Destination Moon (1950): Cast & Plot
Destination Moon is a 1950 adventure drama starring Warner Anderson as Dr. Charles Cargraves, Erin O'Brien-Moore and Tom Powers. It runs 1 hour 31 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 31m (91 min)
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- George Pal Productions
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Destination Moon About?
The premise of Destination Moon without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
After two years of development, an aerospace scientist, a former Air Force general and an industrialist devise an ambitious plan to land Americans on the moon. Operating from a Mojave Desert base, they build and launch the spacecraft Luna, carrying four astronauts. A crucial miscalculation of the power required to break free of lunar gravity threatens the crew’s survival.
Destination Moon Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- moon
- outer space
- sabotage
- space travel
- space walk
- rescue
- moon landing
- u.s. government
- woody woodpecker character
- explosion
- rocket
- watching a movie
+38 more Show fewer
- film within a film
- planet earth
- spacesuit
- v 2 rocket
- space race
- washington d.c.
- radiation
- microphone
- intercom
- rocket launch
- rocket engineer
- countdown
- technology
- radio operator
- weightlessness
- radar
- harmonica
- magnetic shoes
- space helmet
- adrift
- oxygen tank
- geiger counter
- earth viewed from space
- zero gravity
- rocket ship
- nuclear power
- scientist
- cold war
- spacecraft
- based on novel
- satellite
- airplane
- cigarette smoking
- research
- reference to the north pole
- reference to the south pole
- watching a cartoon
- umbrella
Destination Moon Cast & Characters
Warner Anderson leads the cast as Dr. Charles Cargraves, with Erin O'Brien-Moore as Emily Cargraves and Tom Powers as General Thayer.
- Warner Anderson as Dr. Charles Cargraves
- Erin O'Brien-Moore as Emily Cargraves
- Tom Powers as General Thayer
- John Archer as Jim Barnes
Also Starring in Destination Moon
· 13 more- Dick Wesson Joe Sweeney
- Ted Warde Brown (uncredited)
- Franklyn Farnum Factory Worker (uncredited)
- Kenner G. Kemp Businessman at Meeting (uncredited)
- Bert Stevens Businessman at Meeting (uncredited)
- Cosmo Sardo Businessman at Meeting (uncredited)
- Grace Stafford Woody Woodpecker (voice) (uncredited)
- Jack Gargan Businessman at Meeting (uncredited)
- Steve Carruthers Businessman at Meeting (uncredited)
- Irving Pichel Off Screen Narrator of Woody Woodpecker Cartoon (voice) (uncredited)
- Knox Manning Themselves
- Everett Glass Mr. La Porte (uncredited)
- Mike Miller Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
Destination Moon Plot Summary
What happens in Destination Moon from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
After a failed rocket test and a collapse in government funding, Dr. Charles Cargraves, a dedicated rocket scientist, and space enthusiast General Thayer rally the aid of aircraft magnate Jim Barnes. Together, they mobilize private capital from a circle of patriotic U.S. industrialists to push a bold new project forward. At a remote desert facility built for manufacture and launch, they construct an advanced single-stage-to-orbit, atomic-powered spaceship named Luna, determined to prove that a privately funded mission can reach the Moon before official programs fully take hold. The mood is practical and urgent, underlined by a no-nonsense belief that ingenuity and grit can outpace bureaucratic hurdles.
Full summary
The whole story of Destination Moon, scene by scene
Destination Moon Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Destination Moon.
How Well Do You Know Destination Moon?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the name of the atomic‑powered spacecraft that the private team builds?
Cars in Destination Moon
3 cars on screen, including the 1950 Nash Statesman and the 1942 Willys MB 'Jeep'.
-
1950 Nash Statesman Minor role -
1942 Willys MB 'Jeep' Minor role -
1941 Buick Super Background role
Destination Moon Also Known As
17 alternative titles, including “Con destino a la luna” and “Rakete zum Mond”.
- Also known as
-
- Con destino a la luna
- Rakete zum Mond
- Ziel Mond
- S.O.S.: Σελήνη Καλεί Διάστημα
- Προορισμός η Σελήνη
- Destinazione Luna
- Endstation Mond
- Destination... Lune !
- Uomini sulla luna
- Månraketen
- Место назначения – Луна
- Απ' τη Γη στη Σελήνη
+5 more Show fewer
- 데스티네이션 문
- Destino à Lua
- 奔向月球
- Kierunek księżyc
- 登陆月球
Seen Destination Moon?
Movies Like Destination Moon
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Destination Moonbase-Alpha, Project Moon Base and 12 to the Moon.
Destination Moon FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, cast and post-credit scenes of Destination Moon, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Destination Moon?
Destination Moon runs 1 hour 31 minutes (91 minutes).
When was Destination Moon released?
Destination Moon was released on June 27, 1950.
Who is in the cast of Destination Moon?
Destination Moon stars Warner Anderson as Dr. Charles Cargraves, Erin O'Brien-Moore as Emily Cargraves and Tom Powers as General Thayer, among 17 credited actors.
Does Destination Moon have a post-credit scene?
No. Destination Moon has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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