Original subtitles

- Magnus, this gentleman is from the fire department.

- Your Excellency, I am sorry to disturb you.

Mr. Becker's greenhouse burnt down

and Mr. Becker asked me to speak with you about it.

But how does this concern me?

- But Your Excellency, your son Wernher

apparently caused the fire.

- Did Mr. Becker make this absurd accusation?

- But Baron Von Braun, here on the thing it says

finder, please return to Wernher Von Braun.

Including the address.

- I see.

Well, kindly convey my apologies to Mr. Becker.

He will be reimbursed for all damages.

- A great pleasure, sir.

A painful duty, sir.

- A disgrace.

Outrageous.

My own son commits arson.

He'll burn Berlin to the ground.

- But darling, he was only experimenting.

- What good are these experiments?

Now I insist that if a Von Braun shoots off a rocket

it should go where it's supposed to go.

- Professor Oberth, what can you tell me

about this Von Braun?

- Wernher?

He wants to get to the stars.

He dreams big dreams, that one.

- You have been Wernher's teacher since he was a boy.

Tell me about him.

I understand the Rocket Society is running short of funds.

- Not now, please.

- Short of funds?

We are flourishing.

- Don't joke, Mischke.

These things are important.

Captain Dornberger, if you are in a position to contribute,

- Oh, not exactly.

But I wonder whether Von Braun would be interested

in continuing his experiments

under the auspices of the Army.

You'll have laboratory facilities, test equipment,

- Captain, you seem to run a lovely Army.

I hope you can afford us.

We have expensive tastes.

Ready, Wernher?

- Yes!

Open the valves!

- Why does he risk it out there?

- He wants to observe the ignition.

A record for a static test.

- Looks innocent, doesn't he, Colonel Toftoy?

- Well, since I'm here only as United States Army observer,

I have one observation to make.

Nobody allocates that much manpower

and building materials to a project

unless it rates pretty high priority.

- What do you suspect, Major Drummond?

- There's been a lot of talk about weapons

with which Germany will conquer the world.

Mystery weapons.

- Propaganda?

- It isn't propaganda, Major Hammel.

- Anything definite?

- Unconfirmed, but persistent reports from the Dutch,

the Danish, and the Polish underground.

Now my government have asked for a word

of clarification on these mystery weapons.

I think the word is Peenemunde.

- Anton.

- Your nerves are terrible.

- We all live on our nerves.

What can I do for you?

- Nothing.

Unless you'd like to change your mind and marry me.

What's the matter with you these days?

- Nothing.

- Have I done something?

Is something wrong?

- No, there's nothing wrong.

What time this evening?

- I'm afraid I can't manage this evening.

- You don't like it, do you?

Neither do I.

Meeting in dark corners and creeping upstairs

so as not to wake the landlady,

you don't like it one bit.

Do you?

We are not the sort of people, you and me.

- No, we're not.

- Then why won't you marry me?

- I can't, Anton.

- I love you.

And you...

Well, at least you are,

you are fond of me, aren't you?

- You know I am, Anton.

- I beg your pardon.

20 minutes to go, Anton.

He's a very nice fellow, you know.

I do know.

- I'm just being selfish.

You're a wonderful secretary

and I want you to stay in the family.

All right, go ahead.

- You'll be late, Anton.

- What time this evening?

- Same time.

- Are you sure?

- Yes, I'm sure.

- Ah, Reger.

Where's Dr. Von Braun?

- He said he wouldn't be

in the observation post today, Colonel.

Excuse me.

- He thinks he has a better vantage point.

- I told him to stay off this roof.

I don't want Wernher taking any foolish risks.

Will you ask him to step down here?

- It would be a big step.

- He's trying to use a high speed motion picture camera

to find out what goes wrong.

He's up in his plane.

- Von Braun?

Yes sir?

- I want you to keep well out of range.

Do you hear, that's an order.

- Yes, Colonel.

- I'm not worried about you.

But the plane's government property.

If anything happens,

I'll send you back the pieces.

- All right, gentlemen.

Let's try again.

Fire rocket.

