Fly Me to the Moon (2024) Movie Script

1
In October 1957,
the Soviet Union launched
the world's first
artificial satellite,
Sputnik 1, into orbit.
Their achievement
fueled a space race
between the United States
and the Soviets.
There has been some debate
about what followed,
but I was there, and this is
the real story. Mostly.
Until two days ago,
that sound had never been
heard on this earth.
America attempted
to launch her satellite
with disastrous results.
The Soviet Union
has sent a man into space
and brought him back alive.
The Soviets
made the most of the flight
in their worldwide propaganda.
Naturally, there was
jubilation in Russia.
Recognizing the head start
obtained by the Soviets,
I believe that this nation
should commit itself
to achieving the goal,
before this decade is out,
of landing a man on the moon
and returning him
safely to the earth.
We choose to go to
the moon in this decade
and do the other things,
not because they are easy,
but because they are hard.
Because that challenge is one
that we are willing to accept,
one we are unwilling
to postpone,
and one we intend to win.
Command Pilot.
One, two, three, four, five.
Five, four, three, two, one.
Flame!
We've got
a fire in the cockpit.
Let's get out!
We're burning up!
Astronauts Virgil Grissom,
Edward White and Roger Chaffee
have been killed.
Press officials say
because of the tragedy,
the Apollo 1 flight has now
been postponed indefinitely.
I-- It's, uh--
It's a groovy trip,
but there are a lot more
important things to do first
in the United States.
Maybe when
all that's taken care of,
we can afford to go
to the moon.
We find
ourselves rich in goods
but ragged in spirit.
Reaching with magnificent
precision for the moon
but falling into
raucous discord on Earth.
We are caught at war
wanting peace.
We're torn
by division wanting unity.
This giant Saturn rocket
and all the rest of
the equipment here
began as part of a race
to beat the Russians
with the national goal
of putting a man on the moon
in this decade.
But their trip will cost
more than anyone
thought it would.
And their chances of landing
on the moon in the 1960s
are increasingly slim.
First week as manager, Stu.
Doesn't sound like
it's going great.
So either our meters are off
or there's a breach
in one of the tanks.
But there's no protocol
for this.
-And we can't source the leak
because it's liquid hyd--
-Liquid hydrogen.
It's colorless and odorless.
Everybody out! Let's go!
Reed, Kyle, pencils down.
It could be burning,
and we wouldn't know it.
Find a door.
Come on! Run, run! No walking.
What's he doing?
Is he cleaning?
No, no. It's an--
It's an old-school
leak detection process.
It's a broom.
Stu, you're better than this.
Come on. Straw plus
liquid hydrogen equals...
All right, we're good!
Don't worry about it. Come on.
We got work to do.
Let's go.
Uh, the new protocol
is the broom method.
We need a new broom.
I for sure thought
he was dead.
Come on.
It's still broke
from the last time
you were in a mood.
Yeah, I can see that.
-Boeing called again.
-Call Congress, Henry,
not me.
I don't have their number.
Every day, every day,
something is breaking
around here.
Or blowing up.
We're underfunded,
under-- understaffed.
But yeah, we're still expected
to beat the pants off
the Russians.
You mind telling me
how the hell
we're supposed to do that?
Could start by being
a little nicer
to the vending machines.
Ooh! There it is!
-What?
-There's a cat.
-So what?
-It's a black cat, Henry.
It's bad luck.
Okay, it's gone.
-All right. Thank God.
-Okay. Let's go.
-Call security.
-I won't.
-I will not. It--
-Yes, you will.
The last thing that we need
around here is a black cat.
They don't deal
with things like this.
Yes, they do. They do now.
-Y-You're overreacting.
-No, you're not
overreacting enough.
Call 'em right now.
Right now.
How do I look?
You're glowing.
Good luck.
Good afternoon, boys.
Wrong room, sweetheart.
We don't need dictation.
I'm Kelly Jones.
I'll be running
the meeting today.
You must be Phil Hunley,
Neil Brown and--
Ooh. Zack Tanner.
You don't mind
if I sit down, do you?
Uh, all due respect,
Mrs. Jones,
we're a progressive company.
We employ 16 women
in our steno pool.
We're selling sports cars
to men.
We're selling
a 300 horsepower--
355, 428 cubic inch V-8 beast
is what you're selling.
You want to focus on
the car's speed.
Something like this.
Look familiar? Chevy Camaro.
Pontiac Firebird.
And Oldsmobile.
All from last month.
Thankfully,
you have something
that your competition
doesn't have.
The Mustang Fastback.
"355 horses for him.
Seat belts for the family."
The seat belts? We only
put them in because they might
be mandatory next year.
Let's play a game.
Now I'm gonna guess
what kind of car each one
of you gentlemen drive.
Zack, Ford Mustang '66
convertible. It's poppy red.
Oh, no Mustangs
for you husbands though.
A Lincoln Continental
for Neil.
A station wagon
for poor Phil.
Oh, Phil. You know what
the best part of my day is?
When my husband Charlie
comes home at night.
I can't even imagine
what it would be like if-if
one night he-- he didn't.
Now imagine the conversation
if someone told your wife
that this car,
its 355 horses
and 105 top speed,
this car is what brings
her husband home safe
to her family every night.
Now she wants you to have it.
She says the words
every married man
dreams of hearing...
"I'd feel so much better
if you bought yourself
that Mustang, sweetheart."
How did you guess
what kind of cars they drive?
What, bribe their secretaries
or something?
Kelly, seriously?
Two packs of Virginia Slims
and a bottle of Paco Rabanne.
Everyone has their price.
I'm just lucky
that my water didn't break
in there. Oh, God.
Hi, Ron.
How's the wife?
Now, the baby bump,
dry-clean only.
Yes, I have that noted.
A-Also, Omega confirmed
for next week,
I finished
the Baskin-Robbins artwork,
and that guy from Palmex
asked for your address
to send roses,
but I gave him mine
because I know
-how you feel about roses.
-How I feel about roses.
Also, John called. Again.
He wants to take you
to dinner Tuesday.
Tell him I moved to LA.
And call Bruce
from Dow Chemical.
I hear they're looking
for a new agency for Ziploc.
People should be
boycotting Dow.
They make napalm.
People say they're boycotting,
but they're still
buying sandwich bags.
They also sell
Saran Wrap and Styrofoam.
Think people are going to
stop using Styrofoam?
What's your coffee in?
Now, I know you
and your friends
want to save the world,
and by the time
you're running this place
in 1984,
there's gonna be no nukes
and equal rights for all.
But until then,
we've got a job to do.
Kelly! Kelly! Kelly. Kelly.
We've got a big problem.
I just stormed off set,
and, yes, it was justified.
I cannot work
with these Hoover people.
Apparently, they have issues
with the way that I am
shooting their commercial.
They actually said that.
"Their." It's my commercial.
They make vacuums.
I make art.
-Sorry, did we have
a meeting set?
-No. No.
I'm sorry. I didn't realize
I had to set a time
to speak to one of
my dearest friends.
The last time we spoke,
you fired me.
And I don't work for you.
You know what, Kelly,
I didn't come in here
to be berated.
I came in to be agreed with!
You have that Nestl pitch
in ten.
Very important.
That is a lie. Goodbye.
Lance,
getting you this directing gig
was a Christmas miracle.
It took me three weeks
to convince them
that you were stable
after your Jell-O shoot
from hell.
Jell-O was not my fault.
-Ugh. That actor wa--
-Was five. You made him cry.
Well, I did that child
a favor.
Hollywood is no cakewalk.
What about
the Heinz commercial?
You went 40,000 over budget.
-It was about ketchup.
-It was not about ketchup.
It was about
the promise of ketchup.
No one sees what I'm doing
for their products.
I am elevating them.
I should be in film by now.
I passed on directing
Valley of the Dolls.
That is on me, but still.
Now, what do we call you,
right? The Kubrick
of commercials. All right.
Oh, my God. Stanley is a hack.
He does one good movie,
and suddenly he's a genius.
You are a legend, right?
Creative genius.
You're also hotheaded,
mercurial and can't stick
to a budget for shit.
-Oh, thank you.
-That wasn't a compliment.
It is when you stop listening.
If you quit Hoover,
you'll be unhirable.
Okay.
Lance, why don't you
march your ass back to set,
and you apologize
for whatever fit you threw,
okay?
Buy your boyfriend
something nice for Christmas
for putting up with you.
Get something for me too,
okay?
-Merry Christmas, Lance.
-Merry Christmas.
Can you get me
a decent job, please?
Apollo 8
launched successfully
this morning.
A much needed win for NASA.
In Vietnam,
more men were lost today.
...and 15 million miles...
I'll have another round,
please, and a look at
the dinner menu.
-Yes, ma'am.
-Thanks.
Two specials tonight.
Chicken potpie
and Oysters Rockefeller.
We'll do the chicken.
She's allergic to oysters.
And I'll take a shot
of Macallan, a lemon
and a cutting board.
-Yes, sir.
-Oh, I'm sorry.
Do I know you?
Seat belts in a sports car.
I mean, that's a great angle.
Unfortunately, they're about
to kill the account.
Why would they do that?
Because someone told them
that you don't really have
a bun in the oven.
Phil.
Let me explain.
That's the last time
I trust a woman.
-I actually sent you
a baby gift.
Which was so sweet,
by the way. Let me just--
Neil, let-let me explain.
If you--
What is this?
Who do you work for, Ogilvy?
Huh? You can't outsell me,
so you got me fired?
Just the opposite.
I wanna hire you.
Name's Moe Berkus. I work for
the president's office.
Of what company?
The president.
We need a, uh,
marketing specialist,
and word has it
you are the very best.
So I did a little digging,
and, uh--
You have quite
a colorful past, Kelly.
Or should I call you Jane?
Stewardess from Chicago.
Or perhaps
you would prefer Amy,
the nurse from Ohio.
Face like that,
who's gonna check references?
Page you're looking for
isn't in there.
I don't know
what you're talking about.
Oh, sure you don't.
And I get it.
Hey, I have dozens of IDs,
and my real name's not Moe.
With all the names
you could've picked,
you landed on Moe?
You have singular talent.
