Are you lucky enough to have an extra 70 minutes free today? Why not spend them watching an entertaining little B-movie called Flight to Mars?
First released in 1951, Flight to Mars is reportedly the first American film to ever be made about traveling to the red planet. At the start of the film, a rather phallic spaceship is launched into space. Aboard the ship are cynical reporter Steve (Cameron Mitchell), brilliant scientist Jim (Arthur Franz), token female scientist Carol (Virginia Huston), and a few other scientists who all kind of blend together. Steve is attracted to Carol but Carol is more interested in Jim. However, Jim isn’t interested in anything other than his work. When the spaceship does reach Mars, it turns out that Mars is a lot like Earth and the Martians are a lot like us. The main difference between humans and Martians appears to be that Martian women wear miniskirts. Among those Martian women is Alita (Marguerite Chapman), who falls in love with Jim. The rest of Mars, however, is not quite as infatuated with their intergalactic visitors…
Flight to Mars is definitely a product of its time. This is one of those films where the men are all blatantly sexist and the women are usually just happy to be noticed. Carol, for instance, is overjoyed to discover that they have kitchens on Mars and, while the men spend all of their time making plans, Carol usually just stands in the background, eating Martian snacks and pining for Jim. Of course, Jim only has eyes for Alita, who, upon meeting the virile males of Earth, has absolutely no problem betraying her entire planet. Beyond the sexist attitudes, Flight to Mars is also distinguished by presenting space travel as being the equivalent of a long flight on a small airplane. This is definitely a low-budget B-movie that has absolutely no relation to science fact (or, for that matter, any other type of fact).
And, to be honest, that’s why I like the film. It truly is such a time capsule that just watching it will make you wonder if Eisenhower is still in the White House. I’ve always felt that the best way to learn about history is to experience it personally and one of the best ways to do that is to watch a movie that could only have been made during a certain period of time. And trust me, Flight to Mars is pure 1951. As for the film’s low budget — well, this film proves that you don’t need CGI to create an alien world. Sometimes, cardboard and colorful costumes work just as well. And, as for the film’s science — well, facts are boring. That’s one reason why good people have often turned to science fiction.
So, if you’ve got 70 minutes to kill, why not experience Flight to Mars?
Enjoy!
Through the Shattered Lens 