She's off course!

It's out of control!

- Destroy rocket.

- It's headed for Von Braun's plane.

- Well, that's it.

The vapour trail shows a number of zig-zag lines

which grow in intensity

up to the moment of explosion.

- The failure is structural.

Some sort of metal fatigue in the forward area

I should say.

- The quality of the steel we're getting

just isn't up to the job.

It wouldn't surprise me if it isn't thought a bit peculiar

that we don't have a closer contact

with the heads of the Party.

- Look, I'm a scientist.

I couldn't care less about all this Party stuff.

Hitler or the man on the moon,

it's all the same to me.

Come to think of it, I'd prefer the man on the moon.

He's nearer my heart.

- Are you implying that-

- Oh don't be childish.

- Oh, gentlemen, please.

- I'd think it over if I were you.

We need better quality raw material and more money.

And in my opinion, it's your attitude

to the people in control of these things

that's sabotaging our work here!

- Stop this.

- That will be all, gentlemen, thank you.

Wernher.

- Yes?

- We've been a long time without results.

At least in the eyes of the high command.

Your dream of space flight,

while they keep reminding me that in the third year

of the war, they want practical results.

They'll settle for a shorter range than the stars.

Like London, for instance.

- But Colonel.

The bullet that can reach the stars

can also be fired across the room.

- Get me that bullet, Wernher,

before they move in on us.

Himmler and the Party are always suspicious

of anything we in the Army do

and have a few people strategically placed among us.

Neumann, for one.

He would like the SS to take over me

and give him your job.

- Neumann, if he wouldn't be such a good engineer

I could really dislike him.

- Well try, it doesn't hurt.

- Colonel, see to it you're still here

when I get back, hmm?

- Maria looks lovely tonight.

- I know you'll say it has nothing to do with me

but I don't think she'll wait forever.

- My mother really believes I came all this way

because of her birthday.

- Oh Wernher.

You make Karl tell us how he got all those medals.

- Oh, don't embarrass him.

- Well, we civilians can't earn medals.

But we can do our part.

We can wear this with pride.

The Party makes us one nation,

one people, unconquerable.

- Heil.

Things were certainly simpler in the old days

when I used to work here.

I was happy then.

- Of course you were.

All you wanted to do then was to reach the moon.

- And all I did was to smash up other people's greenhouses.

I didn't know then...

That I would become an addict.

- An addict?

- Yes.

This obsession of mine.

Space.

It's like somebody who can't stop drinking or smoking.

I just can't give it up.

But you can help me

by marrying me.

Hey.

I'm waiting for an answer.

- You know my answer.

- But it doesn't excuse you from saying it.

- Yes, darling, of course.

What's that?

- Mm, a drop of solder which fell down

when I made my first rocket.

I kept it.

- May I have it?

What for?

- To remind me of what you were like once.

- I haven't changed.

What are you going to do

about joining the Nazi Party?

- I don't have much choice, do I?

Not if I want to remain at Peenemunde.

- Is Peenemunde so important to you?

- Yes, mother, it is.

You want a drink?

- No, thank you, darling.

- Yeah, for years I managed to avoid them.

Them and their Party button.

- Wernher, you mustn't join them.

- Of course, I don't want to join them.

But if only they can help me,

then I'm going to join them.

- Long ago, they said witches made a pact with the devil

so they could ride on broomsticks.

My broomsticks fly without the devil's help.

But if they didn't,

I would be willing to sign with him.

- Nobody is levelling any specific charges.

The feeling is simply this,

in your particular field, you are the best brains

in the Reich, therefore the world.

But what did you achieve, nothing.

Rocket after rocket fails to take to the air.

First it was inferior metal, then lack of money.

Both these troubles have now been rectified.

I do not think that we are wrong to expect success.

- If you care to come down

into the observation post, Gruppenfuhrer.

This way please.

- You've had your orders.

Kindly wear them even if you are not wearing

a Party button.

- You shouldn't make fun of these things, Mischke.

- I know, I know, they are important.

- So they are.

- To whom, Herr Doctor?

- To Germany, Mischke.

