The Astronaut story

movie: The Astronaut (1972) · 1972-01-08

A made-for-television film following a man who has been hired to impersonate an astronaut who died during the first manned mission to Mars.

7 total · 4 major · 3 minor

ThemeLevelMotivation
conspiracy theory major Eddie Reese was hired by space program officials to impersonate the first man to land on Mars, who died on the mission, in order to cover up that the mission failed to the public.
government secrecy major Government officials covered up that the first man to land on Mars died in order to keep the space program alive.
interplanetary space travel major The film concerned a manned mission to Mars that went wrong, resulting in the death of the astronauts. The mission name was Voyager 1. Toward the end of the film news broke that the Russians had just launched their own manned mission to Mars.
romantic love major Gail and Eddie fell in love even though Eddie had been surgically altered to look identical to her deceased husband Brice.
delivering bad news minor Kurt Anderson visited Gail with the intention of informing her of the death of her husband, but he couldn't bring him self to go through with it.
expecting parents minor Gail Randolph was pregnant with her husband Brice Randolph's child, but he died on a mission to Mars, and she miscarriage the baby.
husband and wife minor Eddie Reese briefly pretended to be Gail's deceased husband Brice to her.