Why waste it selling cars
when you can think bigger?
Well, Moe,
what's bigger than Ford?
You ever been to Florida?
They want you
to sell the moon?
The moon.
The Apollo mission.
The whole thing.
And this Moe guy
works for NASA?
Yeah. I mean, y-- Well, no.
Um, kind of. He-He-He
works for the government.
Oh, which part?
Kelly?
Does this guy--
Are we working
for Richard Nixon?
Because, Kelly,
I will not
work for Richard Nixon.
I'm a card-carrying feminist.
I actually have a card.
I can't even believe
he's going to be president.
I had no idea I disagreed
with this much of the country.
We are working for NASA
to sell the moon.
Nobody disagrees
about the moon.
No. You and I both know
that everywhere around us
every day something terrible
is happening.
Everywhere.
Except in space.
I hate that this
is working on me.
They definitely need our help.
Did you know
of NASA's first 29 missions,
only 48% have been successful?
That can't be.
That's crazy.
Did you know
the ratio of men to women
in Cocoa Beach is 5-to-1?
Wow.
As long as you got us
a quiet place
that's not on Frat Row.
The-- The guidebook said
it's quaint.
You're fired.
Who are all these people?
It is a Wednesday.
It's like
they're on
a different planet.
They call it Florida.
Please tell me
you booked a room
away from the pool.
...sixteen and 21...
-Weather!
...Clear to partly cloudy
tomorrow.
A few isolated thundershowers
during the afternoon
and early evening.
A low tonight, 65 to 75.
Currently 77
in the Moonport cities.
That's KO twenty-twenty news,
sports and weather.
WKKO--
-Hey, Joe.
-Evening, Cole.
What'll it be?
Coffee. Black.
And whatever takes
the least amount of time
to put in a bag, my friend.
Uh, miss, you're on fire.
Very original.
No, I do not wanna stop,
drop and roll with you.
No, your book is on fire.
God.
Okay.
-All right.
All right. All right.
-Oh, my God.
-I'm sorry.
Thank you. I just--
-Just as a rule of thumb,
alcohol and flames,
they-- they like each other.
-Yeah. Oh, gosh.
-I-I-I ruined your jacket.
No, this thing's seen worse.
Been through worse.
Let me buy a drink
for your troubles.
-That's not necessary.
-I insist.
I don't drink.
It's okay.
Oh, really? An astronaut
who doesn't drink.
That's very intriguing.
What makes you think
I'm an astronaut?
Because you have
an Apollo pin,
and only astronauts get those.
So you know
a thing or two about NASA.
Yeah, well, I'm a recent fan.
I'm Kelly Jones.
I'm no astronaut.
I just work at Kennedy.
Cole Davis.
Well, what do you do there?
Uh-- Look,
the last thing I want to do
-is make small talk
about my job.
-Oh.
Sorry.
That didn't sound--
-I didn't mean it
for it to-- Uh.
-That's okay.
No. You were being honest.
-Order up, Cole.
-Um...
I wasn't being honest.
If I was being honest,
I'd have told you you're
the most beautiful woman
that I've seen in longer
than I can remember,
and I have a very good memory.
All I really want to do
is just buy you a drink
and talk to you for hours,
but I can't so I'm trying
really hard to just forget
that you're here.
It was nice to meet you,
Kelly.
I really am sorry.
Welcome to Rockets Road,
also known as Alligator Alley.
You'll wanna keep your arms
and legs inside the cart
if you wanna keep
your arms and legs.
No, that's just a little joke.
They mostly attack
in the water.
Now, today's tour
will take approximately
two and a half to three hours.
So let's get comfy-cozy.
Now on the right
is our testing facility.
State-of-the-art.
-It's on fire.
-It is often on fire.
Up ahead, we have
the vehicle assembly building.
That's where
they assemble the rockets.
That is the tallest
single-story building
in the world.
You can fit
four Statue of Liberties
inside that building.
Wow. Life Magazine
really doesn't do it justice.
This is so gre--
I'd love to go inside.
It's highly restricted.
I'm sorry.
Come on,
let's get a closer look.
Oh, no, no. No.
There's no entry here.
You need a special
access badge to enter.
Oh, like-- like this one?
Yeah. That's, uh-- Oh, no, no,
no, that's-- that's my badge.
-Uh, hey-- Oh.
-Look at this place.
It's enormous!
-It seems like
it's much bigger--
-They took my badge!
I mean,
look at this building.
-Hello?
That's-That's my badge.
-Hello, sir. Hi.
Kelly Jones
from NASA Public Affairs.
Here's our all-access pass
for both of us. Thank you.
-Thank you.
-Wait, wait. My card.
Now, this I can sell.
Yoo-hoo!
Hello. Boys, boys!
Hi. Kelly Jones.
I'm from the new
NASA Public Affairs team.
Can I ask you two
a few questions?
Name, age,
and what's your job here?
Uh, I'm Stu Bryce.
One of the, uh,
head engineers, and I'm 24.
-We'll say 35.
-Yeah.
And you?
I'm Don Harper.
I-I work for him, and I'm 23.
You guys are babies.
The average age
at NASA is 26.
But w-we do know some old
people that work here as well.
-Yeah, like, 32, 33.
-Yeah.
I'll try not to kill
both of you for saying that.
So, tell us, Stu,
what brings you to join
this great American mission?
Well, I s-- saw a, uh, flyer
in my college dorm.
-"A childhood love
of the stars."
-That's good.
-That's very moving.
-That's very good.
-And you?
-Excuse me?
What are you doing here?
Well, I--
I tracked you down
to give you my phone number,
'cause I felt
we had a connection.
-What?
-Relax. I'm joking.
I work here now.
Moe Berkus brought me on
to revamp NASA Public Affairs.
So you're the killer
from Manhattan.
And you must be
the launch director.
This is my associate,
Ruby Martin.
Yeah, I don't care.
Look. This building
is completely off-limits.
Everything in here can
burn you, freeze you, fry you,
poison you and crush you.
-So let's go. Out.
-How long
have you worked here?
-A substantial
amount of time.
-Hmm.
-What are you writing?
-Your quote.
That's not a quote. It was
just a thing that I said.
I'll punch it up. Do you have
time today for an interview?
And also, I need to sit down
with your senior officers.
-The photogenic types first.
-I can help with
the selection process.
Look, my guys are too weird
for interviews,
and they're actually busy
doing life-and-death work.
Well, you know,
I don't need your permission.
The Americans are over
their long and expensive
honeymoon in space,
and I'm here to remind them
why they fell in love
in the first place.
Is that right?
Well, Americans
should be very grateful
that these men
are putting their lives
on the line for the mission.
Well, you don't
know much about
American people, do you?
You don't know
very much about your office
I'm about to show you, do you?
Is this a storage closet?
Nope. Storage closet
has a window.
Okay, so, instant coffee...
...is in
the break room.
Just run the tap for a minute
to flush out the rust.
Do either of you know how
to work a fire extinguisher?
No? Mkay.
PASS method's pretty simple.
Just, uh, pull the pin, aim,
squeeze, sweep.
If you need anything else,
uh, maybe just go back
to New York and get it.
Have a good day.
Well, at least
he's easy on the eyes.
He's hard on the ears though.
Not a great welcome wagon.
I thought you said
they wanted our help.
Oh, no.
I said they needed our help.
And I do believe that
now more than ever.
How are we supposed to do that
if we can't talk to anyone
or look at anything?
Aw, it's a cat.
It's a cat.
-It's a cat!
-It's a cat.
You know what they say
about black cats?
If they cross your path,
they're probably
going someplace else.
Okay, time to dig out
the old Rolodex.
Let's get creative.
Apollo 11 will land our men
on the moon,
and that makes us first.
If we do our jobs, we will
launch right from there,
July 16, bright and early.
Between now and then,
we will piece together
the biggest jigsaw puzzle
in the history of mankind.
Six million parts spread out
around the country,
and we will assemble, test,
and retest every single one
until we are certain
that Apollo 11 will take off
without a hitch
and head to the moon in--
Henry, sing it.
Seven months. Huh?
Seven months.
Please help me congratulate
the astronauts of Apollo 11.
Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins.
Hey, hey! How'd you like
the White House, boys? Huh?
Yeah, it was all right,
except Neil wouldn't let me
steal the china.
All right.
Because in eight months,
when this is all over,
and they need
new history books to cover
what we've accomplished here,
each and every single one of
you will be able to say that
"I did the hardest thing
that has ever been done."
Yeah?
Yeah!
Let's do it.
Let's get to it!
-Beautiful. Perfect.
-Thank you.
-Yeah.
-Sir,
you said to tell you
when the new lady did
anything you wouldn't like.
I'm here at
the Kennedy Space Center
with Deputy Launch Director,
Henry Smalls.
What's going on?
That's my name.
He's got my name and my job!
It's been a great time
for all of us. You know,
for me, this is very personal.
My father was an airman...
Who is that?
-It's not me.
-...he died
in the line of duty
-when I was a child...
-I'm not that handsome.
...so this is for you, Dad.
-Oh, that's it.
-So sorry to hear that.
-Thanks for sharing.
That must've been...
-My dad's still alive.
Right. What is it that
we can do to sort of
make 6:00 p.m.? Yeah.
NASA Public Affairs,
this is Kelly Jones.
Kelly, ABC wants
next week's press reel.
They also want
the best photo we have
from the Apollo 8.
Tell them they can have it
if they give us
their 6:00 p.m. time slot.
-Got it.
-If you air
an animated segment,
I can offer you an exclusive--
Thank you
so much.
Your father was a hero.
You are a hero.
We so appreciate you
working at...
That was the head of NBC News.
Yeah, I don't care.
Who is that?
Thank you.
See you on the moon.
To the world,
that's Henry Smalls.
-That's not Henry Smalls.
-No, but you told me
that your guys
don't do interviews,
so I had to hire new guys.
You have two of the best
engineers on the planet
installing a window.
Phil, if you hammer
one more time, I swear to God
I'm gonna lose my mind.
Put down the hammer,
take your stupid belts off
and get back to testing.
On the move. Here we go.
Can you believe that view?
-We got the first photos
from Apollo 8.
-It's better than mine.
The first shot of
the Earth from the moon.