- While we are waiting I would like to show you

a few photographs which we took

at our new supersonic wind tunnel.

In these tests we can measure the pressure changes

at a hundred different points.

On the body, on the wings, the tail fins

of any model that's being studied.

We can now approach a speed of mach five.

- Where does the term mach come from?

- Mach one is the speed of sound.

Mach two is twice the speed of sound and so on.

Name is for Professor Mach.

- German?

- Austrian.

- An Austrian is not German.

Not quite

but then who is?

- If these rockets are practical,

the war is won.

We could level every major city on Earth.

Then in peacetime, we'll send rockets all over the world

to deliver the mail.

- Who will be there to receive it?

- May I ask who has this charming sense of humour?

- That was a very serious technical question, sir.

Since we Germans are the only ones who will know

how to handle rockets,

we'll have to train foreign crews to receive them.

- Very interesting.

Thank you, Dr. Von Braun.

Are we ready?

- Fire warning rocket.

Warning rocket fired.

- Sound alarm bells.

Alarm bells sounded.

- Close all gates.

Close all gates.

All gats closed.

- Continue countdown.

- Ten, nine, eight,

seven, six, five,

four, three, two, one.

Zero.

Fire.

- Somewhat short of the moon, eh, Dr. Von Braun?

Thank you for the firework display, gentlemen.

It's a pity you have nothing to celebrate.

- Another triumph for Kulp.

- One thing these fools will never know

is that a rocket, like a tree, needs time to grow.

And no amount of pestering

from all these petty Hitlers

is going to alter that.

- Don't worry, Professor.

Wernher will do it in the end.

- Once he only wanted to get to the stars.

- And unless there will be a successful launching

within 30 days, Peenemunde will be closed.

Well, there it is. An ultimatum.

Do you think you can do this in the time?

- There's only one answer to that.

We can try.

- Thank you, gentlemen.

- With the improvement of rocket performance...

No, no, make it combustion.

With the improvement in combustion

we're again faced with the problem

of preventing the walls from overheating.

Therefore we are now irrigating the inner walls

of the chamber with fuel.

This will act as a protective layer of insulation.

Telephone.

Meeting ready.

- Colonel Dornberger is waiting for you.

- Oh, yes.

Okay, I'll be right back and then we finish this.

I'm sorry to be late.

- Oh, that's all right.

Have you got the new design?

- Oh yes.

I left them on the desk.

I'll be right back.

- Wernher, here are those figures you asked for.

- Thank you.

- Wernher thinks it's here, the region

of maximum dynamic pressure.

- Yeah, don't you agree, Anton?

It must be there.

- Yes.

Yes, I think I do agree with you.

- Wait a minute, I'll show you.

Look, I'll show you the blueprint.

- I'll get it.

- Thank you.

- I hope you are right.

30 days are almost up

and it's got to work, SS says so.

- He wants the blueprint.

- Will it be long?

- I don't think so.

That's not your usual colour.

- I often use it.

Do you object?

- I don't.

See you for lunch.

- Standby to fire.

Close the shutters.

Shutters are closed.

- Fire the rocket.

Liftoff normal.

- It's still going.

- Maximum altitude. - It will hit the earth

with the impact energy of 50 locomotives

going at full steam striking the same point.

- If you could ever get 50 locomotive engineers

to arrive at the same place at the same time.

Impact.

Distance to point of impact is 161 miles.

Altitude approximately 52 miles.

- I congratulate you, gentlemen.

It's amazing what a little persuasion will do,

even with scientists.

Now we'll mass produce England's destruction.

The war will be over on the day

we launch these weapons at London.

Reichsf�hrer Himmler himself will tell you

what a wonderful thing you have done for Deutschland.

Heil Hitler.

- Heil Hitler.

- Heil Hitler.

My dear Dr. Von Braun, I want to congratulate you

and to thank you.

It's a remarkable achievement.

- Thank you, sir.

But it's only the beginning.

- We have always known that a German scientist

will someday invent a weapon which will give us victory.

Now about the future.

- Yes?

- You will want mass production for your rockets.

