JAMES A. MICHENER'S "SPACE" {JAMES GARNER} {PART 2} (TV)
Summary
The second part of this miniseries based on the novel of the same name, presenting a dramatization of the United States space program’s history and development.
Thanks to Jenny’s influence, Norman’s campaign for the senate is reinvigorated and shows great potential. She asks to accompany him to Washington, willing to change schools in order to do so; Norman promises to take her if he wins his campaign. The German scientists continue to celebrate their reunification with their wives, but Dieter still feels lonely without Liesel. He insists to Stanley that they were officially married, but he can find no record of it and sees through Dieter’s story easily. Dieter finally admits the truth: that he and Liesel did not partake in an official marriage ceremony, and that there were no witnesses to their union. He did not tell Stanley earlier since he did not trust the Americans; Stanley promises that he will make every effort to bring Liesel to Dieter. John, stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Air Station in Illinois, receives a call from Penny, and they make a clandestine plan to have her visit. They meet and quickly rush to a nearby hotel, where they undress and have sex. Later they discuss their marriage; Penny wants it to be sooner rather than later, but John notes that he wants to get his appointment to Annapolis first, and that it could take years to do so. She is confident that her plans with Norman will work out for both of them, but John does not trust him. He believes he will be able to make it on his own and asks Betty to move to Illinois to be with him.
Stanley manages to fly Liesel in to the United States, and she and Dieter finally reunite. Norman wins the senatorial vote by a fair margin and Jenny and Finnerty celebrate. Finnerty compliments Jenny on her skill as a political strategist and talks about Elinor’s reaction to the victory, also implying that Elinor may not appreciate Norman working closely with Jenny. In 1946, as news of the German scientists’ presence in El Paso spreads, locals stage a protest in front of Fort Bliss denouncing what they view as an endorsement of Nazism. Federal investigators argue with Stanley, believing that Dieter is a war criminal and should be treated as such. They vow to deport Dieter and Stanley is determined to prevent them from doing so. The protest soon erupts into violence and chaos. Rachel suggests that Dieter and Liesel undergo an official marriage ceremony, although they insist that they are already married. Stanley brings up his encounter with the federal investigators and while Liesel points out that neither she nor Dieter were Nazis, Dieter still feels guilty about not doing anything to stop the Nazi regime. Dieter and Liesel argue and she tells Stanley and Rachel more about their improvised marriage and its significance.
Jenny oversees Norman’s move into Washington in early 1947 and begins attending college. One night Norman visits Jenny at her apartment to drop off some files and they have a chat. She mentions John’s efforts in Illinois to get into Annapolis and become a pilot, and Norman promises to do what he can to get him an appointment. Dieter oversees the launch of the last A-4 rocket, and Stanley manages to get the war criminal charges against him dropped. Stanley tells Dieter that the United States government has decided to continue rocket research, but Stanley tells Dieter that they’ll have to set up their operation in Huntsville, Alabama to take advantage of their need for jobs and political influence via Alabama’s senator. He manages to convince Dieter to undergo a church wedding with Liesel, especially since she is pregnant with his child. Liesel thanks Stanley for his efforts to help them. John comes to Washington to visit Penny. She gives him a message from Norman informing him that he has been appointed to Annapolis, much to his delight. He promises to marry her as soon as he graduates. They carry on with their lives as Penny excels at both politics and her classes, and John puts all his efforts into his training and education.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Leopold studies acting in order to add another element to his fledgling publishing business. The Peenemunde scientists set up at a base in Huntsville, and Stanley tries to garner political support for the program. Penny drops off more documents for Norman, and Elinor is displeased when she sees them together. Elinor accuses Norman of having an affair with Penny, but he denies this and points out that Elinor is abusing alcohol as of late. She demands that Norman fire Penny; he refuses but changes his mind, as he doesn’t want to risk destroying his marriage. He tells Penny about this and points out that she has a number of other job offers from other senators, but she is dismayed by this. Penny admits that despite her devotion to John, she has been tempted a few times to seduce Norman and harbors some attraction towards him. Norman does not answer her when she asks if he is attracted to her as well, and feels uncomfortable with her admission; he recommends her to the influential Senator Glancey and says he will miss her.
Eventually John graduates and he and Penny have a naval wedding with Norman and Elinor in attendance. In 1951 the Korean War begins. At Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida, John test-pilots fighter craft, finally achieving his dream of becoming a pilot. He flies alongside another young pilot, Randy Claggett, and Penny meets his wife Debbie Dee Claggett. Once they land John argues with Randy for a close-flying stunt he pulled, but later they, along with their wives, make small-talk at a dance. John and Penny mention that she just passed her bar exam and is now a full-fledged lawyer. John tells Penny that he’s being deployed to the northern coast of Korea for six months. Penny is upset, believing that it will be much longer than that before she sees him again. Stanley’s job is discontinued due to a series of political maneuvers. Stanley notes that the research group is very close to sending a vessel into earth orbit, and is dismayed that he will no longer be a part of it. Senator Glancey introduces Penny to Dieter and they discuss Stanley’s removal from the project. Dieter argues in favor of allowing Stanley to remain with the Peenemunde group, believing that he still owes him for everything he’s done for him. Penny believes she can get Stanley a job at the newly-formed NACA (National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics) in Hampton, Virginia.