Isn't that the most beautiful
thing you've ever seen?
How'd you get this
before me?
They're calling it
"Earthrise."
It's going to be at the top
of every news segment tonight.
I mean, '68 has been
such a terrible year.
Assassinations,
this heinous war, we've seen
the worst of humanity.
Now NASA gives us this?
A whole new way
to see the world.
And I'm gonna make sure
everybody sees it.
You can't just fake people!
-Hey, I'm here
for the casting.
-Oh!
-Who's he?
-You. You're a juicy part.
So, here's the scenes
and the character bio.
This is the man that
you're playing, so you wanna
up the charisma a bit.
-Can do. I'll up the--
-Okay? Okay.
-Sixty missions in Korea?
-Yeah.
-It's an honor.
-I flew 52 missions in Korea.
I rounded up.
"I flew 52 missions in Korea."
How was that?
-What?
-I'll work on it.
She has a fake me now.
-She got a fake me.
-She got a fake me
and a fake you.
-You can't fake me and you.
-There's nothing here.
There's no Moe Berkus.
I checked every spelling.
I have a Moe Berkus
on the line.
-Do you want me to talk?
-Oh, no, no.
I'm gonna enjoy this.
This is gonna be
the fastest firing
in NASA's history.
-Hey, Moe.
-Cole, I hear
you're looking for me.
I am. Kelly Jones hired actors
to play NASA engineers.
It is unacceptable.
I want her desk cleared today.
Calm, calm, calm down, okay?
Washington watches TV.
Apollo is now on TV.
Every channel, every day.
So, you want to
get to the moon?
I suggest, focus on your job.
Let Kelly do hers.
If she's made you
the belle of the ball,
why don't you just slip on
your tutu and do some dancing?
-She fired?
-Mm-mmm.
Are we fired?
Apollo 8,
carrying astronauts Borman,
Lovell and Anders
was launched into space
by a Saturn V.
Every single network
is airing the Earthrise shot.
I mean, it's--
it's gonna be everywhere.
You know, I tried
a little something on it,
but I just don't think
it's working yet.
It's not enough.
We need a hook,
a way to weave
the moon landing
into people's everyday lives
without them realizing it.
Uh, hi. Do you have anything
close to a salad?
Pickles come on a burger.
It's gonna be a minute,
though. Apollo news
has business picking up.
All the tourists love to
come in and see
little pieces of history.
-Pieces of history?
-Yeah, like-- like that pen.
John Glenn ate here
every night in '61.
He would work on
his flight manuals,
and he'd use one of our pens.
That one ended up
on Mercury 6.
You're at the only restaurant
in the world
whose name's been in space.
That's cool.
And right up ahead,
it's the famous
Mercury rockets.
Be sure to get a picture here,
but don't stand too close.
They might go off.
He recovered
after that weekend.
Does it bother you
that a room dies
every time you walk into it?
You're supposed to stay
on your side.
-I missed you.
-Hmm.
I'd like you to approve
our new ad campaigns.
Why don't you just sidestep me
like you did last time?
I wanna apologize
for blindsiding you
with the interviews.
I have a fix for
our money problems.
Well, your apology
is rejected,
and so is whatever this is.
-Omega.
-Look, this isn't
Madison Avenue.
-We don't pay for this stuff.
-No, it's cost-free.
The brands get
a tie-in money can't buy,
and NASA works its way into
the minds of everyday people.
A watch ad?
That's-That's your big idea?
-Ready?
-Mm-hmm.
Toothpaste.
Tang. "The energy
breakfast drink
chosen for Apollo astronauts
-on their trip to the moon."
-Moon coupons?
But, my personal favorite,
Fruit of the Loom. Right?
The guys gotta wear something
under those big suits,
don't they?
Nothing says NASA
like Fruit of the Loom.
Look, I am not turning this
ship into a flying billboard
no matter how much
you want it to happen.
And by the way,
we don't have time to test
all this before liftoff.
We don't have to send
any of this up into space
as long as we say it went.
Oh, so you're gonna lie?
It's called selling.
We're not lying
to the customer.
-We're changing the way
they think.
-No, it's called lying.
Everyone is just
a customer to you, huh?
Look, I know that
you're a big old fancy
ad shark and everything,
but NASA's not something that
you sell with a jingle
and a slogan.
You do not know who we are.
Yeah, okay.
Who's Margaret Hamilton?
-Who?
-She works here for you.
There are 400,000 people
that are affiliated
-with this space program,
Ms. Jones.
-She's one of your engineers.
-Who's JoAnn Morgan?
-She works
in the firing room.
Did you ever ask her
why she took this job
in the first place? I have.
She says it's because
she has rocket fuel
in her blood.
And NASA's not
just a logo,
it's people.
People who wake up
every morning
and commit to accomplishing
the impossible.
And all while wearing
the same underwear
as the rest of us.
Ella, can I help you
with anything at all?
Mm-mmm.
Thank you.
So I ran the projections,
and this is what
you stand to make
if you accept
key sponsorships.
We-We can't
take private money.
It doesn't matter, okay?
I'm about to make NASA
so popular
that Congress will finally
turn the taps back on
around here.
And all I have to do is just
let Armstrong put on
an Omega watch?
No.
If we get the money flowing,
then you've gotta prove to me
that Cocoa Beach has
a decent place to get dinner.
Um...
-Deal. I--
-Yes! Deal! Yes! Whoo!
Uh, no, wait.
I'm drawing the line
at toilet paper though,
because the world does not
get to know what
our guys wipe their ass with.
Well, shit.
Would you
like to go for a vacation
when you come back to Earth?
The situation being
what it is now,
the place I would
most like to go, uh--
Lose the table
next time, Walter.
Neil looks like he's giving
GE's quarterly profit report.
That's always
been our table--
TV brings them in
to people's living rooms.
They should look like
they belong there.
It'd mean that we succeeded.
You're still in charge,
Walter. Don't you worry.
When I'm done helping though,
those men are gonna be
bigger than The Beatles.
I'm getting to go
99.9% of the way there,
and that suits me just fine.
What's the name of that VP
at Kellogg's?
I believe
it's Harrison Driscoll.
All right, Harrison.
So instead of
"Snap, Crackle, Pop,"
"Neil, Buzz and Mike."
It's cute, right?
Cole!
-Make sure
that doesn't rust, Henry.
-Can you mark these?
-Hey, hey.
-Did you see that?
You didn't see the cat?
Go closer on the Tang bottle.
Make the font bigger
and put bacon with the eggs.
Let's not forget,
we're selling America, here.
"Peter Pan Peanut Butter.
Peanut butter that's
out-of-this-world smooth."
"Hasselblad. See the world
the way they do."
Larry, this is
Omega's big chance.
On the back of
every Speedmaster
till the end of time,
"The first watch
worn on the moon." Right?
Now we just gotta
stand her up.
It's all gonna be worth it.
-Hey. Hey! You're in my spot.
-We're setting up
a shot for Kelly.
We've got
three astronauts
on the Apollo 11 mission.
There they are in front of
three beautiful American cars.
Oh, this is great.
You gotta be in
the test facility right now.
Talk to Kelly.
Kelly said we could take
a Corvette home for a dollar.
-There you are.
-A dollar?
I'm gonna need them for
15 minutes, but that's all.
I needed them
15 minutes ago, Kelly.
You know how expensive
those suits are?
Oh, don't worry.
It's just the launch director.
This strange looking bird,
the LEM, Mr. Kelly.
How does it work?
Well, this is
a spacecraft that's used
to take men down
to the lunar surface.
And two of the three
astronauts in the LEM...
Flight, we missed target
and are drifting
into the vast abyss.
-And we're dead. Again.
-Yeah.
Ran out of fuel 30 seconds
before touchdown.
Yeah, but the landing, though,
-it was smooth-- It was good.
-Great pitch. Forward.
You're both bad liars.
Neil, Mike, Buzz,
if I can get one more photo
for Ms. Jones and Omega?
Who are you, man?
All right, watches up, boys.
And smile for Omega.
-Davis.
-Am I interrupting?
-Always.
-There should be a box
in front of you.
Why don't you open it?
Omega thanks you
for your service.
Your boys are all over TV,
the taps are flowing again.
So...
dinner?
Yeah. Canaveral Pier.
Five o'clock.
Wear your watch.
3:00 p.m. is their best
and final time slot
to air the interview.
For an exclusive
with Armstrong? 3:00 p.m.
is for children and deadbeats.
They said they have
breaking news from the war.
Unknown size enemy force.
Enemy casualties are unknown,
but you've seen
how it really was.
So much for keeping Apollo
back in the news cycle.
Heroism, danger, fear,
all rolled into one.
Words don't describe it.
Richard Threlkeld, CBS News.
Near the Cambodian border.
Thank you, Captain Scotty.
Appreciate you.
Okay.
Well, you spare no expense
on a lady.
Just try it.
Shrimp, mayo, bun.
And that happens to be
the best meal
in a hundred miles.
-Mmm.
-Told you.
How'd I not know about
this place?
Not everybody
likes to advertise.
Nice one. That's good.
That's where the rocket will
launch out of. Right there.
That watch
looks great on you.
You wear it very well.
Thanks.
That night at the bar,
what I said to you--
That you couldn't
take your eyes off me,
and I was the most beautiful
woman that you'd ever seen?
Y-Yeah, that part.
That-- Yes. Mm-hmm.
It was impulsive.
It was meant for a stranger,
and we're
working together now.
So, I just don't want you
to think that I was--
Interested?
I just wanted
to clear the air.
Oh. Well, the air was clear.
Good.
I had a thought.
Yeah.
It was perfect for 30 seconds.
What are the networks covering
night and day?
You think I have
time to watch TV?
Vietnam. They're broadcasting
straight from the action.
And people don't want
to just hear the news anymore.
They wanna see it
in the making.
Okay.
Why not let 'em?
Oh, you want to put
a live television camera
on the LEM?
Yes.
My guys are trying to survive
up there.
They don't have time
to figure out
how to film a movie.
We'll figure it out for 'em.
All they have to do
is point and shoot.
You don't get it.
It's a logistical nightmare.
There's power issues,
storage, weight.