And I want to suggest that you become a member

of my personal staff.

I want you to join our Inner Circle.

How do you feel about it?

- Well, sir.

- Hesitating, Dr. Von Braun?

I make the suggestion for a practical reason.

I want you to be free of Army stupidity and red tape.

- I already am.

I couldn't hope for a better superior

than Colonel Dornberger.

Our earlier difficulties were the result

of high level indifference.

- Yeah, go on.

- But now it looks as if we are going to be successful.

- So you think you can get your own way with everybody?

Well, we shall see, Dr. Von Braun.

We shall have to see.

But do think about my suggestion.

I'm sure you'll be very happy with the SS.

We now run Germany

and the everyday cares of the world

trouble us less than most people.

Yeah.

Goodbye, Dr. Von Braun.

Heil Hitler.

- Heil Hitler.

Hey.

Don't you recognise me, I'm Dr. Von Braun.

- Yes, I recognise you, Dr. Von Braun.

Get out of this car, you're under arrest.

- You were supposed to be working

for the Reich in military weapons only.

What is this, then?

A model for a spaceship.

To reach the moon, no doubt.

- Yes, that's its purpose.

Scientists have to plan for a future.

If we didn't, we would still be riding in oxcarts.

- I've had quite enough of your arguments,

Dr. Von Braun.

While you were still useful, I had to listen to them.

Now I don't.

Do you deny that you held up

this absolutely vital military programme

while you played the fool with,

with your personal dreams?

- Yes, I deny it.

- Deny this then.

One thing these fools will never learn

is that a rocket, like a tree, needs time to grow.

And no amount of pestering from all these petty Hitlers

is going to alter that.

And this is going to get you hanged, Dr. Von Braun.

I'm a scientist,

I couldn't care less about all this Party stuff.

Hitler or the man on the moon,

it's all the same to me.

Well, come to think of it, I'd prefer the man on the moon,

he's nearer my heart.

- I doubt if you will even be given

the formality of a trial.

Take him away.

Lock him up.

Remind me to salute you at your execution.

- But we are sitting here like a herd of sheep.

Doing nothing, absolutely nothing to save him.

- What can we do?

- Nothing.

- Except continue with our work.

- Do you still want the V2?

Well then mine fuhrer, I need Von Braun.

- This can't be true, it can't be.

- There are men, Gruppenf�hrer Kulp

who are beyond the laws applied to other men

by reason of their value.

Von Braun's brain puts him in another class.

He should be executed.

But he's too important.

Release him.

- Yes, sir.

- Inform the Fuhrer that his instructions

regarding Von Braun have been carried out.

Someday I'll get his fellow Dornberger

for meddling in my affairs!

- It's Berlin again tonight

- Yeah, I think so.

- Will the war go on much longer?

- I don't know.

- Let's be married soon, can we?

I was thinking yesterday,

remember it was called Koenspachen

and it was in the mountains

and your uncle Helmut took us there?

- Mm, I remember.

- Well I want to be married there.

And I want to stay at the inn

and walk up to the waterfall like we did before.

- That's what we'll do.

That's just what we'll do.

- Don't.

- Don't what?

- Don't look at the stars.

Haven't you noticed I always try to stop you?

- No.

- Oh, I agree it's the proper thing to do.

Everyone in love should look at the stars.

But not you.

They don't make you think of me at all.

They make you think of travelling time, and orbit,

and speed velocity.

Wernher? - Hmm?

- The rocket.

Are they going to fire it at London?

- Yes.

- And do you know just where it will land?

- Not yet.

- So then it may hit a bomber station.

- I hope so.

- Or a children's hospital.

- Yes, it could.

- And you don't care?

- What do you mean care?

We're fighting a war, Maria.

Our enemies' bombs are killing our women and children too.

The only thing I can care about

is making sure that Germany wins.

Look.

A soldier fires a gun at the farm.

He doesn't know whether he's going to kill another soldier,

a chicken, or the farmer's wife.

There's no difference.

- There is a difference.

I can't explain it but there is.

- You can't think about things like that.

