the ultimate conspiracy thriller (film: Capricorn One – Peter Hyams, 1978)

Capricorn One‘ was produced and released in the same years (1978-79) as ‘Superman’, ‘Star Trek’, ‘Alien’, ‘Grease’, ‘Apocalypse Now’ and ‘Deer Hunter’. The estimated budget of around $5 million was modest by the Hollywood standard at the time and probably a fraction of the budgets of any of the big hits listed. And yet, the film written and directed by Peter Hyams was an unexpected success with the public even then, and today, as it approaches half a century old, it remains an action entertainment worth watching. I not only liked it, but it also reminded me of why I liked action movies mixed with science fiction in the ’70s.

Capricorn One‘ is the ultimate film in the genre inspired by conspiracy theories. We are in a kind of alternate present or near future of the 1970s in which the Apollo program completed successfully and was followed by the exploration of the planet Mars. The first mission to Mars, with three American astronauts on board, is on the launch pad when, minutes before departure into space, the astronauts are secretly extracted from the space capsule and transported to a military base. There they will be blackmailed into participating in a staging that lasts for months, simulating in live television broadcasts the flight to Mars, the descent to the planet’s surface, the return home. One of the operators at the command center suspects that the transmitted data is not consistent with the alleged video and audio communications. An investigative journalist begins to ask questions. The entire government mechanism is set in motion to silence the whistleblowers by any means. The staging, which was organized out of fear of losing the support of public opinion and the Senate, but especially because of the damage to the national prestige in the conditions of the Cold War, is in danger, but so are the lives of those who ask too many questions and of the astronauts themselves, people of integrity prepared for deeds and not for masquerades.

The film works well and still impresses today, although there is no shortage of clichés, situations lacking credibility and pompous dialogues. The main quality is, I think, the intelligently written action script, with adequate rhythm and alternation between political thriller and action and even survival films. Peter Hyams imagines good cinematography for this film, with references to the masters. Some of the filming is spectacular, especially the desert scenes and one of the best aerial chases, perhaps a tribute to Hitchcock’s ‘North by Northwest’, but with Telly Savalas at the comands of the small plane pursued by killer helicopters. The NASA operating rooms that we know from so many other films are transformed into conspiratorial dark rooms like in Kubrick’s ‘Dr. Strangelove’. I found the acting performances less inspired. They were not helped by the script, with cartoonish action movie characters, without nuances or depth. The actors did their job, but they didn’t really have much rely upon. Among the curiosities of the cast, I would mention that the lead roles are played by Barbra Streisand’s ex-husband – Elliott Gould – and by her future husband – James Brolin. However, the most spectacular casting in a historical perspective is that of O.J. Simpson, who was trying to launch an acting career and did not yet know how famous he would become for completely different reasons.

Putting aside the small flaws, I think that ‘Capricorn One‘ is still something more than just another action thriller. I’m not at all a fan of conspiracy theories, but at that time these had a different resonance than they do today. That was the America after Watergate and the Vietnam War, when distrust in government was at its peak, even Neil Armstrong’s moon landing was questioned, and the heroes were the journalists who exposed government machinations like those in ‘All the President’s Men’ who also inspired the character of the journalist in this film. Making a film in which NASA and politicians are the bad guys was also a political statement. I think Peter Hyams and his team succeeded here. Maybe even a little too well.

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