Craig Zablo

Capricorn One (1978)

Director:  Peter Hyams

Screenplay:  Peter Hyams

Stars: Elliott Gould, James Brolin, Brenda Vaccaro, Sam Waterston, O.J. Simpson, Hal Holbrook, Karen Black, David Huddleston, David Doyle, Lee Bryant, Denise Nicholas, Robert Walden,  James Sikking, Alan Fudge, James Karen, Barbara Bosson and Telly Savalas. 

Tagline: Would you be shocked to find out that the greatest moment of our recent history may not have happened at all?

The Plot…

Capricorn One is set to be the first manned mission to Mars.  Mission Commander Charles Brubaker will be joined by Peter Willis and John Walker.  Just minutes before liftoff, the crew is secretly taken out of the capsule and driven to a remote desert military base.

In the meantime the launch proceeds as normal.  The world as well as mission control believe the crew is onboard.

The Capricorn One crew is met by NASA head Dr. James Kelloway.  Kelloway explains that it was recently discovered that Capricorn One’s life support system contained a fatal flaw. Had the crew been sent up, they would have died in route to Mars.

There was too much riding on the mission to cancel. A contingent of politicians already felt that the money to support the Mars mission and other NASA projects could be better spent elsewhere.  If Capricorn One failed, all funding would be cut off.  Private contractors and powerful politicians would lose billions.

So a secret plan was developed.  The mission to Mars would continue. The crew would perform their scheduled activities from a soundstage.  The audio/video would be sent via relays to appear that it was coming from Capricorn One. Very few people in the world would know.

Charles Brubaker isn’t buying it.  He believes that the public would understand. Peter and John agree.  They don’t want to fake the trip.  Funding need not be lost.  Kelloway says that powerful people aren’t willing to take the chance.  If Charles, Peter and John don’t agree to play along, not only are their lives in danger, but so are the lives of their families.

Reluctantly Charles, Peter and John agree to the charade.  Secretly Charles informs Peter and John when they return and their families are safe, he is going to come clean.

All goes well on Capricorn One’s trip to Mars.  The crew’s videos have everyone fooled.  The return flight to Earth is by the book.  Then on re-entry, the ship’s heat shield fails.  The ship explodes.  The crew could not survive.

Meanwhile back at the remote military base, Charles, Peter and John realize if they are thought to have died on the mission, there is no way that they can ever be seen again alive.

Miles from nowhere… in the middle of a desert… unsure where the closest city is, the three begin a run for their lives.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

NASA provided mock-up spacecraft, sets, vehicles and other technical assistance.

Capricorn One was the most successful independently produced movie of 1977.

Writer/director Peter Hyams wanted Robert Hooks or Bernie Casey for the role that went to O.J. Simpson. Simpson was the producers’ choice and they wouldn’t budge.

Peter Hyams also wrote and directed Outland (1981).  The corporation Con Amalgamate appears in both films.  In Capricorn One, it is the company that cut corners and made the faulty life-support system. In Outland, it is the corporation that runs mining on Io.

The scenes of the crop duster with Brubaker hanging on to the wing as it is chased by two military helicopters works!

Stunt pilot, Frank Tallman, said that the scenes with the crop duster chased by two military helicopters and all flying low to the ground through zig-zagging canyons was the most dangerous flying he ever did.

There were two different novelizations written for Capricorn One.  Each had a different author. Ron Goulart wrote the version published in the United States. Bernard Ross’ (aka Ken Follett!) take was published in the United Kingdom.  The U.K. version puts more emphasis on the reporter than the U.S. novel.

Capricorn One‘s two stars, Elliott Gould and James Brolin were both married to the same woman in real life.  Gould was married to Barbra Streisand from 1963 to 1971. Brolin married Streisand in 1998.

Capricorn One is my favorite film written by Peter Hyams.  It is also my favorite film directed by Peter Hyams.  It also features my favorite Elliott Gould performance.

Capricorn One is under-rated.

Capricorn One (1978) rates 5 of 5 stars