Every other Friday night my brother Chris and I go to my Mom's for the 9:00 p.m. movie on the community college television station. They are old movies, and I'm getting quite an education. This past Friday night was the 1950 movie Rocketship X-M. It is billed as the first of the space movies. Fifty-seven years ago, space exploration was all conjecture. The "pilots and scientists" were giving a secret press conference fifteen minutes before liftoff. You could hear the count-down in the background. At six minutes, they headed aboard the spaceship. They had lab coats as uniforms, and they did strap themselves into bunkbeds for take-off. I can't tell you more, because I'm sure you're going to rush right out and see it. Right?
One thing that I thought was cool is that the spacecrew did include a woman. Here is a sample from imdb.com of the dialog she had to endure:
Dr. Karl Eckstrom: With that differential of six over N to the thirtieth power the halfway check result is two hundred and sixty-two thousand to three hundred and forty-one thousand both using tangent E, correct?
Dr. Lisa Van Horn: That isn't the result I have.
Dr. Karl Eckstrom: They must be the same. There is an error there.
Dr. Lisa Van Horn: [defensive] I have made no error, Doctor Eckstrom.
Dr. Karl Eckstrom: I have to say that you have made and error and to discard your figures. I'm sorry.
Dr. Lisa Van Horn: [sarcastic] Don't be.
Dr. Karl Eckstrom: Surely you are not going to let emotion enter into this?
Dr. Lisa Van Horn: [dejected] Certainly not.
Dr. Karl Eckstrom: We will continue computing using my results as a basis.
Dr. Lisa Van Horn: Yes, I... Except that I feel very strongly I should say we should try both.
Dr. Karl Eckstrom: We can't. To complete either calculation would take six to eight hours; we can't afford the time. It's either one or the other, Doctor Van Horn.
Dr. Lisa Van Horn: [pleading] But it doesn't have to be. You can't be arbitrary about imposing your will when these people's lives are at stake, don't you realize that? And you speak as calmly as if you were saying 'Pass the salt.' Aren't you human? Are you made of ice?
[brief pause as she collects herself]
Dr. Lisa Van Horn: I'm sorry, I apologize.
Dr. Karl Eckstrom: For what? For momentarily being a woman? It's completely understandable, Miss Van Horn. Now shall we go ahead?
Dr. Lisa Van Horn: Yes Doctor.
Added: I forgot! Lloyd Bridges, Hugh O'Brian, and Noah Beery are three of the stars!