If a soldier thought like that

he would never be able to pull the trigger.

While he was making up his mind,

the enemy would shoot him dead.

No, I can't concern myself that way.

- Wernher, you frighten me.

Sometimes I think you belong in a different world.

I love you, but you frighten me.

- This is the last one to come through.

This shows a completely new design for the tailpiece.

Contact's doing a fine job.

- Yes, she certainly is.

But I'm beginning to feel a bit anxious about her.

I think it's time we got her out of-

- You all right?

- Yeah, yeah, I just bruised my arm a little, that's all.

- It was a bit near.

A bitch of a firecracker.

- I'd just like to get my hands

on the guy who thought of it.

- Ah, don't worry.

Were planning our own fireworks for those V2 geniuses.

- Coffee time.

Aren't you coming?

- I can't, I must finish this.

- Of course.

Most important, top secret.

- You go along, I'll meet you over there.

I'll get this done far quicker if I'm left alone.

- Telephone?

- Yes?

Fr�ulein Elizabeth Schlessner?

- No, this is Elizabeth Beyer.

You've got the wrong extension.

Anton?

Yeah?

- What is it?

- Wait in the cafe.

Don't leave there until I tell you.

- Well?

She had an appointment with her dentist.

She forgot to tell us about it.

- It doesn't matter, it can wait.

Professor Oberth, let's go through these figures.

Number please.

- Switchboard.

Would you get me the number of the dentist?

The dentist here in Pennemunde.

There are two.

- I see.

Would you get me both of them please?

Thank you.

Number please?

- Get me the second number now, please.

Herr Straubel?

I am trying to trace my secretary.

I believe she had an appointment with you

for this evening.

Elizabeth Beyer.

No, she hasn't?

I'm sorry, I must have made a mistake.

- Don't look so sad.

She'll come back to you.

Listen. That's twice today.

They say Berlin is a shambles.

- They say, they say,

you're like a lot of old women.

- Why don't they tell us what's going on then?

The German people aren't children.

They ought to be...

- Down to the shelter!

Would you like some coffee?

- Yes.

Elizabeth, huh.

Quite a night, more than 700 dead.

But at least we saved our blueprints.

- I tried to get back

but they won't let me through.

- I'm glad you weren't here.

- I admire you, Wernher,

that you can still think about blueprints.

- Thank you.

- You certainly chose the right time to go to the dentist.

You said you had an appointment with the dentist

but you didn't.

You didn't, did you?

- I tried to get back.

But the military police stopped me.

- Answer my question.

- I tried.

But they wouldn't let me through the perimeter.

- Answer my question.

And what were you doing that day

with the blueprint?

Anton!

- Don't Anton me.

- I don't feel well.

I must go.

No!

- I must have seemed a perfect idiot to you.

- I meant everything,

everything I said about us.

- Oh no.

You just used me.

All along I knew that something was wrong.

Those pretended emotions and pretended passion.

Who are you working for?

The Russians?

The British, the Americans, who?

I don't really care who.

Just tell me why.

Why?!

- You know how my husband died?

- My first guess would be suicide.

But I don't care how your husband died.

- He was like you.

Serious, brilliant.

I met him when I lived in America.

We'd only been married three weeks.

We were having breakfast in this lovely hotel in Bavaria.

The door suddenly flew open

and the SS officers came in,

shot him dead.

They were looking for an entirely different person

named Bayer, not Beyer.

Not my husband at all.

They said it was a regrettable mistake.

Now you know why.

- You expect me to believe a story like that?

I'm sorry but I'm not that foolish.

- What are you going to do?

- Report you, or course, report it all.

Then you can tell your tragic story to the SS.

- You know what the SS do to spies.

- Yes, I do.

- You do.

How dare you judge me.

How dare, you that are so blind to the misery you've caused.

I'm glad I helped to stop you.

- Stop me?

- Yes, all of you.

And you, you're just like a slave to Wernher

as if he was God!

Number please.

- You'd do anything he wants you to do.

Anything, anything!

Scientists without thinking!

Scientists!

Number please.

Top priority calls only.

