When this came out, I loved it. Even though I knew some of the special effects were cheesy and inaccurate. However, I thought it brought to attention something that I love - - the history of the US based program.
Over the years, however, I have come to understand that this film does a great disservice to an American hero. The book and the film both portray Gus Grissom as a panicky, incompetent astronaut. He was the exact opposite. NASA knew this, and that is why he was assigned the second American space flight, the first flight of the two man Gemini spacecraft, and was training to command the first Apollo mission when he was tragically killed in the fire along with Ed White and Roger Chaffee.
It's very unfortunate that the author and filmmakers opted to inject drama that just wasn't there, and that damages the reputation of a great American.
Over the years, however, I have come to understand that this film does a great disservice to an American hero. The book and the film both portray Gus Grissom as a panicky, incompetent astronaut. He was the exact opposite. NASA knew this, and that is why he was assigned the second American space flight, the first flight of the two man Gemini spacecraft, and was training to command the first Apollo mission when he was tragically killed in the fire along with Ed White and Roger Chaffee.
It's very unfortunate that the author and filmmakers opted to inject drama that just wasn't there, and that damages the reputation of a great American.