The Reluctant Astronaut (1967)

Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 01/09/2007 Run time: 103 minutes Rating: Nr Product Description

The Reluctant Astronaut

I found this movie was good but I have seen better from Don Knotts. If we sent anyone into outspace like this charactar, it would have sent space travel back decades. September 21, 2008

Quality Review

I only do reviews on the quality and content of DVD's. There is plenty of
information about the plot, stars and directors etc. in the Product Description and other reviews.

Viewed on high quality DVD player and 86cm Plasma screen.

Packaging plain and simple with no inserts. Menu system is simple, static and has no music or sound. Bonus materials are just the trailer and other recommendations, which are pics only. The trailer looks pretty good though. I can remember seeing this trailer on the big screen, when I was a kid, on a Saturday afternoon at the movies.

When the movie finishes, the menu goes to the Bonus Materials screen. Obviously to try and sell you more stuff.

Sound is brilliant with perfect synchronization.

DVD transfer is excellent. Film quality is absolutely superb.
The picture sharpness is one of the best I've seen on DVD.

A great Saturday afternoon matinee family movie.

Do yourself a favour. You won't be sorry. August 30, 2007

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blastoff to hilarity

The Reluctant Astronaut is one of the truly classic Don Knotts films, consistently hilarious while also sporting some touching scenes between a father and his son. Roy Fleming (Knotts) is just about the last person you would want to shoot into space: I seriously doubt he could pass NASA's physical requirements, for one thing; he knows next to nothing about the requisite technology; and he is so terrified by heights that he can't even stand in a chair by himself. Fleming is just a below-average regular guy simulating space flights for kids at a carnival, trying to win the heart of the hot dog girl, and still living with his parents at the age of 35. His father has what you might call a dominating personality, and poor Roy proves unable to convince him that he does not want to be an astronaut. His father submitted the application for him, though, and he has already spread the word all over town that his son has been accepted. With great trepidation, Roy leaves for Houston (which is a funny bit all by itself), meets up with famous astronaut Fred Gifford (Leslie Nielsen), and is more than a little surprised to find out that he is actually going to be an assistant janitor. He tries to tell his father the truth, but the old man is so proud of his astronaut son that Roy begins living a lie. Of course, the truth will out in the end, and it looks like there will be no happy ending in sight. Then, in the depths of failure, a light of opportunity suddenly shines on Roy, and he gets the chance to make things right- if he has the courage to do what is asked of him.

This was a role seemingly tailor-made for Don Knotts. He's thoroughly convincing as the small-time loser pretending to be something he is not. While the film itself is openly silly, Knotts plays the scattered serious moments in a wonderfully sympathetic way and transforms his character into a hero of sorts even before he sets foot in the space capsule. It goes without saying that he is a comic genius, as well, so you can imagine just how funny his outer space scenes are. I wish I could catalogue every funny moment in the film, but that would deny viewers the pleasure of experiencing them all for themselves. Suffice it to say that The Reluctant Astronaut features one of history's funniest actors in one of his funniest movies - and it's good, wholesome entertainment, to boot. November 28, 2004

Classic Don Knotts

Great movie. This is for all fans of Barney Fife and Don's previous films like Ghost and Mr. Chicken. My favorite part is when Don comes back home after some training at NASA and he is at home with friends and family who are congratulating him. A little kid is the only one in the room who isn't buying Don's astronaut exploits. He grills Don about certain specifics and the rest is classic. PHONY! June 27, 2004

Pingo Loves Cake

The Reluctant Astronaut is as worthy of repeated viewings as The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. I watched both of these films thanks to a summer movie program offered in my town during my childhood. Both films were written by people who wrote the classic Andy Griffith Show episodes. Classic character actors from the Andy Griffith Show appear throughout both films as well. You should own these two finest of Don Knotts' movies.
My favorite moment from The Reluctant Astronaut (as a child AND as an adult) is the absolutely surreal scene where Royal Fleming (Knotts) has a welcoming home party, and Pingo the dog jumps in the cake and starts eating it. Everyone at the party is shocked except the lady who owns the dog. She seems delighted. When I saw this scene again for the first time in 25 years, I laughed so hard I cried! This is great writing, a great cast, and CLASSIC Don Knotts! December 18, 2003

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