Minute 006: Let’s Sell the House

Jim Lovell and the assembled guests witness Neil Armstrong’s descent to the lunar surface, on the family TV set.

“on this July 20th, Nineteen Hundred and Sixty-Nine,” intones Walter Cronkite on TV.

“It’s one small step for man,” says Armstrong, “One… giant leap for mankind.”

“His quote was, That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” repeats Cronkite.

Later, after the guests have left, Jim and Marilyn Lovell are standing in the moonlight in their backyard.  Jim holds his thumb up at arm’s length, obscuring a waning gibbous Moon.  He repeats the gesture several times. The song, “Beyond the Sea” sung by Bobby Darrin, plays in the background.

TITLE: “BASED ON THE BOOK ‘LOST MOON’ BY JIM LOVELL & JEFFREY KLUGER”

Marilyn, holding a paper bag, looks at her husband. “You’re drunk, Lovell,” she says.

“Yep,” he agrees. “I’m not used to the champagne.”

“Me neither,” says Marilyn.

TITLE: “SCREENPLAY BY WILLIAM BROYLES, JR. & AL REINERT”

Marilyn puts down a plate and drops the paper bag on the patio. “I can’t deal with cleaning up,” she says, “Let’s sell the house.”

“Alright,” says Jim, “Let’s sell the house.”

TITLE: “PRODUCED BY BRIAN GRAZER”

“They’re back inside now,” says Jim, still looking up at the Moon. “Looking up at us. Isn’t that something?”

TITLE: “DIRECTED BY RON HOWARD”

“I’ll be Janney Armstrong doesn’t get a wink of sleep tonight,” says Marilyn, leaning back on a chaise lounge chair.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Walter Cronkite: Himself
Neil Armstrong: Himself
Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan
Jay Lovell:  Max Elliott Slade