Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon
A 1967 British comedy loosely based on Jules Verne.
Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon, released in the United States as *Those Fantastic Flying Fools* and also known under titles such as *Chiflados Del Espacio*, *Blast-off*, and *Rocket to the Moon*, is a 1967 British science fiction comedy. Don Sharp directed the film, which features Burl Ives, Troy Donahue, Gert Fröbe, and Terry-Thomas. The story, credited to Harry Alan Towers under the pseudonym Peter Welbeck, draws very loosely from Jules Verne's 1865 novel *From the Earth to the Moon*. Dave Freeman, a comedy writer for *The Benny Hill Show*, wrote the script.
The plot follows a series of failed scientific experiments in Victorian England and Germany, including a house that burns down from its own electric lighting and a bridge that collapses during its inauguration. After Phineas T. Barnum's circus burns down in the United States, he travels to England with his star, General Tom Thumb. There, they attend a lecture by Siegfried von Bulow, who proposes firing a projectile to the Moon with his new explosive. Though ridiculed, Barnum sees profit potential and seeks funding to build a giant cannon. The projectile, designed by Sir Charles Dillworthy, lacks a return mechanism. Barnum later meets American aeronaut Gaylord Sullivan, who claims to have designed a round-trip rocket. Henri, a wealthy Frenchman, finances Sullivan's missile on the condition that Sullivan replaces Tom Thumb as the passenger. Meanwhile, Dillworthy and his brother-in-law, Harry Washington-Smythe, who have embezzled most of Barnum's funds, plot to sabotage the flight to win bets on its failure. After Madelaine, Sullivan's girlfriend, discovers the scheme, she is kidnapped but escapes. She returns to the launch site in Wales just as an unconscious Sullivan is removed from the sabotaged ship. Dillworthy, Washington-Smythe, and a Russian spy named Bulgeroff sneak aboard, and Bulgeroff accidentally triggers the launch, sending the three men on a one-way trip. They land in a barren area inhabited by Russian singers, and Washington-Smythe concludes the Russians have already colonized the Moon. The trio ends up as part of a barge-hauling work brigade.
The film was originally announced with Bing Crosby as Barnum and Senta Berger, alongside Terry-Thomas, Gert Fröbe, and Wilfred Hyde-White. Ultimately, Burl Ives and Daliah Lavi replaced Crosby and Berger, and Lionel Jeffries took over for Hyde-Whi
- Release year
- 1967
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Director
- Don Sharp
- Genre
- Science fiction comedy
- Based on
- From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne (loosely)
- Notable cast
- Burl Ives, Troy Donahue, Gert Fröbe, Terry-Thomas
Quick Facts
- Director
- Don Sharp
- Writer
- Dave Freeman
- Based On
- original story by Harry Alan Towers (as "Peter Welbeck") / "inspired by the writings of Jules Verne"
- Producer
- Harry Alan Towers
- Starring
- Burl Ives / Terry-Thomas / Troy Donahue / Gert Fröbe / Hermione Gingold / Lionel Jeffries / Dennis Price / Daliah Lavi
- Narrator
- Maurice Denham
- Cinematography
- Reginald H. Wyer
- Editing
- Ann Chegwidden
- Music
- John Scott
- Studio
- Jules Verne Films
- Distributor
- AIP (US) / Warner-Pathé (UK)
- Released
- df=y · 1967 · 07 · 13 · UK
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film was originally announced with Bing Crosby as Phineas T. Barnum and Senta Berger, but Burl Ives and Daliah Lavi replaced them. Lionel Jeffries replaced Wilfred Hyde-White. Director Don Sharp said the cast grew, making the budget larger than planned, and the script was rewritten to accommodate stars who could raise finance. The film was almost entirely shot in Ireland starting 6 August 1966, with the rocket launch at a disused copper mine in Avoca, Co. Wicklow, and interior scenes at Ardmore Studios. The film was Towers' most expensive, with a projected US$3 million budget funded by multiple international studios in exchange for more screen time for their national stars.
Reader's Guide
Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon is notable as a comedic adaptation of Verne's novel, produced during the space race era. Its multiple title changes—Those Fantastic Flying Fools in the U.S. to capitalize on Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines, and later Blast-off—reflect marketing attempts that did not yield expected success. The film's production involved international co-financing and a large ensemble cast, which director Don Sharp felt made the comedy unwieldy. Critical reception was mixed; The Times found it unfunny despite the cast, while the Los Angeles Times noted a leisurely pace. The film remains a curiosity for its blend of Victorian setting, slapstick, and Verne-inspired space travel.
Did You Know?
- The film was released in the U.S. as Those Fantastic Flying Fools to capitalise on the success of Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines.
- Director Don Sharp shot second unit on Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines.
- The rocket launch was shot at a disused copper mine in Avoca, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.
- The film was originally announced with Bing Crosby as Phineas T. Barnum and Senta Berger, but Burl Ives and Daliah Lavi replaced them.
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