Evening star., 1961-11-22

one of those top-level audience
political. and a sprinkling of
those who hope the first two
know their business.
Man and space, to list them
alphabetically, seldom have
been photographed in a dra-
matte grapple to equal this one.
This relates, however. only to
the documentary aspects of
X-l5." In its sheer movie
phases the screenplay in
which it is 'imbedded the
cllches are as rife as in a movie
starlet's television interview.
Instead Of accepting this as
a measure of the lag of the
arts Cthe movies?) behind space
science. the moviegoer will be
wise to devote his full atten-
ton to the Kills test flights.
These are the spine. the rest is
merely the flabby flesh of the
picture to which the National
Aeronautic and Space Agency
so winningly gave its approval.
"X-l5" undertakes primarily
to explain the purpose behind
this manned vehicle space ex-
ploration. This is identified, in
broad terms. as controlled re-
entry OF space craft into the
earth's atmosphere which, in
still larger. terms. matches man
against the robots which now
dominate orbital traffic.
1t is not necessary to dwell
upon this while watching the
film at Keith's. 1t is enough
for the moviegoer to be given
a chance to see the X-15. its
mother B-52, and the dauntless
humans who fly both to new
speed and altitude records
nearly every test.
Save in the actual flight
scenes, of the Kills team, their
wives. and children are simu-
lated by acting professionals.
So are the NASA personnel,
scientific and non. Their imi-
tators, fortunately, have mas
tered the movements and ver-
nacular of this literally way
out space adventure.
Unlike missile research, the
Kills program is one admissi-
bly, imbued with a human ele-
ment: The principal component
Of this is the team of three
pilots who ride the hottest of
space machines from beneath
the wing of the mothering
bomber. With only an OCCASION
al saborted," mock, or intercut
stock shot lone of a crashing
KIDS fchase" jet, "X-15"I
deals with the actual test
flights Of the craft which gives
the film its title.
The visual effect Of these in
color and Panavision makes for
stunning cinema in a success
sion of big moments in the
film at Keith's.
Two such are sequences in
which the experimental beauty
1shootS away from its mother
: B-52 at incredible speed, and
another in which no go"
means that the carrying bomb
er must land with the SEEM
ingly small, but heavy, Kills
still attached to its right wing.
1t is impossible to believe
that the drama Of these can
be exceeded. 1t turns out that
this can be done, in the Sc
quences in which the X-15
comes back from thousands of
miles an hour to its landing,
blind save as it is directed by
the chase planes which are
flown, by the way, by the other
two members of the team.
Whatever it's serious Scientif-
ic intention. the "X-15" is an
almost u NIB elievable screen
spectacular.
- =
THAT COMBINATION: In
the context of its time, it is
quite possible that Arena
Stages next program contains
the two most fascinatingly
paired plays of the season.
These are Edward Albee's THE
American Dream" and What
Shall We Tell Caroline?" by
England's John Mortimer.
For all the sound of the two,
they have nothing to do with
the man who might be said to
be in general charge of the
American dream, nor with his
daughter Caroline. They are,
4 tho fret Anoericop -tha second