Flight To Mars
Flight To Mars (1951)
Image From IMDB
Anyone paying attention to my reviews knows I have a soft spot for any science fiction from the 50’s and 60’s. I just love the creativity on display before we knew more truths about space. When we could just make shit up about how everything worked and looked. When Mars could have snowy mountains and a population. When Rocket Ships weren’t the hassle that they are (Writing this as Artemis II has been wheeled back inside)
Flight to Mars follows the story of four scientists, and a journalist, as they crash land on Mars after their trip to the Red Planet encountered some unexpected problems. On Mars they discover a population of human like Martians who seem kind and friendly at first, even offering to help them repair their ship, but all is not what it seems. Mars is dying, and they need that ship.
It’s fair to say that a lot of the ideas in the film aren’t particularly developed. That there’s a longer better story to be told, but with budget and time restraints being what they were, I think the movie did the best it could. Honestly, and I don’t say this often, it would actually probably work better as a TV show. Spending time getting to know the Martian Culture and the trouble their planet is facing.
But while there was no time for that, there was time for some fantastically retro outfits (probably not retro at the time) and some cool looking sets. The remastered version really brightened the colours too giving the film a look somewhere between Forbidden Planet and Logan’s Run, while predating both of them.
I liked the little of the internal power struggle that we saw, and the ship design was classic. The love triangle stuff was fine but kind of filler when the time could have been better used. The effects were of their time, with the crash being particularly amazing. I honestly don’t think I've ever seen anything quite like that before. One of them getting a slight bump on the head after that disastrous landing added to the fun.
The stuff on Mars was all good. As mentioned I liked the sets and colours. The costumes. The Martian board meetings had a villainous feel to them while they were actually discussing how to save their planet… and rob a rocket. The female crew member instantly asking about the kitchen and announcing Mars is a female paradise when she heard it was all automated is definitely one of the funnier jokes.
Flight to Mars is an easy movie to watch. Maybe a little plodding at times, but that’s of its era. Cameron Mitchell probably gives the standout performance as the journalist Steve Abbott, but I liked Arthur Franz’s leading man Dr Jim Barker too. Miss when these films resolved around doctors and journalists rather than military (think I've mentioned that before) All in all, it’s decent. and worth a peak for the set and costume design.
