Conquest Of Space (1955)

Starring Walter Brooke, Eric Fleming, Mickey Shaughnessy, Phil Foster, William Redfield
Directed by Byron Haskin

(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

On a mission to Mars, the general leading the spaceflight begins to have doubts about man invading the heavens and seeks a way to sabotage the mission. 

Producer George Pal delivers another science fiction drama, this time about man's journey into space on a mission to Mars, and it's an often eye-popping adventure, with beautiful stellar backgrounds from Chesley Bonestell and striking special effects.  At the time, there was a school of thought that interstellar space craft would have to be launched from a way station in space to avoid Earth's gravitational pull, and that is depicted here with a circular "wheel" space station housing the crew working on the project.  Drama is mined from the select individuals aboard who are selected for the spaceflight and have been trained and tested and switched to a diet of pills, as well as from the father-son relationship between commanding officer Brooke and Fleming, who wants to return to Earth to reunite with his wife, but is being blocked by Brooke.  When the actual spaceflight begins, a new set of dramatic conditions commences as Brooke worries man's conquest of space is contrary to the Bible's teachings, and engages in actions that threaten his own crew.  The actors are generally fine, although Foster is quite a bit over the top as an outspoken Italian-American, but as far as standouts, I found Benson Fong came off best as a sensitive Japanese native who wants to elevate his nation.  Van Cleave delivers an appropriately majestic score and the art direction and set design are well done and complement the excellent exterior visuals.