Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to director Ron Howard!

Ron Howard has been in the film business for his entire life, first as an actor and then as a director.  He is perhaps the epitome of the mainstream, Hollywood film director and, as such, he doesn’t always get the credit that he deserves.  He’ll never be considered an auteur but no matter!  Ron Howard makes efficient and often entertaining films and, in this age of bloated budgets and self-indulgence, there’s something to be said for his professional approach.

Plus, he gave us this absolutely beautiful scene from 1995’s Apollo 13.  In this scene, Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks) takes a look at the moon and, for a minute, thinks about what could have been.  Though Lovell may dream of walking on the moon, he knows it won’t happen and that his only concern now is getting both himself and his crew back home.  He’s a professional, much like Ron Howard himself.