There's not even a camera
that would work up there
'cause it's
negative 200 degrees at night
and over 250 degrees
during the daytime.
Can you imagine seeing it?
No. I just said
it's impossible.
-Yes. That's the point.
-Mmm.
It would be the greatest
televised event ever.
Do you think
this is a game show?
There is a very good reason
why the Soviets
aren't broadcasting
their space walks.
Because they're
a tight-lipped dictatorship.
-Yeah, that's not us.
-Wow.
When we succeed,
we do it as a nation.
-And when we fail,
we grieve as a nation.
-Right.
That's what it means
to be American.
Oh, stop telling me
what it means to be
an American.
There's only one of us here
that has served their country
their entire life.
I'm sorry. We're not putting
the camera on the LEM.
I mean it. We're not.
We are.
There's no way he can do it
without more fuel.
-Have him run it again.
-Yeah.
Okay.
I'm on a tight schedule.
What is it?
Kelly briefed me
on the camera idea,
and we like it.
We like it a lot.
-She misspoke.
We can't do it.
There is no such technology
that even exists.
Actually it does.
You know?
The Department of Defense
designed this
to find downed fighter pilots
in Vietnam at night.
Now, it's classified
but the DOD
is going to let you use it
as long as nobody knows
what it is.
There's absolutely no space
for equipment that heavy.
We are weighing screws
for God's sake.
What-- I mean,
what is this, 15 pounds?
Okay. So, just,
like, lighter screws.
We're trying for
another fuel cell.
So our men, when they get
to the moon, they still have
enough fuel to lift off.
Out of all her bad ideas,
this one is the worst.
Actually,
the president loves it.
So, now it's a great idea.
So, let me put it to you
simply, Cole.
Find a way
to put this on that.
This is an order.
From the tippy top.
Don, Stu.
Can you come in here, please?
Thank you. Let's not make
everything so hard.
Please help Miss Jones strip
this top secret camera down.
I don't want 'em to know
it's top secret.
Well, now they do.
Please strip this
top secret camera.
Mount it onto the LEM
for live broadcasting.
Cole. One last thing.
Last week, a CIA spy plane
took some
surveillance photographs
of the new Russian N1 rocket.
And Congress saw it,
and some of the members
are having cold feet
-about the final round
of funding.
We're months away from
winning this thing.
I'm gonna send them down here,
and you're gonna convince them
to sit tight.
No. I'm-- I'm gonna write up
some talking points.
Huh.
Don't take it personally.
Pilots fight gravity.
It's part of their nature.
Henry?
Oh.
Well, I'm--
I'm glad you're not Cole.
-Oh?
-Yeah.
He don't like me smoking.
What, are you
worried he's gonna ground you?
Uh, no. I, uh...
I had emergency bypass surgery
last year.
Yeah. That son of a bitch.
He's hell-bent
on keeping me alive.
I'm sorry. I didn't know.
Yeah.
Nobody here does.
Just Cole.
Yeah. He came to the hospital
and held my wife's hand
for three days.
Yeah. It's a long way from
the day we met.
Kid had just got back
from Korea.
The top pilot
in the Air Force.
Silver Star. Flying Cross.
He was first in line
at Edwards when they were
looking for astronauts.
But, uh, he ended up
not making the cut.
So, what got him?
It was his temper.
No, no.
His heart.
Doc found an A-fib.
A little thing
but enough to keep him
out of the program.
Cole Davis is the best pilot
who will never get to space.
You know, I've been
looking at this view every day
for the last 15 years.
But lately,
it's like I'm seeing it
for the first time.
Apollo 1 cast a big shadow
on this place.
It's nice to have
some light back.
Hey, I keep seeing Cole
drive out there every night.
What's he doing?
Gardening.
-You ready?
-Yeah.
All right. Look, we just--
We give the senator a tour.
We play nice for 30 minutes.
We keep the lights on.
Okay. Fine.
Oh.
-What?
-She's just there.
-Don't run.
-No, no.
-Just don't run. Don't--
-Wait. Shut up.
No. See, you scared it.
I just ate.
Henry, come on! Come on!
I hate that cat.
I see what
y-- you mean.
That's an asshole cat.
Did you see
the look it gave me?
It's just taunting me now.
-What is that?
-That's cat food.
-Somebody's feeding
that thing.
-Who's doing that?
Find them.
Find them immediately, and fire them immediately.
Mr. Davis. Sir, uh,
Senator Hopp is here.
All right.
What? You look fine.
Senator.
-Hello, Mr. Davis.
-Senator.
What an honor.
-It's an honor and a pleasure.
-Very nice to see you.
Well,
the Apollo 11 capsule
has arrived,
and next week,
we will be attaching it
to the Saturn V rocket.
And that gets us
off the ground
and out of Earth's atmosphere.
Well, that's all
very impressive,
but I have to be up-front.
Georgia had some
devastating floods
this year.
And I'm voting
to put this money
toward our relief fund.
That seems a little selfish,
don't you think?
-Excuse me?
-Uh, that's
a figure of speech.
-Here's what he means.
-My voters mostly think
we are overspending
on the moon.
-That's funny,
because--
-Yoo-hoo!
Excuse me. Senator Hopp.
Oh, you probably
don't remember me,
but you spoke at
my sophomore year of college.
Georgia Tech. '55.
You're a Buzz?
-Yes, sir.
-Of course I remember.
Your words inspired me
that day.
You said, "Commitment means
staying loyal to a cause."
Two years later,
I graduated with honors.
Now I run this department.
You know, in '62, you said
that you would fight
for Kennedy's dream
no matter what.
I know that the moon mission
was more popular back then,
but it would be just a shame
if the man whose words
inspired me to work at NASA
didn't live by
those very same words.
It would be a shame,
wouldn't it?
Sir, you are just
such a wonderful man.
-Thank you so much.
-Mmm.
You are a wonderful man.
Isn't she just a wonderful
Georgia peach here?
-Oh, my.
-Oh. Yes.
-You are so sweet.
-Yes, I am.
Let me take you on
the special VIP tour
they didn't tell you about.
-Oh, I'd love that.
-Wonderful.
Do you go on this tour
with me?
I absolutely will.
That's so sweet.
She teared up.
I mean, it's scary.
Wave and smile.
Bye-bye!
The space program is not only
a bloated mess,
but Apollo flies in the face
of our creator
and the true father
of this country.
I would remind you
that we don't--
We landed Hopp.
We need two more votes.
Looks like
it's not gonna be Vanning.
-Definitely not Vanning.
-Next, we have Senator Cook.
Cook's a little scary.
I'm not gonna lie.
He's a Cold War conservative.
He's worried that
our budget takes away from
weapons development
at the DOD.
Now, Senator,
with the N1 rocket,
the Russians still could land
on the moon before us.
What we're about to show you
is our most recent intel
on what they plan to build
if they do.
-And these are photos?
-No, sir.
Those are, uh, renderings
of a possible future.
Future photos?
Is that a laser?
It's going towards Earth, sir.
-What are they calling it?
-"Killer Lunar
Laser Eliminator," sir.
-"Killer Lunar Laser Eliminator"?
- -Yes, sir.
Damn it. That's good.
And, finally,
we have Senator Hedges.
Now, he's always been
a fan of Apollo,
but he's getting pressure
from his state party
not to fund.
He can't take in oxygen
without a camera
pointed at him,
and we're about to have
a few of those around here.
Any questions?
No, ma'am.
Well, let's get him then.
Hello, everyone!
Gentlemen.
It's-- It's-- It's great
to be back, everyone.
You know how much I love
the Apollo program.
Senator. Apollo 10
will just be orbiting
the moon.
But it's gonna get us
information critical
for the touchdown of 11.
-Like landing conditions
and location.
-Amazing.
And we've a special seat
for you here, Senator,
amongst your fans.
For me? Oh. Thank you.
Apollo launch control,
and we are go on the countdown
for the Apollo 10
lunar mission at this time.
We have
ignition sequence start.
Five, four, three, two...
All engines running.
Liftoff. We have liftoff.
Forty-nine minutes
past the hour.
Tower clear. Tower clear.
Houston, she's all yours.
Glorious launch.
Can't wait to be
right back here for Apollo 11.
We cannot thank you enough
for your support, Senator.
It's gonna cost you more than
a pair of binoculars.
I owe a favor
to the news fellas back home.
I'd like you to give them
an on-camera interview.
Uh, Senator,
I'm the very last person
that you want
in front of a camera.
Uh, I d--
I don't do interviews.
Except for you,
Senator Hedges.
We would be delighted.
Smart lady.
-Good night.
-Good night.
Kelly?
It's okay.
-Got it all under control.
-Mm-hmm.
-Hey.
-Hey.
You're entitled to
a night off too, you know.
If I am,
it's to sleep.
Oh,
you actually have a house?
I thought you slept
at the office.
Well, yeah. Usually.
But, uh... Well, I mean,
sometimes I sleep with Jenny.
Oh, yeah. Right. Oh.
I'm sure she's great.
Jenny? Yeah. She-- She is.
You wanna meet her?
-Yeah.
-Yeah. She'll love you.
Come on.
Jenny.
Jenny, uh,
this is Kelly.
Kelly, meet Jenny.
She's just like the one
I flew in the war.
Keep her here
so I can get my flight hours
on the weekends. Saves time.
Oh.
She's quite a lady.
Yeah. She is.
-Wanna go up?
-No.
-You sure?
-Yeah.
Okay. Come on.
Show you the second-best view.
-You see those
dark parts there?
-Yeah.
We call them the seas.
The gravity is stronger
in the seas, so...
We've looked to land in,
uh, pretty much
every single one of them.
You got the Sea of Serenity.
Sea of Crises.
We crossed that one
off the list pretty quick.
Yeah. That's bad PR.
And then
we finally settled on,
uh, the Sea of Tranquility.
That's the sweet spot.
You know,
come to think about it,
I-- I know a lot more
about the moon
than I know about you
by a long shot.
I don't even know
where you're from.
Kansas.
Kelly from Kansas.
How'd you get
into advertising,
Kelly from Kansas?
Uh, well, I was four
when my dad left,
and my mom lost the house.
We lived in a car.
And...