Penny meets with Finnerty in a bar, who asks her to come back and work for Norman to oversee his campaign for reelection in the 1952 senatorial campaign. Finnerty indicates that the outlook for Norman is not good, and says that he needs her help in order to succeed. Senator Glancey agrees to “lend” Penny to Norman, and they discuss Norman’s attempts to gain support for the new aviation committee. Elinor rushes home to Clay to see her father, who is excited at Norman running for reelection. She does not share his enthusiasm and again voices her distaste for the political system. John constantly writes to Penny from the air base in Korea, apologizing for the extensions on his tour of duty. On Wallops Island, Virginia, Rachel grows concerned over her son Millard’s increasingly isolationist tendencies, and wants Stanley to spend more time with him. In Detroit, Michigan, Penny visits Gawain and tries to convince him to speak on behalf of Norman again, although he is reluctant to do so, as he has become disillusioned with politicians since they seem to ignore the plight of the poor. Nevertheless, he agrees to lend his support.
Elinor’s father dies, and she and Norman go back to Clay to attend his funeral. Randy asks John to join him in a job acting as a test pilot in Washington, which would put him close to Penny. Norman manages to retain his senate seat despite an overwhelming victory by the Republicans. Lyndon B. Johnson becomes a staunch advocate of the new space program, and finds support from Glancey and Norman. Elinor becomes frustrated at Marcia’s strong-willed opposition to her parenting, such as taking her to get her hair done. Elinor sees one of Leopold’s advertisements in a magazine and writes to him, hoping to help him with his future endeavors. He hopes to use her favor to his advantage and tries to engineer a “chance” meeting between the two of them. John arrives in San Diego but discovers that he is being assigned to the University of Colorado where he will be given the opportunity to pursue a PhD in engineering, much to his disappointment. Penny visits him in San Diego and is equally disappointed at the news. Both of them accuse the other of devoting more of their lives to their careers than to each other. They have sex again and the next morning John says he doesn’t know when he’ll see her again. He also notes that they have become somewhat emotionally distant from each other; she notes that she wants to be more than just his wife, and he recognizes this and leaves for his assignment.
Back in Huntsville, Dieter grows concerned when another of the Peenemunde families criticizes his family when his son, named after Stanley, starts befriending local Jewish children in the community outside the base. Dieter is ashamed at this incident, having believed that the other Germans had learned to move on from their old hatreds. Liesel admits that she is not entirely comfortable living in the United States, and she notes that Dieter has changed since they moved there. Leopold holds a lecture in Clay and Elinor attends; he claims that extraterrestrial beings have been visiting the earth for some time, and also gives a motivational speech about accepting such claims and explanations. Elinor is impressed and introduces herself to him. They have dinner together and Elinor is quite taken with Leopold, even signing a large check over to him to fund his efforts.
In autumn 1955 in Huntsville, the Peenemunde group is finally awarded full American citizenship. John continues his studies and his flight hours in Boulder, Colorado, nearing his PhD status. Dieter and Stanley get frustrated when their project is given less attention, and their rocket tests meet with a series of failures. By the end of the year, Dieter and his team launch the Jupiter rocket, an updated version of the A-4, but it too fails. Dieter is given one more chance with the Jupiter rocket at Cape Canaveral, Florida, witnessed by the senate aviation committee, meaning that the entire program hinges on a successful test. Norman, Penny, and Glancey arrive with the committee to witness the launch, and this time the rocket launches successfully, inciting celebration from all assembled parties. Dieter and Stanley explain to Norman, Penny, and Glancey that despite achieving escape velocity, the rocket would need far greater speeds in order to achieve an orbit. Dieter receives a call that army intelligence officers are inspecting his files in Huntsville and dismantling his engines. The Secretary of Defense has ordered him to appropriate his research to the air force and the navy, and Norman promises to look into the matter.
Norman and Penny end up sleeping together, although they are both unsure of what to do about it. John and Randy are finally assigned to the Naval Air Test Center on the Patuxent River in Maryland. Randy takes him to his house to celebrate, and he is greeted by Debbie Dee and the children. He is also surprised when he finds Penny there waiting for him. Norman finds out about Elinor’s financial support for Leopold and criticizes her decision. He notes that Leopold’s operation is a scam and is distressed to learn that Marcia has started working for him as well. Norman visits Leopold’s offices and demands to see Marcia, who arrives and argues with him, as she has begun dating Leopold. She gets Norman to leave, dismayed at the situation. Randy is asked to fly the Skyhawk, a notoriously unsafe prototype jet, but refuses citing the lives of test pilots that it has claimed. The CO asks John to test the Skyhawk instead, and John agrees to fly it alongside Randy. During the test flight John loses control of the craft but saves himself with Randy’s assistance.
