First Man Into Space (1959)

First Man Into Space
Directed by Robert Day
Written by John Croydon and Charles F. Vetter; story by Wyott Ordung
1957/UK
Amalgamated Productions
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental

[box] Doctor Paul von Essen: The conquest of new worlds always makes demands of human life. And there will always be men who will accept the risk.[/box]

The filmmakers beat Yuri Gagarin by a couple of years in this OK Sci-Fi monster flick.

A military facility in New Mexico is testing the limits of manned flight in a vehicle greatly resembling the Bell X-1 rocket with which Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier.  Cmdr. Charles Prescott commands the mission and his brother Dan is the test pilot.  Dan is a hot shot and would rather push his machine to the max than follow protocol.  He barely survives an encounter with the “Controlability Barrier”.  Chuck blames Dan’s rebellion, in part, on his Italian girlfriend Tia (Marla Landi).

Despite Dan’s unpredictability, the authorities decide to send him up again right away for an even more ambitious mission.  Despite strict orders and briefings, Dan secretly decides he will be the First Man Into Space.  He accomplishes his mission and brings back invaluable information, but at what cost?

This is an odd mix of straight forward space travel adventure with plenty of scientific jargon that morphs into a monster movie.  It borrows heavily from (1955) but is not quite as successful.  Nonetheless, it is a fine example of what serious filmmakers can do with a tiny budget.  As usual with Criterion’s Monsters and Madmen box set, the commentary by Tom Weaver and producer Richard Gordon is the highlight.

Trailer