...a church gave her a job
selling cookie tins.
So, she had this idea that
we'd sell more if it was me
going door-to-door.
Oh, yeah. Smart lady.
Cookie tins,
then it was vacuums,
then beauty goods
when I got older.
Yeah. Traveling the country,
me and my mom.
It's how we got
back on our feet.
Well, I'm sorry
you went through that.
Well, don't be. I...
Yeah. I learned early on
how to survive.
Plus, we all have our share
of tough breaks.
Henry told me about the A-fib
and you getting kicked out
of the program.
Hmm. I'm gonna have to have
a little conversation
with Henry.
You know, I don't totally
agree with you though.
-How's that?
-Well, I just don't--
I don't think that our
sad stories are supposed to
teach us how to survive
the world.
I think
they're supposed to
make us wanna change it.
-Hmm.
-Cole!
Buzz is trying to hot-wire
your Camaro!
Come on, man.
Well...
You better go stop him.
Yeah.
Jesus!
We need to talk.
You have done
outstanding work, Kel.
Public interest is way up.
You landed the senators
and secured the launch.
And that's why you
broke into my motel room?
As a thank-you?
Now that we know
the whole world
will be watching,
we can't afford to lose.
We need to be prepared
to present
an alternate version
of the moon landing.
An alternate version?
The... Artemis version.
She was the twin sister
of Apollo, uh,
you know, the backup.
So we just need to be ready
to shoot a little picture.
Something showing us,
you know,
up there walking around,
waving at the camera.
-You mean, to fake it?
-All goes well,
we never use it.
But if not...
Hmm.
You know why
I never went to prison?
Probably,
but humor me.
'Cause I quit while I'm ahead.
Can't keep a secret this big.
Thousands of people work here.
Well, thousands of people work
at a classified location
in the desert
that experiments on a fleet
of extraterrestrial pods
that we found
at the bottom of the ocean.
And you never heard
about that, did ya?
Come on,
that's not true.
Uh, maybe it is,
maybe it isn't.
But the one thing
you can be sure of
is that the world
will watch Americans plant
an American flag on the moon.
And you are telling me
that President Nixon
supports this?
He probably would.
He doesn't know about it
in the same way
that Cole Davis
will never know about it.
And that shouldn't be
a problem
considering what else
you haven't shared with him
while you've grown closer.
I mean, what would a clean-cut
guy like that think about--
You made your point.
No one can outrun their past.
But I can make it go away.
Forever.
No more running.
I'm gonna need my assistant.
Of course.
And we'll get you
a team of secure agents.
Now, who's the best director
you've got that
no one's ever heard of?
You're gonna love him.
This is the most remote
hangar on the base.
No one can go in or out
without my permission.
Wait, no one?
Not even Cole?
Especially not Cole.
Unbelievable, Kelly.
You have me...
...forced onto a plane,
and brought to
godforsaken Florida!
Do you mind?
I'm a member of the DGA.
I will not be treated
this way.
-I am calling my agent.
-You can't.
-Watch me.
-Remember we talked about this.
This is a high-security
government job.
-I'm doubling your quote.
-Okay.
-With a bonus.
-Mmm.
Yes. The only caveat being
that no one can ever know
what we're doing.
-I cannot accept that.
-They will shoot you.
What is my budget?
Your budget is
whatever it costs
to turn this into the moon
for two-and-a-half hours.
It's shorter than Ben-Hur.
I will need a fridge
full of Tab over there.
And an army of minions
who don't ask questions.
-Kelly,
these aren't real actors.
-Well, this is the best
you're gonna get.
Neil's 5'11".
Anybody 5'11"?
Okay. The rest of you
are dismissed.
-Take your pick.
-Mmm. Hold on. You.
You're gonna be
my personal assistant.
I'll just call you Joseph
so you can't
take things personally.
Go stand somewhere.
All right. Can we take
these sunglasses off, please,
so I can see your eyes
and believe your truth?
Now, I want each of you
to do a monologue.
Preferably something
classical, and by God,
don't make me watch
seven Hamlets.
You're not gonna see
their faces.
They're wearing helmets.
Wh--
All right, how do I convey
the gripping fear of being
on the moon for the first time
if we can't show a human face?
Acting is a sport, Kelly.
-It is energy, body, bu--
-Where do I set up?
-Edvard?
-Ah.
-How did you get in here?
-I just walked through
the door.
What part of "talking about
this is gonna get us killed"
do you not understand?
-And he's the slowest DP
in New York.
-I pick the cinematographer.
-It's in my contract.
-What? You don't have
a contract.
He's the best,
and all DPs are slow.
What we need to have
a serious conversation about,
Kelly,
is production design, hmm?
What materials are we using
to recreate the lunar surface?
It's just a big rock, right?
I can't work like this, Kelly.
You know this about me. Hmm?
I need details.
We need details. Specifics.
Is it dusty, rocky, windy?
What is the light source? Hmm?
-It's the sun. Big light.
-Do not smart-mouth me,
Edvard.
And what is the sun's position
in relation to
the landing area?
And are we building a replica?
Do we have a plan?
Do we have suits,
and how do people move
in those suits?
And what, Kelly,
does space even look like?
You know, I gotta--
I gotta lie down.
Where is my trailer?
We need to find a way
to copy everything
in that simulation room.
-Okay.
-ASAP.
Wait a second.
Do I even have a trailer?
Your silence tells me
what I already know.
You haven't thought about
how to recreate the moon,
why would you
think about a trailer?
I think
we should've gotten Kubrick.
We've got to get
this new ship right.
I mean, Armstrong,
he was pissed off
-and we can't have that
again.
-Sorry.
Buddy, buddy.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
This is sensitive material.
-Henry. Henry.
-Uh-uh. You can't be here.
These photos are
for the archival book
that Penguin is doing.
-What book?
-Yeah, didn't you get
the memo?
-No.
-What? You're writing
the foreword.
-I-- I'm writing
the foreword?
-Yeah, absolutely.
-Me?
-Yes, of course.
I've never written a foreword.
The editor
wants to hear from you.
-We all do.
-He wants me to write it?
Don't be so humble, all right?
Let's get a photo of you
with the--
-with the LEM.
-I mean, I can do it, but--
Say,
"we're going to the moon."
-We're going to the moon.
-There you go!
Aldrin and Armstrong
will practice every single
movement that they make,
um, right here for months.
-That is incredible.
-Yeah.
So, this is, like,
the surface of the moon?
-Well, yeah. It's--
-Yeah.
It's our best approximation.
This just looks like
a dirty beach.
I don't believe it. No.
-It is-- It's based off
sediment we got.
-Joseph.
It's from NASA--
Wait. I do not believe
this is what NASA uses
to go to the moon.
You cannot tell me-- No.
Want you to walk as if
you're carrying your mother
across the desert.
She's frail but also heavy.
Oh. Whoa. Hey.
-So sorry. Hey. Sorry.
-Oh, no, no. No.
-This is classified.
You're not allow--
-Stu, we're good.
-Very classified.
-We're good here.
This is for the book.
No, you'll hear about it.
I'm doing the foreword,
-so you'll hear
about it soon.
-Okay.
My Armstrong
is a whiny, little bitch.
We have to recast.
No-- We're not recasting.
All right.
Well, mediocre it is.
Edvard! Where is my sun?
Nice!
-Very nice.
-A countdown at least.
Okay. Try it again.
-Gonna try it again.
-Do a three, two, one!
-Come on! Ah!
-Happy?
J-- Joseph,
bring me my Tab.
You're gonna have to find me
'cause I can't see a thing.
Come on. How long does it take
to give someone a Tab?
My hand's right here.
Uh, this will be great.
You guys should all
come around
-and we'll do a shot
for the book.
-Great?
Hey, how about this?
Everybody,
"We're going to the moon!"
We're going to the moon!
My eyes might have been closed.
You wanna do one more?
I haven't
seen you around lately.
Well, I can say
the same thing about you.
How do you do it
on the first try?
It's not rocket science.
Okay. You good?
-About the questions, I--
-Yes.
I went over them.
Nothing about Apollo 1.
They promised me. Okay?
You're gonna be great. Okay?
-Mm-hmm.
-Go on.
-Okay.
-Go.
Mr. Davis. You are
what we call "a tough get."
Ha! No. Thank you.
Is there any legal importance
to what we'll be watching
when Neil Armstrong
and Buzz Aldrin
walk on the lunar surface?
Will the area they land on
be considered property
of the United States?
We're sending
a plaque that says,
"We came in peace
for all mankind."
And that is precisely
what we mean.
What else
will NASA leave behind?
Footprints, an American flag
and 12 bags of feces
that I was told many times
-that I should not bring up,
but...
Should've put him
in front of a camera sooner.
You wear an Apollo pin.
I do. Um,
the wives of Apollo 1's men,
after we lost them,
they gave me this.
You were launch director
on that tragic day.
What went wrong with Apollo 1?
-In your own words,
what happened?
Take me back.
Okay.
Here's some facts for you.
The New York Times reported
there were 20,000
safety reports
filed about that ship.
So many, that Gus Grissom
hung a lemon outside it.
All right, crew.
To be confirmed. Location.
-Flame!
- -We've got a fire in the cockpit.
Let's get out!
Mr. Davis?
Did you read those reports?
Pad leader,
get in there and help 'em.
Pad leader, stay on C3.
Mr. Davis?
Did you read those reports?
-Did you read those reports?
-Of course
I read the reports.
I read every single one
of them.
Overpressured oxygen
and a bad wire
on a "plugs-out" test.
I was supposed to
catch everything,
and I missed it.
And I failed them.
And I will live with that
every single day
for the rest of my life.
Is that the quote
that you were looking for,
you piece of shit?
Get me on the phone
with your boss. Now. Now!
Oh, uh, wait.
W-What are you doing?
We have another 20 minutes.
Go to hell.
Don't be angry with me.
I'm not the reason
three astronauts are dead.
-Say one more thing
about those astronauts.
-Hey, hey, hey! Whoa!
Get off me. Let me hear
you say one more thing--
Let me hear you say
one more thing about them!
You don't know those men!
You don't talk about
those men!
Get off me! Get off!
Get off!
Do you understand me?