Randy and John finish their tour on Paxutent River and Randy warns Penny that John may be up for a command position. The next day a pilot crashes during a test flight, and Penny worries that John may be dead, but he calls and puts her mind at ease. On October 4th, 1957, the Russians launch Sputnik 1, the first man-made satellite to orbit the earth, into space. On November 3rd, it is announced that Sputnik 2 is launched, carrying a living passenger. These announcements further spur the United States space program onward, and in July of 1958 a law is signed to create a new civilian space organization, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA. Dieter testifies before Congress, claiming that the United States could have a satellite in orbit around earth in a matter of months. Senator Glancey asks him to step up his timetable and he agrees, although the navy claims that they will be able to launch their Vanguard rocket by December of that year, which Dieter says he cannot match.
However, the Vanguard launch proves to be disastrous and Stanley urges Dieter to use this as an opportunity to put his own research forward. However, when the next launch there is a brief scare about a fuel leak which Dieter dispels as nothing more than condensation. The launch is attended by the aviation committee and broadcast throughout the nation. It proves to be successful and the United States launches a satellite into orbit. Plans begin to send men to the moon, although there is discussion amongst the committee about the possibility or viability of a return trip. Many possibilities and theories are discussed concerning the moon voyage, but the solution eludes the committee and the scientists. Dieter recommends building a large-scale rocket with enough fuel for a return journey, although there is some skepticism about it. In Langley, Virginia, Stanley has Dieter listen to an engineer with an about the weight-to-thrust ratio of his proposed moon rocket; he believes that the engine providing escape velocity thrust should be jettisoned once the craft leaves the atmosphere, leaving only a tiny capsule with which to make the return journey. Dieter approves of this theory and decides to put it into practice.
Soon Russia makes history by making cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin the first human being to orbit the earth. Soon the United States sends its own astronauts into orbit, adding further tension to the “space race” between the two nations. In Houston, Texas, Pope is selected as one of many candidates for an astronaut training program, and Stanley recuses himself from judging him due to him working closely with Penny, now permanent council to the senate space committee. John is brought before the NASA selection committee and is soon selected for the program, along with Randy and four others. They are introduced by Stanley and all are met with thunderous applause. Norman makes a speech as well congratulating the candidates. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: 1985/04/xx
- RUNNING TIME: 2:21:22
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:56960
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV miniseries, 1985
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Dick Berg … Executive Producer
- Robert Birnbaum … Coordinating Producer
- Jack Clements … Coordinating Producer
- Martin Manulis … Producer
- Allan J. Marcil … Co-Producer
- Neal Nordlinger … Associate Producer
- Lee Philips … Director
- Joseph Sargent … Director
- Stirling Silliphant … Writer
- James A. Michener … Based on the novel "Space" by
- Miles Goodman … Music by
- Tony Berg … Music by
- Laurence Luckinbill … Narrator
- James Garner … Cast, Norman Grant
- Susan Anspach … Cast, Elinor Grant
- Beau Bridges … Cast, Randy Claggett
- Blair Brown … Cast, Penny Pope
- Bruce Dern … Cast, Stanley Mott
- Melinda Dillon … Cast, Rachel Mott
- David Dukes … Cast, Martin Scorcella/Leopold Strabismus
- Harry Hamlin … Cast, John Pope
- Barbara Sukowa … Cast, Liesel Kolff
- Michael York … Cast, Dieter Kolff
- Martin Balsam … Cast, Senator Glancey
- Jim Sutorius … Cast, Finnerty
- Stephanie Faracy … Cast, Debbie Dee Claggett
- G.D. Spradlin … Cast, Tucker Thomas
- Jennifer Runyon … Cast, Marcia Grant
- Ralph Bellamy … Cast, Paul Stidham
- Roscoe Lee Browne … Cast, Farquar
- Maggie Han … Cast, Cindy Rhee
- David Spielberg … Cast, Skip Morgan
- Dick Anthony Williams … Cast, Gawain Butler
- Scotch Byerley … Cast, Harry Jensen
- James Edgcomb … Cast, Ed Cater
- Lawrence Lott … Cast, Tim Bell
- Richard Partlow … Cast, Charles Lee
- Barbara Bingham … Cast, Cluny Bell
- Christine Dickinson … Cast, Gloria Cater
- Jeanne Lange … Cast, Inger Jensen
- Annie O'Neill … Cast, Sandra Lee
- Jim Antonio … Cast, Levering
- Jack Garner … Cast, Flight Oper. Officer
- Bill Sorrells … Cast, Colonel Boyd
- Mary Jackson … Cast, Frankie
- Jack Thibeau … Cast, Capt. Penscott
- Vernon Weddle … Cast, Burgess
- Bob McLean … Cast, Newsman
- Donald Craig … Cast, Newsman
- Richard X. Slattery … Cast, Navy Captain
- Burke Byrnes … Cast, FBI Man
- William Wellman Jr. … Cast, Air Force Capt.
- Yuri Gagarin
- Lyndon B. Johnson