Watch Marooned For Free

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Three astronauts (Richard Crenna (in charge and tries to hold a steady resolve despite what his three man crew is up against), Gene Hackman (who spends an exorbitant amount of time holding onto his sanity), and James Franciscus (seemingly always held together, calm, and confident despite the obstacles before them)) are stranded in orbit around the earth after a mechanical failure to their retros leaves them stranded in space awaiting a hopeful rescue mission before their oxygen runs out. It will be up to an experimental craft (piloted by David Janssen who is vocally outspoken and assertive in his desire to save the astronauts which earns the ire of his superior, played by Gregory Peck) and a Russian cosmonaut in a capsule if the astronauts will have any chance of surviving. Peck, as the NASA man in charge of the space mission, encounters a number of ensuing crises he will need to avert in order to be successful in rescuing the three men trying to remain calm and docile so they conserve what little oxygen still available to them.I think Apollo 13 (1995) will come to mind when viewers watch Marooned (1969) as the plots are similar in ways. Astronauts "trapped in space" while NASA scientists and the "think tank" try and come up with a plan of action to save them is a ready-made plot which should be, you'd think, an easy sell for an audience. I have to say that I'm one of the majority critical of the laborious pace and clinical approach to the rescue mission; this film, as directed by Sturges, never quite finds that gear which engages and capitalizes completely on the suspense plot that might have, in different hands, been a home run. Still, the special effects and NASA assistance bringing an authenticity to the material (and presentation) are incentives to see the film. I think there's a good 100 minute movie dying to break out of the 130 minute running time. I think the cast is uniformly good…no breakouts, but I think the actors properly convey the frustrations, fear, and anxiety that come with the difficult situation that presents itself. Crenna's fate as he leaves the shuttle to make a "repair to the engine" (a share of dialogue between him and Peck imply more to this than what is presented on its face), Hackman's mental breakdown while talking to his wife, Franciscus' laid-back, all-smiles, psychologically sound astronaut who seems to take matters a bit more sufficiently despite the peril that remains an antagonist, the three wives (Lee Grant, Nancy Kovack, and Mariette Hartley) trying to keep their composure during what is a horrific ordeal, Peck and Jannsen butting heads over what to do to save the astronauts, the 42 hour rush-job to scrape together a ship capable of leaving the earth and meeting the shuttle in space, a developing hurricane which might cause the rescue mission to be halted, and the astronauts in the shuttle trying to hold it together although they have every reason to be distraught provide plenty of melodrama that help to bring a respectability to the film, keeping it from being a total disappointment. This being made during the height of the space program during the 60s gives it some gravitas, and I think the dialogue and inner workings of those involved in sending men into orbit and trying to get them back safely is handled efficiently by the direction and screenplay. I think the film's main hurtle for newcomers is the running time and pace…it just shouldn't be such a chore and bore, considering the plot.

This movie is based on the novel written by Martin Caidin who also wrote Cyborg, the basis of the 6 Million Dollar Man. It did receive an Oscar for special effects and the John Sturges film does have great special effects. At 2 hour and 15 minutes it does drag a bit.When you rate the cast, this was an A-List with Gregory Peck, David Janssen, Richard Crenna, James Franciscus, & Gene Hackman heading up the list. Even the limited role of weeping/tense wives is headed up by Lee Grant, Mariette Hartley,and Nancy Kovack. Grant now over 90, won an Oscar but not for this one.So with a cast like this and a decent sci-fi novel to base it on, why isn't this 2001? For some reason, it just does not come off too well as it did not capture the audience the way 2001 did a year prior. It is not that shabby a movie.The plot is a 5 month mission to the US space station ends and when the crew of 3 unhooks from the station their retro rocket burn to come back does not fire. David Janssen becomes the first to pilot a space shuttle, 12 years before the first US Shuttle actually launched in 1981.What seems flawed in this is instead of a lot of dead space, more attention should have been paid to the preparing of a rescue launch in 40 hours. A hurricane comes in to screw up the launch of the rescue as well. Still there is a nice gesture of détente here with the USSR getting a rescue vehicle there just before the US Shuttle flying without computers according to the script.While the film creates urgency, it fail to pull in the audience though the visual work is splendid. The film really makes the astronauts wives one dimensional which is a lost opportunity of such talented women.One thing that breaks out of the mold is one of the three dies just before any rescue folks show up. The lack of any home feeling and fleshing out of some of the men as well is why it does not pull anything in. Even a guest cameo by Hal the Computer could have helped. While it could have been better, at least the ending of the film is quick with just barely enough information to know who was rescued and the inside of Janssen's Space Shuttle is only an image of the pilots area. Think the budget must have been a little short there.

This was released in 1969. So, it was the era when voyages to the moon were just beginning, and it was long before the time of the International Space Station. So it was an era when there was interest in space flight and its future. "Marooned" surely did a good job of capturing public interest in its subject matter. And it captured a sense of the future, with its multi-month mission being a bit like ISS missions. So, in 1969, this probably was seen as a pretty dramatic film. Alas, it's now 2014. I wouldn't so much say that it feels dated. Rather, it feels unnecessary.The drama of the movie is the likelihood of the crew being lost when a malfunction makes it impossible for them to get home. The astronauts are played by James Franciscus, Gene Hackman and Richard Crenna. Their performances were fine - especially Hackman's, as his Buzz Lloyd starts to come unglued. Still, in some ways everything seemed a bit too professional, as for the most part everyone does their duty and makes the decisions that need to be made. That might be a very realistic portrayal of how the situation would be handled, but it didn't make for spellbinding viewing.Watching this in 2014 though, my biggest feeling was that I didn't need to watch it. I mean, if you want a movie about stranded astronauts, watch "Apollo 13" - which, in addition to being a superb movie has the advantage of being based on a true story. "Marooned" isn't bad. In 1969 it was probably very good. It just isn't necessary viewing when compared to what's available today. (6/10)

As far as books and/or movies, this was a real nail biter. I was fortunate to have met the author, Marty Caidin, in Cocoa Beach, FL. He was a rebelliously private person who actually attended the Oscars in his own type of uniform. He dressed like a motorcycle man in blue jeans and sleeveless vest with his extremely hairy chest bare. I hadn't seen the movie when I met him, but when I did see it, I was astounded that it was so like the missions I had witnessed. I came out of my seat several times. It isn't often that I remember wishing well for the bad guy, but this movie did that for me. Also, Gregory Peck was, without a doubt, the perfect actor to portray his part. I would watch this movie over and over if I could just to see the beginning and the end. If you have never seen this movie, you really owe yourself the chance to see it if you can. The book is just about as thrilling, too, but see the movie first so that you picture what these men are going through. If I understood correctly, the "Six Million Dollar Man" was also written by Marty.