So, I spoke to the producers,
and they've agreed
to seal the film
if we give them the exclusive
with Armstrong after he lands.
We lost Hedges though.
He's voting no.
-You said
they wouldn't ask about it.
-Yeah. Well... they lied.
You know, people do that
sometimes, Cole.
You could have done yourself
and this program a favor
and maybe tried it yourself.
Right?
Blame NASA.
Blame the system.
I mean, there was
half a billion dollars
worth of funding on the line.
Lying must be so easy for you
when you do it all the time.
It's just always an option.
What you should try
is the truth.
What is this
sanctimonious bullshit?
I'm never going to lie
about those men or that day.
Do you understand that?
You think what you want
about me,
but I didn't cost the world
a dream because
I lost my goddamn cool.
This is Launch Complex 34,
where the Apollo 1 tragedy
occurred.
This is a tribute
to our fallen heroes,
the brave men who paved
the road to our success.
Please, let's take a moment
of silence for them.
Edvard,
that looks incredible.
I can't see the wires at all.
How did you do that?
I just put a flag.
It's very simple.
-Old school.
-Huh.
No. Again.
From the top.
And maybe let's get
some more bounce this time.
You are on the moon.
Good.
-Oh, my God.
-I-I can't.
I can't with this day.
Oh, dear. Uh--
Okay, hold on.
Joseph, there's a fire.
I got it.
Don't forget to PASS.
Okay. Can you bring them down?
Actually, leave them up.
Let them think about
what they did.
I give up.
I'm taking lunch.
You see what you did?
You made her take lunch early.
That's on you.
I'll bet you $5
you're bad at apologies.
I've been looking all over
for you.
-You owe me five bucks.
-I got an idea.
-What?
-Come on.
I'll tell you
on the way to Louisiana.
No. You wanna
take a shot at Vanning?
I got us a dinner invite,
for tonight. Come on.
Tonight?
We're never gonna make it.
It's 500 miles away.
We're gonna make it. Come on.
You gotta trust me.
Oh, wait. No.
-No, no, no.
-What do you mean, "no"?
We don't--
There's other-- We could--
Do you want Vanning or not?
-Ugh. No. I don't--
-Come on. Let's go.
I think we could just
take a commercial flight.
If we left--
Nope. No commercial flights
are flying right now.
Come on. Just hop on in.
This is it. This is all
you gotta do. You can hop up,
you can get in.
-Put your foot there.
- -Okay, well, take these.
-Look, we gotta go.
-All right.
-Hold on.
-Hold on.
Perfect.
-Hold on.
-We're good.
You enjoying the view?
Wow! It's stunning!
I bet your eyes are closed.
No.
So, I'm betting you have
some other Southern accents
in that bag of tricks
of yours.
Can you do Louisiana?
Yeah. New Orleans
or Baton Rouge?
-Wherever his wife's from.
-Okay.
Cole Davis.
And you must be
Miss Kelly Jones.
-Please come in, y'all.
-Oh.
Thank you so much
for having us for dinner.
Oh, now-- now, I was told
you were a New York City type.
Oh, God, no.
I just work there.
I'm from Louisiana.
Born and raised and,
one day, buried.
-I'm from Virginia.
-No? We're family.
You know, Tex Ritter
always said Virginia was
the mother of Texas.
Well, we never knew
who the father was.
We always suspected
it was Louisiana.
-Oh!
-Huh?
My mother loves that one.
-She was the one
that came up with it.
-Oh, just so colorful.
-You're fun.
-This is a beautiful home.
So, h-how is
the campaign going, Senator?
Truth be told, politics
is more of a hobby to me.
Serving Christ,
that's my full-time job.
You know, there's a war
on religion in this country.
And some say
science is to blame.
Well, science is
what brought us to this table.
You learned a little lesson
on the provocation of pride
on Apollo 1, now,
didn't you, Cole?
Science
has actually brought me
closer to God, sir.
Took the Lord six days
to put forth everything
that we know as creation.
And on that sixth day,
he gave us dominion over it.
And, personally, I take that
as a responsibility.
You sound like a man
who knows his way to church.
Well, I can't think
of a greater act of faith
than pursuing the stars.
"The heavens declare
the glory of God.
And the firmament shows us
his handiwork."
-That's one of Jolene's
favorite Psalms.
You see, our men, when
they come back from space,
they believe more in God,
not less.
But when we land on the moon,
and thanks to Miss Jones here,
the world watches us do it.
And it's my hope
that people everywhere feel
the presence of that divine.
Well...
...you've, uh,
certainly given me
a lot to think about, son.
You really sold
the hell out of that.
I wasn't selling.
For the record,
you can win people over
just by being who you are.
You know, we're not in a rush,
so we don't really
have to fly home.
Ooh. That wasn't flying.
Come on. Open your eyes.
You trust me?
Hold tight.
Now, this is the fun part.
Just slide off.
Perfect.
I've had my disagreements
with the NASA program
in the past.
But after a great deal
of thought, and prayer,
I've decided to vote yes.
Come on.
I have something that
you need to see.
-What--
-Follow me.
Whoo! I didn't know
which way it was gonna go,
'cause you can't tell
with these guys.
I never liked that guy before,
but...
...I like him now.
All right!
It's so dark
in here. You--
-Almost there.
-I'm a little scared.
Yeah,
it's right around here.
We wanted to show you
our appreciation.
-Oh, my gosh.
This is too much.
-Thank you.
-I can't believe it.
-It was all Walter.
Oh, Walter? I know that
you did all of this,
didn't you?
-A little.
That's all.
-Yeah, I know you did.
-They all helped.
-Not too bad, huh?
Before I forget. Here.
It's a list of things
for you to say
when you take your first step.
I-- I know everybody's
asking you. I thought
I'd give you some options.
Well, I was just gonna say,
"Look at all those
cool rocks," or something.
-I got this one, Kelly.
-Okay.
And thank you, though.
And I mean it.
For, uh-- For everything.
You know, I don't think anyone
cares about this program
more than Cole Davis.
It's nice to see he's found
something else to care about.
I know I'm no, uh, astronaut,
but can I steal you
for a dance?
-Yes. Yes.
-Yeah? Come on.
So, you just counting down
the days until you, uh,
can get back to Manhattan?
Not really.
Good.
Up, up, up. Perfect.
Right, now, move the light in.
All right, keep going.
Don't be shy.
Keep going.
Keep going. Keep going.
Keep going. Keep going.
Milk it. Good. Mm-hmm.
Ladies, what do we think?
-Lance, it's incredible.
-It's great.
I think it needs
a little more dust
and better actors,
but I lost that battle.
I will let it go.
And stop. Okay.
We've got our sun.
I always went along
with every web you spun
because it was fun or, like,
we were pulling one over
on the bad guys,
but this feels--
I know.
We're almost done.
This is from me.
It is for launch day.
Promise you will wait
until then.
-I promise.
-Okay.
Remember,
you're not monsters.
Are they gonna be
that high?
Uh, I just need
to give them any length
that looks like
they're on the moon.
But thank you for the note.
Buzz, take it down some.
And, Armstrong,
stop looking at me
for approval.
Just be on the moon.
I'm not here.
He's having fun.
He's having fun.
He keeps locking eyes with me.
Stop flirting and be on the moon.
Yesterday's science fiction
is today's fact.
The methods are different,
but the important thing
is that tomorrow morning,
man will lift off
toward the moon.
Good evening.
I'm Walter Cronkite.
And on this eve
of man's first flight
toward a landing on the moon,
all preparations go smoothly.
The weather prediction,
along with the help
of astronauts, Neil Arm--
Yes?
Well, you know
how to hurt a fella.
No courtesy call?
Well, I don't have
your number.
You ran.
That's what you do best.
Your alternate version
is wrong. I never should've
been a part of it.
I quit.
Sit.
So, who are we gonna be today?
Let's see.
Ooh, Helen Parker.
I bet you do
a killer British accent.
You wanna take off
and be Helen? Go ahead.
Helen doesn't have
to look over her shoulder.
No one is coming for you.
Unless?
Unless you ever tell anyone
that Project Artemis was real,
and the moon landing was fake.
Oh, on that score,
change of plans.
Um,
we're going to air
the alternate version.
No matter what.
Oh, you were never gonna
broadcast the real thing.
This isn't just
a race for the moon.
It is a race
for which ideology
gets to run things.
I got one of my men to rig
the LEM camera so that
it just beams back audio.
We're gonna sync
with their sound and, uh,
use your fake stage broadcast,
start to finish.
Let me be the first
to thank you
on behalf of America.
Come on, don't feel bad.
Everybody gets what they want.
You get a new life
with no past to run from.
And the world
doesn't have to sleep
under a communist moon.
Mmm.
Okay. Panama beckons.
You better hurry.
You're going to...
...miss your flight, Helen.
This is a typical meal
served to astronauts
aboard Apollo space flights.
Oatmeal, toast,
and a special
zero-gravity pouch. Tang,
the energy breakfast drink.
And more vitamin C
than orange juice.
Energy Tang,
for spacemen
and Earth families.
CBS News presents
Man On the Moon.
The epic journey of Apollo 11
on the eve
of that historic event.
Sponsored by Western Electric,
manufacturing and supply unit
of the Bell System.
And by the International
Paper Company,
where good ideas roll on...
What are you doing here?
I need to show you something.
It was supposed to be
a contingency plan.
That's how he sold it.
It was an insurance policy.
In case we failed.
It's good to know...
...that you
never believed in us.
I know you're upset.
-I understand--
-Oh, what do you understand?
Please tell me
what you understand.
'Cause you don't
understand shit about truth.
If you fake this mission--
If you fake this mission,
every single thing
that we have sacrificed
will have been for nothing.
I know I messed up.
I know that.
But you know
you couldn't have made it
to this day without me.
I could've walked away
last night, but I didn't.
I came back to fix this.
Fix what?
Moe cut the LEM camera, and
if we don't fix this together,
then this is gonna be
the version
that the world sees.
It's not a contingency.
God, you're so good
at leaving me no options.
Fine, let's fix it.
But when this is over,
I never wanna see
your face again.
This is what happens
when you work
for Richard Nixon.
I got your book, Ruby.
You opened it early.
