was lengthened and sent to theaters (it was originally planned as the pilot episode of a TV series). It's ahead of its time in some ways: the spacecraft that is forced to make a landing is similar to the real one that landed on the moon years later. Briteis (or "Bright Eyes", if you will) and Moore are on fairly even footing instead of her being subservient to him. There's even a female U. S. President (Ernestine Barrier, "The Bottom of the Bottle") who turns up at the end. For what this little film must have cost, visuals and special effects aren't exactly bad (for the most part).
Not bad entertainment for fans of 50s sci-fi, this co-stars Hayden Rorke ('I Dream of Jeannie') as the affable General Greene, and was directed by Richard Talmadge, a man who worked as a stuntman for many years and whose career dated back to the silent era. He only directed a handful of features; also among them are "I Killed Wild Bill Hickok" and "Border Outlaws".
Six out of 10.
