October (Ten Days that Shook the World) 1927

In October 1957, the world was captivated by the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite orbiting Earth. This historic event sent shockwaves across the globe and inspired young minds everywhere, including Homer Hickam, a passionate boy growing up in the mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia. Homer, played by an actor whose page is available at /actor/vasili-nikandrov, was deeply motivated to explore the possibilities of space and flight, despite the prevailing skepticism from his friends and family, especially his father, John Hickam, portrayed by an actor accessible at /actor/vladimir-popov, who was firm in his desire for Homer to follow in his footsteps and work in the coal mines.

Motivated by the news and driven by an insatiable curiosity, Homer teams up with his close friend, Quentin Wilson, a boy who has a knack for math and shares his fascination with aerospace engineering. Alongside their supportive friends Roy Lee Cooke and Sherman O’Dell, they begin constructing small rockets, fueled by their collective dreams of reaching the stars. Their science teacher, Miss Frieda J. Riley, becomes an inspiring figure in their journey, encouraging their curiosity and fostering a love for science and exploration.

Their early rocket launches, which show off their newfound skills and determination, don’t go unnoticed. One of their rockets lands dangerously close to John’s office and nearly injures some workers, prompting John to issue a warning to Homer and his friends, telling them not to build rockets on their property anymore. However, undeterred, the boys hike over the edge of the coal company’s land to continue their experimentation, with the support of townsfolk including Ike Bykovsky, the mine’s machine shop manager. Unfortunately, Ike faces punishment from John for assisting the boys, being sent to work in the mines, highlighting the tension between the town’s traditional livelihood and the boys’ dreams of scientific achievement.

As their rockets garner more attention from the townspeople, excitement builds around their ambitious projects. However, tragedy strikes when a misfire causes a stray rocket to start a wildfire, leading to the boys being accused of arson and getting arrested. Simultaneously, a mining accident results in John Hickam being injured and Ike Bykovsky losing his life, leaving Homer devastated and feeling responsible for the loss. This heartbreaking moment marks a turning point for Homer, but John later reassures him that Ike, who declined to leave his job in the mines despite the danger, was making a choice to support his family’s livelihood.

In the wake of the tragedy, Homer chooses to drop out of high school to work in the mines, providing for his family while his father recovers. Nevertheless, inspired by Miss Riley, Homer immerses himself in learning about rocket science through books, gaining the knowledge to calculate the trajectories of their rockets. Using his new skills, he and Quentin locate their missing rocket and prove it couldn’t have caused the wildfire, with the actual cause identified as a flare from a nearby airfield.

Refusing to give up on his dreams, Homer returns to high school, determined to succeed. His efforts pay off when he and his friends win the school science fair, and Homer is selected to participate in the National Science Fair in Indianapolis. During this time, tensions rise in the coal community as the miners go on strike against the coal company, threatening to shut down the mines permanently. Homer’s relationship with his father becomes strained when Homer, feeling pressured by the strike and his own ambitions, storms out, vowing never to return.

At the science fair, Homer’s model of a de Laval nozzle—a crucial part of rocket engines—captures significant attention. However, his prized models and autographed picture of Dr. Wernher von Braun, a legendary figure in space exploration, are stolen overnight. Homer quickly contacts his mother, Elsie, who persuades John to end the strike so that a replacement nozzle can be built. Touched by his wife’s insistence and her frustration with his lack of support, John relents, enabling his son’s dreams to stay alive.

Supported by the townspeople and new parts sent for his rocket, Homer finally wins the top prize, earning multiple college scholarship offers and even shaking hands with Dr. Wernher von Braun himself—though Homer doesn’t recognize him at first. His return to Coalwood marks a moment of triumph and hope. Homer visits Miss Riley, who is battling Hodgkin lymphoma, and prepares for an extraordinary launch of their biggest rocket yet, named in her honor. Before launch, Homer asks his father to be part of the moment, and John finally shows his pride by pushing the launch button. The rocket soars to an astonishing 30,000 feet—higher than Mount Everest—symbolizing the culmination of Homer’s hard work and dreams.

As the rocket disappears into the sky, the entire town gathers to witness this historic moment. In a poignant gesture, John places his hand on Homer’s shoulder and smiles, granting his son the recognition and pride he had long denied. The film concludes with an epilogue revealing the real-life stories of these characters: Miss Riley’s passing, the mine’s closure, and the eventual success of all four Rocket Boys attending college and pursuing prominent careers—culminating in Homer working at NASA, inspired forever by the dreams that took flight in Coalwood.

“It’s not the size of the rocket that matters, but the magnitude of the dreams.”