It came at
just the right time.
...proper
atmosphere for launch
which is a combination
of oxygen and nitrogen.
Sixty percent oxygen
and 40% nitrogen atmosphere.
Of course,
the astronauts themselves
are breathing pure oxygen
through their space suits.
Coming up shortly
will be another key test
in which both the, uh,
launch crew for the--
the launch vehicle crew
and the spacecraft team,
uh, combine together
with the commander,
Neil Armstrong,
to make a thorough check
of the Emergency
Detection System.
-This is the system...
-We're live from the Cape,
where it's a beautiful day
to make history.
We'll be handling
the launch portion
of the broadcast from here,
and our counterparts
in Houston
will be covering
Apollo 11's historic flight,
guided by Mission Control.
Guys!
It's busted.
The camera's
video preamplifier.
-It's destroyed.
-Okay, can you fix that?
I could maybe repurpose
a part from a TV, but--
Well, that's fine.
There's plenty of TVs
around here.
NASA's TVs--
They are all too old.
I mean a brand-new
solid-state color TV.
Well, how fast
can you get one?
How fast can you get me
to an electronics store?
-Me?
-In the worst traffic
in Florida history.
I can't.
I have to prep the guys.
Give me the keys.
Fine, I'll stall.
Hurry. Go, go, go,
go, go, go, go.
Hotels are at capacity.
Kennedy Space Center
is so crowded,
we're hearing
it's nearly impossible
to get in or out.
Kelly, slow down.
Are you guys good back there?
-Yes.
-No.
Whoo-hoo!
Please, please stop.
Please stop.
There it is.
There's the store.
-No!
-They're closed.
-They're closed.
-Oh, what?
No, no.
No, they are not.
-Kelly.
-Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa!
What are you waiting for? Go!
-Oh. Yeah, yeah.
-Okay.
Okay.
-Okay. Yes, this one.
This is great.
-Yeah, okay.
-I would help.
I'm just not tall enough.
-Come on, Don. All right.
-All right.
Slowly, all right.
-Guys, come on.
Oh, my God.
I can't go to jail.
Let me handle this.
She's good.
Yeah.
Have a good ride, boys.
In a matter of, uh,
five minutes or so,
we'll be ready for
the spacecraft commander,
Neil Armstrong,
to come across the sill
at the 320-foot level.
-The trip in
the transfer van...
-Come on!
...could take some 15 minutes
or so to reach the pad.
At which time the astronauts
will board, uh,
the first of two elevators
for the trip to
the 320-foot level
at the launchpad,
uh, where they will then
proceed to ingress
the spacecraft.
Whoa. We are locked
and loaded, kid.
No, no. Flight Deck
wants this on the ship.
-This is Flight Deck.
Let him through.
-Got it.
Go.
Okay, we need to
initiate prelaunch,
or we lose the window.
Just give him one minute.
...320-foot level,
all three astronauts
now aboard the spacecraft.
A few minutes ago,
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin,
uh, came in
and took the center seat...
I'm hearing the cabin's
now being sealed.
Countdown has begun.
These are the positions
they will fly at liftoff.
CDR, STC, how do you read?
STC, loud and clear.
Good morning, Neil.
-Gantry is cleared.
Welcome aboard.
Apollo 11 is a go for launch
in T-minus ten minutes.
Okay.
He's here.
It's connected.
At least
I think I connected it.
-Stu, what the hell
does that mean?
I only had a few seconds.
I didn't have time
to stress test it. I--
Okay. Sit down.
All right, listen up!
Whatever happens here today,
I will stand by every decision
that you make.
Over 400,000 people
have worked on this program
for nearly ten years.
All to keep one man's promise
to the world.
So, let's keep it.
All right. Give me
"Go/No go" for launch.
Ah, roger. All stations,
stand by for final "Go/No go."
-MACE.
-Go.
-ECS.
-Go.
-EPS.
-Go.
-Sequencer.
-Go.
-GNS.
-Go.
-SCS.
-This is the best part.
They go down the line
and every single--
every single technician
has to say, "Go,"
or, "No go," for launch.
Any one of them can stop it.
CFAT. CSE,
can you give me a "go" now?
CSE is go.
Okay. Uh, Eagle is go.
CBTS, this is CSA 9.
Twenty seconds and counting.
T-minus 15 seconds.
Guidance is internal.
...Twelve, eleven,
ten, nine...
Ignition sequence starts.
Five, four, three, two, one.
All engines running.
Liftoff. We have liftoff.
Tower clear.
Houston, she's all yours.
Moe Berkus is here.
For both of you.
Apollo 11 is on the way.
250,000 miles away,
where the moon is waiting
for man's first arrival.
Flight to take,
uh, three days.
And, uh, the, uh, spacecraft
to reach there...
Kelly told me everything.
The landing
to take place on Sunday.
And Neil Armstrong to set...
Bravissimo.
-Shove it.
-That was history.
Hi, Helen.
Uh, sorry, Kelly.
I heard you came back,
so I came back too.
I-- I took a little peeky-poo
at the moon set,
and it is perfection.
Great job.
If you think that
I'm gonna let you broadcast
some fake version of this,
I'll go to the press
right now.
Cole.
Cole. Cole.
You, uh-- You go to the press.
Bring 'em by the moon set,
but just know that no one
will ever trust the legitimacy
of NASA again.
This is a matter
of national security.
This broadcast must take place
in a controlled setting.
You of all people
must understand that.
The mission
isn't about landing
on the moon anymore.
It is about the world watching
America beat Russia on TV.
I got a flight to catch.
I'll be back in time
for the lunar broadcast.
I thought I'd watch it here.
With you, Kelly.
On the moon.
Hey. We're making history.
Everything you said about me
is true.
I'm a con artist,
and I always have been.
My real name
is not even Kelly.
All those stories
that I told you
about my mom and I
selling products door-to-door,
those were true.
They were all scams.
And we started out small,
and then they got bigger.
Like real estate
and insurance.
And...
when I was 16,
a guy in North Dakota
pulled a gun
and my mom
pulled hers out first
and she killed him.
And she told me
to run and I did.
And she went to prison
and I never saw her again.
And I forged documents
and used fake names
to get jobs.
And when I went to New York,
I found advertising.
And that was like the scams
that my mom taught me,
but it was legal.
And I lied to so many people.
The worst lies were
the ones I told myself.
That everybody does it.
You know.
It's just a big game.
But then I came down here...
I met you.
I learned what it was like
to be a part
of something real.
Moe offered me
a way to erase my past.
I thought
that's what I wanted, but...
I don't wanna run anymore.
Moe is a worthy opponent,
but he has met his match.
I promise
this is the last time
I will trick anyone
into getting what I want.
I promise.
Do you think you can do it
without lying?
-Absolutely not.
-Yeah, I didn't think so.
So, what's the plan?
Why are we meeting out here?
Because Moe bugs everything.
The guy's like Houdini.
He's everywhere.
Okay, so, Moe doesn't know
that we fixed the LEM camera.
We build a plan around that.
All we have to do
is convince him
that we are broadcasting
the fake moon landing,
when in reality,
we're broadcasting
the real one.
Is there a way
that we could rig
the equipment
so that it actually sends out
the real LEM video feed?
Come on, boys.
You figured out
how to land on the moon.
Give me a hypothetical.
Okay, um, hypothetically,
we could rewire it.
So that it only picks up
the broadcast signal
from Mission Control.
-Sure, then sync it
with our feed.
-Hmm. Right.
Hey, fellas.
Moe Berkus sent these guys
to test the broadcast feed.
-Moe-- Moe Berk-- Yes.
-Moe Berk--
Moe Berkus.
Telling me none of you
got the phone call?
Great.
All right, where's the camera?
-Are you okay?
-Mmm.
Can you guys hurry up, please?
Don, maybe just
take the cigarette out.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I've just never smoked
a cigarette before.
I don't like it.
...uh, 11, this is Houston.
Uh, you are go for LOI. Over.
Confirmed.
On track for the moon.
Apollo 11, this is Houston.
All your systems
are looking good.
Going around the corner.
We'll see you
on the other side. Over.
And we've had loss of signal
as Apollo 11
goes behind the moon.
It's now 3:30
Eastern Daylight Time.
At 3:46 we should be getting
the first signal
from the Lunar Module.
The estimated audience:
hundreds of millions.
Perhaps 400 million persons
or so are watching
this broadcast today of, uh,
the greatest event...
Boys.
All right. Let's go.
A little bit more.
Well done, guys.
Boys,
when you hear my voice,
you hear God.
Now, this is a fake moon,
-but to the world, it's real.
-It's showtime, folks.
It needs to--
Remember where I left off.
Your government thanks you
for the work
you're about to do.
Now, don't fuck it up.
What is this nasty shit
doing here?
-God.
-Excuse me.
This is a Tab set,
and that is my chair.
-Kelly, let's deal with this.
-Lance, thank you so much.
So, these screens--
This is our feed.
Yeah.
Okay. And then--
And the TV's
a live broadcast. Okay.
Right.
Joseph, I'm sitting.
-Oh, my God.
Are you real?
I am the director,
Lance Vespertine.
Stay out of my way,
will you?
All right, I'd say
it was nice to meet you,
but so far, it is not.
The pigeon's in the coop.
Copy that.
Okay,
you should have him now,
Houston.
Eagle, we've got you now.
It's looking good. Over.
We've got the Earth
right out of our front window.
Flight, we are go for landing.
Roger. Understand.
Go for landing. 3,000 feet.
Eagle, looking great.
You're go.
Position checks downrange
show us to be a little long.
1,400 feet.
Still looking very good.
-P30.
-Six plus two-five.
Looks like about 820.
Throttle down.
Flight, this is Eagle.
Sea of Tranquility is rockier
than expected.
We're gonna have to extend
another thousand feet.
Hey, boys.
-Where does that put us?
-It'll give 'em
-15 seconds of fuel left.
-They're gonna wanna abort.
Neil can do this,
they just gotta let him.
Stand by, Eagle.
We are calculating
what that will do
to our fuel reserves.
ECOM puts that
within 15 seconds.
Prepare for abort.
Flight...
...we have run successful tests
within that range.
Let 'em land.
