The Astronaut

1972
6.5| 1h13m| NR| en| More Info
Released: 08 January 1972 Released
Producted By: Universal Television
Country:
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
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An elaborate deception emerges when an American astronaut is lost on a mission to Mars. Space agency officials fearful of losing public support and government funding decide to cover up the accident by employing an exact double for the lost astronaut. The ruse begins to unravel when the wife of the lost astronaut realizes she is living with a different man. Although angered by the deception, the woman has fallen in love with the replacement and plans to keep the secret. They both have a change of heart and decide to reveal the secret when they discover a new Mars mission is underway.

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Director

Robert Michael Lewis

Production Companies

Universal Television

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The Astronaut Audience Reviews

Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever
Dorathen Better Late Then Never
Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.
Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional
MartinHafer During the first manned landing on Mars, something happens and the video feed back to Earth is disrupted. What the folks at home DON'T know is that a disaster occurred and one of the astronauts was killed when his space suit failed. The NASA folks, however, are concerned with not just public relations BUT are worried about further funding so they put into effect a diabolical plan...to hire someone to pretend to be the dead man! Eddie is similar looking to Bryce....and with a bit of plastic surgery and training he can become Bryce! So, during the time they are waiting for the ship's return, Eddie is coached to become the dead man! When he lands, everything works like a charm....except for one thing. Bryce's wife (Susan Clark) realizes something is amiss...and she confronts 'Bryce' and asks him directly is he is really her husband! What's next? See the picture.Monte Markham does a nice job playing both roles in the film. While he's not a familiar name, he was a very familiar face and he was fine in the role. I also appreciate how the film is far less sci- fi--and more a story about people. In many ways, it's like the later film "Dave" and is filled with some terrific scenes. One of the better installments of "The ABC Movie of the Week".By the way, this was produced by Harve Bennett....a guy who was made famous for producing many of the Star Trek movies and shows.
JACK SOUTH (JSouth1) Like the others here, I liked this movie when I first saw it in the late '80s, probably the end of 1987 or early 1988. It was on some cable channel, maybe WOR(which we have not had here in this area for many years now), and the plot grabbed me, and I started watching it.I noticed a few things in the movie:: (Spoiler alert!!)The "base" in which the "replacement" astronaut reports to , and is "reformed in",looks a LOT like the wildfire lab from "andromeda strain". This would make sense, as the set may have still existed and would have been convenient to use. It looks intriguing here, as it did in AS.The US actually ALLOWED the Rusians to send a manned Mars mission , KNOWING that they would die from the atmosphere, as did "Bryce" on the US mission. I doubt that would really occur in reality. I imagine that when the truth came out, near the end of the movie, that the Russian craft would most likely have made an abort, probably around the moon, and came back home, with a LOT of questions and innuendo, justifiably so!!Near the beginning of the movie, on character(perhaps Jackie Coper) is driving in his car, and the radio is speaking about the "fiscal year 1981". 1981!! That is when we were SUPPOSED to have made a Mars landing. Of course, we can't even get to the MOON today, with the shuttle!! All in all--I liked the movie.I have it somewhere on an old videotape, from TV. I watched it in the last few years, and it looked pretty good still, after all of these years!!ADD edit- March 2017---This movie is now available on YOUTUBE. I would advise anyone who wants to see it..go to YT and "get it" while it is still there. I spoke of this a couple of years back on the message boards...but those are gone now..so I am doing it HERE..
gildaevf This is the movie that made me a fan of Monte Markham. He positively shines! And I love how the movie is more concerned with the human factor rather than the hardware. Special effects are well and good, but that's all a lot of newer movies have. I taped this a couple of years after its first airing, and have never tired of watching it!
jeanniewitch I think the remarkable thing about this movie is the excellent performances by Monte Markham and Susan Clark so early in both their careers. No accident that this was a winner with Harve Bennett (Star Trek fame) as producer. The story line was great and has been duplicated since but never as well as in this original.The only drawback is the fact that I have not been able to find a copy of this anywhere. Someone is missing the boat bigtime. This is a real goodie!