Rocketship X-M

1950
A
1h 17m

IMDb RATING

4.9/10

2.6K

YOUR RATING

Noah Beery Jr., Lloyd Bridges, John Emery, Osa Massen, and Hugh O'Brian in Rocketship X-M (1950)

Play trailer2:32

1 Video

30 Photos

Space Sci-Fi Family Sci-Fi

An astronaut crew on their way to the Moon are unexpectedly propelled by gravitational forces and end up on Mars instead.An astronaut crew on their way to the Moon are unexpectedly propelled by gravitational forces and end up on Mars instead.An astronaut crew on their way to the Moon are unexpectedly propelled by gravitational forces and end up on Mars instead.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

4.9/10

2.6K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination total

Reporter #1
(as Patrick Ahern)

Sherry Moreland

Martian Girl

John Dutra

Physician

Kathy Marlowe

Reporter
(as Katherine Marlowe)

Tom Coleman

Reporter
(uncredited)

James Conaty

Doctor Taking Lisa's Blood Pressure
(uncredited)

Sam Harris

Reporter at Press Briefing
(uncredited)

Judd Holdren

Reporter #3
(uncredited)

Stuart Holmes

Reporter
(uncredited)

Barry Norton

Reporter
(uncredited)

Cosmo Sardo

Reporter
(uncredited)

Bert Stevens

Reporter
(uncredited)

Director
- Kurt Neumann
Writers
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
When the film was originally released theatrically in 1950, the sequences on Mars were tinted red so as to impart a sense of the alien Red Planet into the black-and-white film. But subsequent TV prints did not reproduce this effect, and for decades the Martian scenes were shown only in black-and-white until the red tint was restored for home video in the early 1980s.

Goofs
It is mentioned that the gravity on Mars is 1/2 of that on Earth. Martian gravity is actually 38% of that on Earth. The rocks thrown by the cavemen would not be nearly as dangerous as posed.

Quotes
Harry: From this distance it would only appear a mere speck.
Major Corrigan: A mere speck? *Texas* a mere speck?

Alternate versions
In the original theatrical version, the Mars scenes were tinted pink/red.

Connections
Edited into Lost Continent (1951)

User reviews85

Featured review

7/10

A pioneering, well-honored science-fiction film.

Some films are blessed (though the producers would argue) by having less money with which to work. "Rocketship X-M" (the initials represent "eXpedition Moon") relies therefore upon, ahem, a real Story, with Acting, rather than flash and effects. That's why a half-century later, the well-remembered "RX-M" has held up so well. (An analogy could be drawn with the co-incidental 1949-1955 television series "Captain Video and His Video Rangers", where the bulk of budget also went towards quality writers and cast.) John Emery is - surprise!- a good guy here.

Osa Massen, one of the screen's most photogenic stars ever, is radiant. The whole cast carries through the forgivable inconsistencies with style. Ferde Grofé's music takes us from exultant triumph to eerie mystery and, finally, into bitter realization of what the RX-M crew discovers, the utter waste of an entire civilization. (Remember the real-life "face" on Mars?) Grofé well-illustrates the withering madness in the crew's panicked escape and return attempt. And the final moments aboard the doomed RX-M are of the stuff that makes for great film. I saw this in theatrical release, and you, too, will find "Rocketship X-M" one of your most memorable. Highly recommended to all.