Thirty. Thirty seconds.
-That's a lie.
-You lied.
I've learned some new tricks.
Sit down.
Okay, the only callouts
from now on will be fuel.
Come on.
Eagle, looking great.
You're go.
1,400 feet.
Still looking very good.
350 feet, down at four.
Thirty. Thirty seconds.
Down two and a half. Forward.
-Forward. Good.
-Roger that.
Eleven forward.
Coming down nicely.
200 feet,
four and a half down.
Five and a half down.
Five and a half down,
nine forward.
That's good.
Contact light.
Engine stop.
Flight.
Tranquility Base here.
The Eagle has landed.
Roger, Tranquility,
we copy on the ground.
You got a bunch of guys
about to turn blue.
We're breathing again.
Thanks a lot.
Whew. Boy.
We're going to be busy
for a minute.
All right, all right,
all right. Come on.
Let's focus.
We're only halfway there.
Yeah, we've got it from here.
Thank you, guys.
Places. Places, everyone.
Look sharp.
Let's look sharp!
Edvard, Edvard, off the stage.
You're killing me.
Edvard, we are done. Uh-uh.
You're done. No more tweaking.
-What are you, the repeater?
-No, I'm not the repeater.
This is the system we created
before you got here.
Camera is coming down.
Three, two, one, and action.
And we're getting
a picture on the TV.
You got a good picture, huh?
Uh, there's a great deal
of contrast in it.
Roger,
TV circuit breaker's in,
and read you loud and clear.
Roger.
Okay.
Will you verify the position, uh,
the, uh, opening
I ought to have
on the camera?
Stand by.
Armstrong,
prepare to disembark.
Your visor.
I am opening the door
for egress.
Okay, Neil, we can see you
coming down the ladder now.
Okay, left.
And right.
Left and right.
Now, left foot off.
Left foot off.
Easy. Easy. Step down.
And land.
How do you know what, uh,
he's gonna do ahead of time?
NASA rehearsed all of this,
and Kelly appropriated it.
Oh, stole it.
I knew I hired
the right people.
Okay, here we go.
It's seamless.
It's incredible.
I'm at the foot of the ladder.
The LEM footpads
are only depressed
in the surface
about one or two inches,
although the surface
appears to be very,
very fine-grained
as you get close to it.
It's almost like a powder.
Down there, it's very fine.
I'm gonna step off
the LEM now.
That's one small step
for man...
one giant leap for mankind.
We could have spent years
coming up with
something that good.
Yeah.
Was that, uh, in the script?
No.
That's a good line.
It's a very simple matter
to hop down
from one step to the next.
Neil is now unveiling
the plaque.
"Here man,
from the planet Earth,
first set foot upon the moon,
July 1969 AD.
We came in peace
for all mankind."
You ready for the camera?
Uh, Neil, this is Houston.
The field of view is okay.
We'd like you to aim it
a little bit more
to the right. Over.
Okay.
Too much to the right.
Can you bring it back left
about, uh,
four or five degrees?
Okay. That looks good, Neil.
Columbia, Columbia,
this is Houston, AOS. Over.
Neil Armstrong
has been
on the lunar surface now
almost 45 minutes.
Uh, Tranquility Base,
this is Houston.
Could we get both of you
on the camera
for a minute, please?
The President
of the United States
would like to say
a few words to you. Over.
That would be an honor.
All right, go ahead,
Mr. President.
This is Houston. Out.
Hello, Neil and Buzz.
I am talking to you
by telephone
from the Oval Room
at the White House...
They have Secret Service
all over this place.
...and this certainly
has to be the most historic
telephone call ever made.
And as you talk to us...
He actually reminds me
a lot of you.
Do not say that. No,
don't even joke about that.
We're still holding while
the president drones on.
Don't move.
Armstrong,
I'm watching you the most.
For one priceless moment
in the whole history of man...
Kennedy, let's go direct.
Cole,
are you receiving picture?
The video feed light
isn't on up here.
Uh, what do you mean, Neil?
It's not working?
You tell me.
Do you see picture?
We're getting
a power surge warning
on the camera.
I think it crapped out.
Can you still see us?
Yeah, I can still see you.
Um, one second, Neil.
Neil's saying
the video feed light
isn't on up there.
Are you sure
that camera's working?
I installed the new part.
It should be working
just fine but--
-But what?
-But I-- I was in a rush.
Shit.
What's wrong?
We're not sure
that the camera
on the LEM is working.
I think that's your feed
broadcasting.
Does the feed
on your TV
look like your set?
I-- I can't tell if it's us.
Test it. Have one
of your agents give
a little wave or something.
I can't.
Everyone is here.
Oh.
-What the hell is that?
-I don't know.
He is two inches away
from being on that screen.
It's-- It's one inch.
Is that
in your goddamn script?
Joseph, were there new pages?
...representing not only
the United States
but men of peace
of all nations...
Oh, Mischief!
Oh, God. Kitty, kitty!
Pss, kitty, kitty, kitty.
Mischief! Mischief!
Where are you going?
-Mischief. Mischief.
-K-- Kelly.
-Come here.
-The cat?
Come here.
Come here. Come here.
Do you know this cat?
Kitty, kitty, kitty!
Come here, you sweet--
Come here, you little bitch.
Kitty, kitty, kitty.
-Come here, you!
-No!
Kelly, what the hell
is going on over there?
Kelly? Kelly?
Go round the back!
Mischief! Mischief!
Kitty, kitty, kitty!
Catch him! Catch him!
Oh! Go, go.
Let's go! Come on.
Come here. It's okay.
Mischief. Just come here.
Just shut up. Just shut up!
Come here,
kitty, kitty, kitty.
Come here, little baby.
You know me.
No!
And thank you very much
and I look forward,
all of us look forward,
to seeing you
on the Hornet on Thursday.
I look forward to that
very much, sir.
Those are your guys, Cole.
Yes! Those are our guys!
Yes. I know you know that.
Just reminding everybody
what we're doing here today.
Those are our guys.
Carry on.
What am I looking at here?
Oh, that's the moon.
Neil, this is Houston.
Did you get
the Hasselblad magazine...
That's really the moon?
Yes, I did.
And we got about, uh...
-Jesus, it looks fake.
-...I'd say
20 pounds of, uh...
...carefully selected,
if not documented samples.
Houston.
Roger. Well done. Out.
Unofficial time off
the surface at 111:37:32.
I never thought I would see
the moon up close.
Me neither, Walter.
-I didn't get it.
Oh, my God.
-Sorry.
-Not like last time.
-No.
Don't point it at us.
In Polish,
we call it "na zdrowie."
-All right.
Na zdrowie.
-Okay, okay, okay. Kelly.
-Kelly. Kelly.
-It's getting
a little better.
-Yes? What?
-Christ, just say it.
Just say it once.
You are
the best director I know.
I am.
Now, I know we're not supposed to talk about this,
but, Kelly, this would be
so great on my rsum
if I-- Just feels--
Anyone mentions this
to anyone,
you will spend
the rest of your life
in a dark, dank prison cell
on a nameless island.
-Oh.
-Now, to wash down the bubbly,
on behalf of
the US government,
have a little, uh, scotch.
-Hmm.
-Edvard.
I'll take one of those.
I had a billion-dollar TV show
for an audience of one.
Hope you enjoyed it.
-Cheers.
-It was a perfect failure.
-That's right.
Cheers. Cheers.
-Cheers.
Mmm.
Can I talk with you a moment?
Not many people have gone
against my orders
and lived to talk about it.
Then again, not many people
have saved my ass.
It would've been
a real doozy to explain how
the cat ended up on the moon.
You're a goddamn
American hero.
Great job.
Now, this place
is crawling with press.
So, uh, we can't really
clear anything out
until after splashdown.
In the meantime,
shred any documents
associated with the shoot.
Your name will be wiped
from the history books.
The story, rewritten.
-Then I'm free to go.
-You are.
Although,
I could use someone like you
for an upcoming project.
No, thanks.
Suit yourself.
Hard to get, but okay.
If you ever need me...
just holler.
I'm probably listening.
Oh. Moe.
Are there really
aliens out there?
They walk among us.
A quarter of a million miles.
Just think of it as,
uh, Neil Armstrong said,
the first words
as man stepped foot
on the moon,
"A small step for man,
a giant leap for mankind."
And a day
that can never come again.
A day that shall forever
live in history,
as will those words,
which will be memorized
by schoolboys...
Armstrong,
you've got a future.
Not in acting. My God, no.
Well, Kelly,
Patty-- Patty, right?
-My name is Ruby.
-Uh-huh.
-We did it.
-No, we didn't.
This is, uh, landward here.
Uh, Swim One
has Apollo visual.
Well, if it's coming down
nine miles away,
uh, that's just going to be
at the, uh, outer limit of,
uh, visibility...
Come on.
Come on, baby.
Come on, baby.
They're back from the moon.
Astronauts Armstrong,
Aldrin and Collins
landing in the Pacific Ocean,
southwest of Hawaii.
I guess you deserve
a cigarette.
-Aw, buddy.
-Yeah, yeah. I, uh...
I didn't wanna lose it
in there. You know?
You know,
I know you didn't want
the camera up there,
but, man,
seeing that was, uh...
It was life-changing.
-We did it.
-We did. We did, man.
Hey, it's 1969, right?
We got it in
before the decade.
-I know.
Not a moment to spare.
-Oh. Yeah, we did.
-Look who it is.
-Hey.
-Go. Get out of here.
-Yeah.
Listen, uh, it's not too late
for you either, kid.
-Thank you, Henry.
-All right.
Hey.
We did it.
Hey, guys, huh?
Sent a man to the moon.
You know...
I never did catch your name.
Winnie.
Winnie.
Nice to meet you, Winnie.
You know, the Russians,
they-- they're saying
that we shot the whole thing
on a soundstage.
I wonder where they got
a crazy idea like that.
Who cares what they think?
Truth is still the truth
even if nobody believes it.
Lie is still a lie
even if everybody believes it.
You know,
you really nailed this.
All the way down
to the lunar dust.
Too bad it's all fake.
Was that fake?
No, that felt very real.
Twelve, eleven, ten, nine...
Ignition sequence, five...