CAPRICORN ONE
US, 1977, 124 minutes, Colour.
Elliott Gould, James Brolin, Brenda Vaccaro, Sam Waterston, O.J. Simpson, Hal Holbrook, Telly Savalas, Karen Black.
Directed by Peter Hyams.
Capricorn One is an elaborate space cover-up with all the overtones of exploration plus detective story cum chase thriller. Spectacular 70 mm. helicopter pursuits and car-out-of-control speeding through Houston are highlights. Writer-director, Peter Hyams, controls the plausible-implausible plot for maximum involvement, but has written it so well that each role, no matter how small, makes impact - an editor, Telly Savalas as an eccentric pilot, David Huddleston as a wily Congressman. But Hal Holbrook as the NASA mastermind is excellent, especially in the beginning, for persuading us that this could happen. Elliot Gould, James Brolin, Brenda Vaccaro head the good cast. Very enjoyable action melodrama.
1. Enjoyment of popular space films, interest in American space projects, the adventure ingredients, the detective work, the background of American politics of the 70s? How well combined for successful adventure?
2. The qualities of the film: the portrayal of the space programme and its technology, the special effects - even when they were contrived by television, the car out of control through Houston, the helicopter chase, use of colour. Panavision, locations? Musical score? Their contribution to atmosphere?
3. The qualities of the screenplay; the use of dates for suspense and the build-up of an authentic atmosphere that this could happen, the importance of the television commentator describing and his place as a giver of the narrative? The importance of the various speeches, especially those by Kelloway? The use of cross-editing for the various strands of the story and their commenting on one another? The contribution of the minor characters and their strengths of dialogue e.g. the senator, the newspaper editor, Karen Black's character? The contribution of such small sequences as Katy's reading the story to her children? A strong screenplay?
4. The initial atmosphere and audience involvement: the darkness during the credits and the gradual revelation of the space craft, the atmosphere of the space exploration and the blast-off, the authenticity of NASA, the details of technology and the people in control? The atmosphere of the observers? The astronauts themselves and their mission, the sequence of the taking of the Bible to Mars? The plausibility of a Mars project? The ominous approach while the astronauts were ready for taking off, the door opening, the countdown and the absence of the astronauts, the cross-cutting of their leaving the spaceship? An atmosphere of mystery?
5. The political background with the arrogant Senator, his comments on the Vice-President?, the presence of the Vice-President? and his ineptness? The senator pulling his weight as regards the souvenir binoculars? The indications of political pressure? The irony of comments that the President was not present? Attitudes towards the space programme by officialdom? The senator's presence later in the film, especially during the landing, the phone call from the Vice-President? and his reactions, their presence at the funeral memorial? The comment on American politics?
6. The personalities of the three astronauts? Their response to the mystery? How well individuated were their characters - black and white, comical and serious? Walker as serious, Wallis and his comedy? Brubaker as hero? Their discussion amongst themselvesf listening to Kelloway's explanation, their work in the space programme? Their reaction to the blackmail by Kelloway? Their complying,, remaining so many months with the deception, their going through with the fake landing? Their fears for their family, their reliance on Brubaker? His almost breaking during the interview? Their going along with the splashdown? Their realisation that something was wrong and their estimate of the heat shield breaking? The necessity of their escape? The melodrama of getting the plane, the take-off, no fuel, the landing? Their decisions about moving through the desert in different directions? Their particular journeys and hardships - Walker and his searching for water, seeing the helicopters like vultures? Wallis and his talking as he climbed the cliff and his being caught? Brubaker and his burying himself, hiding in the cave, the snake, eating it, the rain, the scorpion? The continual pursuit of the helicopters? How well delineated these three astronauts and their being victimised by their profession?
7. Kelloway as the crucial character for the credibility of the film? His presence at the blast-off? His control and motives? His speech to the astronauts with its emotion, its analysis of the space programme and his involvement in it? His playing God with their lives, his attitude towards politics and politicians? The implications of his speech as regards history, the cost of the space race? Prestige? How credible for the audience? For the men themselves? The irony of his blackmailing them emotionally? The further irony of his visiting Katy, his sympathetic speech, the arrangement for the funeral service and yet meanwhile in communication as regards their deaths? A man of intellect and planning? Unscrupulous? The irony of the ending and how he would cope? Comment on the way that his speeches were filmed - especially the close-ups to make them seem convincing? His character as a comment on the space race?
8. The background of Elliot and his awareness that something was wrong, his reporting to the authorities, his talking to Caulfield, his worry and disappearance, the irony of his apartment completely being taken over? The comment on conspiracies?
9. The atmosphere of the touchdown and the patriotism, the presence of the wives? The importance of the interview sequences and the emotivity with the wives talking with their husbands, the irony that this was faked? The further build-up towards the heat shield, the press conference given by Kelloway and his hypocritical presentation of the themes - and the three men commenting on what he would be saying?
10. The journalistic background of the film, especially with Caulfield? As a hack reporter? His ordinariness, covering situations, ambitions and theories, relation with Karen Black, his playing pool with Elliot, curiosity being roused, his inquiries and visit to the apartment, the melodrama of his car out of control and going into the river? The tact of his visit to Katy and getting information? The visit to the western town and his being shot at. His being arrested and the drugs being planted, his time in jail? His speech to the editor and the ironic remarks and his being fired? His enlisting Karen Black's help and information as regards military bases? His ingenuity, the discovery of the base, his quick-wittedness with getting the plane, the rescue? The point being made that an ordinary type of man can save?
11. The portrait of the editor and his attitudes towards Caulfield? The repartee especially about journalese movies? Karen Black and the portrait of the tough newspaper reporter, her interviewing Katy, the risque repartee with Caulfield?
12. The portrait of the wives? Their presence at the important events, talking to their husbands? The focus on Katy, e.g. the long tracking shot of her reading the story to her children? Reading the poem to her husband? The children and their father as hero? The visit of Caulfield and her talking with him, the visit of Jim and her working in the garden, the build-up to the funeral? Showing the home movies? How good a portrait of an American wife?
13. Brubaker as hero and the emphases on his capacity for survival? His finding of the gas station and the pursuit of the helicopters, the shoot-out? The rescue? The heroism of hanging on to the plane?
14. Telly Savalas and his interpretation of the crop-dusting pilot? The humour of his explanation of A and A, his talk about his son, money? His dim view of everybody as perverts? His taking Caulfield's money, his skill in the plane, his frequent comments to Caulfield to get out of the way, the rescue of Brubaker, the eluding of the helicopters, the chase and their crash?
15. The impact of the ending and audience expectation? The solemn words of the ceremonial and the effect of Brubaker and Caulfield arriving? The final look at them running towards the people? Achievement?
16. The qualities of the film as adventure and as detection?
17. Themes of survival and heroism and truth?
18. American politics of the 70s, honesty, prestige? The space programme and its value? Playing God and who is to make decisions about peoples lives, the nation, the role of the ordinary people in determining events?