- This is a top priority call.

Number please.

Number please!

Hello?

Hello?

- Oh, Anton.

Don't you see, I do love you.

- Shut up.

- I wanted to marry you.

- Shut up. - I was as honest

as I could have been!

- Shut up, shut up, shut up!

- No!

No, no!

No.

No.

- We'll make our headquarters down in the bunker,

it's about the only place left standing.

Oh, don't worry.

Well, you better take these down too.

Yes.

Oh yes.

That's unimportant, salaries.

Yes, this too.

If Dornberger wants me, I'll be down in the bunker.

Yes.

- Pretty good, eh?

I don't think we should be hearing any more from Peenemunde.

Not for a while, at least.

- Well they'll have to get a move on

if they want to use it again ever.

The German armies are crumbling on all fronts.

Major Taggert, what's been arranged

about taking this place over when the moment comes?

- Peenemunde?

We have a special crew standing by, sir

to move in and grab whatever equipment

they can lay their hands on.

- Before our Eastern allies grab it first, eh?

That's the general idea, sir.

- And the personnel, the people responsible

for creating the V2?

- Oh, we'll get them too, sir.

And they'll pay for it.

- Oh I wouldn't be too sure about that, Bill.

- They're war criminals, aren't they?

There is no court on earth

that wouldn't find them guilty.

Not a court on earth.

- Well, gentlemen.

Take your choice.

Dornberger called from Berlin

and said that Hitler wants us to destroy Peenemunde

and everything in it.

Ordnance wants us to move our equipment,

documents and supplies further west.

The local Party leaders want us to stay here

and defend this place to the death.

- Some choice.

Like playing Russian Roulette with every chamber loaded

with real Russians.

- Work in the shops has almost come to a stop.

Nobody knows what to do.

- Oh, I do.

- What?

- Well, we don't know exactly where the Russians are.

But from the way the gunfire is getting louder every hour,

I would say they are rapidly closing in.

Why?

- They want us.

They've always known how to use

foreign scientists and engineers.

- Of course they would know how to use us.

But do we want to be used by them?

That's the point.

- If you're asking me, no.

So if we want to get out, we'd better hurry.

- That's treason.

- Oh, sit down, Neumann.

- Treason?

Against what, against whom?

- When the SS

hears about this... Ah so they would want to-

- Gentlemen, let's be frank.

It's obvious the war is lost.

If we want to have anything to say

about whose hands we wind up in,

the time to choose is now.

- There is still Germany,

our country.

- In a few weeks, there will not be

one square foot of Germany

which won't be occupied by foreign troops.

There won't be one single key man from Peenemunde

outside of an interment camp.

- Come on, Wernher.

Let's hear your plan.

- We go south.

Now, before it's too late.

And allow ourselves to be rolled over

by the American Army.

- They'll welcome us as warmly as the Russians.

And I mean warmly.

- I don't know, they talk a lot about liberty.

Who knows, they may actually believe in it.

- The Americans work with the British.

It was in London that our rockets fell.

Still, we have to work somewhere.

Germany is defeated.

Yes, I agree with you, we-

- What's got into you?

Don't you owe Germany anything?

- We spent 15 years advancing rocket technology,

and we know we are way ahead of the rest of the world

in this field.

In Germany, there will be no more rocket development

for years to come.

Now, shall we throw away what we have

or shall we make what we know available for others

to complete the job?

I personally propose to stay alive

and go on working.

Don't you agree with me, Anton?

- I am sorry.

For the first time, I don't agree with you.

Neumann is right.

This is treason.

You are a traitor.

- That's a matter of opinion.

Well, most of us were once familiar

with a procedure called voting.

- But what about your families?

I mean, Germany is their home.

Wernher, what about Maria?

- Mmm, I discussed this with Maria sometime ago.

We shall meet again later.

As for your families, we'll try to take them with us.

Now come on, vote.

Who will try to get to the Americans with me?

Oh, Neumann!

I thought the scientist was a servant of the state.

- When the master is dying,

the servant has to find a new one.

- Then you are all traitors,

every single one of you.

- Oh, drop it, Anton!

You are a valuable man, you as a person!

Regardless of nationality!

- You excuse yourself if you like.

If you can, I can't.

I'm a German.

I'm not a Nazi but I am a German.

And I'm ashamed that I ever called you my friends.

Any of you.

- Well, one thing is certain.

If we are to preserve our work,

we'll have to move a lot of people and equipment.

Germany's transportation systems are shambles.

- We take our own cars and trucks

and as many as want to come with us.

- And where will we find enough gasoline

for such a huge move?

- They run beautifully on rocket fuel.

- There'll be road blocks and checkpoints

on every corner.

- We'll have to write our own travel orders

and bluff our way through.

After all, Peenemunde still has the highest priority.

Anton. Come with us.

- I'm sorry.

I cannot follow your smooth reasoning.

Go ahead, do what you want.

Don't you understand?

I am a German, and I stay.

- All right.

Goodbye.

We move right away.

- Most of our catch of our war criminals

have been extremely eloquent, Dr. Von Braun.

I've heard more alibis these last two weeks

than I never knew existed.

A great brain like yours might even have a new one.

- I have none.

- Even that fits a pattern.

The martyr complex.

- You could have mentioned that your father

was a member of the cabinet

that was overthrown when Hitler came into power,

and that Himmler tried to have you executed.

- Oh, fine.

Let's pin a medal on him.

Tell me something, Dr. Von Braun.

Do you consider yourself a war criminal?

- If everyone who worked for the munition factory

is a war criminal, then I'm one also.

I was developing rockets long before Hitler took over.

Space travel is all that really interests me.

- Destroying thousands of innocent British civilians

comes under the heading of space travel, does it?

- When there's a war, every man wants his country to win.

And the worst of it end.

- And of course, any means justifies that end.

- Don't you have a saying,

it's my country, right or wrong?

Besides, if I had refused this job,

I would have been labelled enemy of the state.

You must forgive me, Major,

but I prefer to stay alive

and continue with my job.

- You would, Doctor.

- Since war itself is a crime,

we're all war criminals, aren't we?

- But we didn't all attack Poland, Belgium,

Holland, France, without warning.

We didn't all destroy millions of innocent

men and women in gas chambers.

- Did I, personally?

- Oh, no, of course not.

No German is ever personally responsible for anything.

If you had all stood up together and said no,

this butchery would have stopped.

There never would have been a war.

You ever lived in a dictatorship?

Every man distrusts his neighbour,

doesn't dare make a stand for fear of losing his own life.

In that respect, I'm guilty

of being a human being.

- I'll tell you what I think you are.

I think you are guilty of inventing

one of the most infernal weapons

ever devised by man,

of putting it to use in support

of the most iniquitous regime in the history of the world.

You are guilty, you will be tried

and you will be hung.

- Von Braun.

- Yes, sir?

- If you want to carry on your research,

we have the resources.

Suppose General Eisenhower gave you such an opportunity?

- Is that an offer, sir?

- We recognise the importance of your achievements.

Do you want to go to the United States?

- Naturally, it's why I surrendered.

But Colonel, I can't make rockets all by myself.

- We know that.

All those who volunteered and cleared by counterintelligence

will go to America for a probationary period of one year.

Without families or dependents,

just to see how we get along.

You'll have to face lots of criticism

and it may be a long time

before you're accepted by the American public.

- I don't expect to be received with open arms.

- Well, will you leave us now, please?

We've received a number of intelligence reports on you.

Some suggest that you be tried as a war criminal.

Our decision to harness your brain power

was based on a report by one of our agents

who will make the identification.

- You don't really mean they're not even

gonna put him on trial?

- No trial.

Sorry, Bill, but this has just came through.

- You mean, they'll simply use him?

- When a man's as brilliant as that, he...

Well I guess he has a special value of his own.

Look, Bill, you and I have been friends

for a long time now.

I realise you take this as a personal thing.

- Don't I have a right to?

Wouldn't anybody if one of those things

killed his wife and baby?

- Yes, you have every right.

- But that's not the point.

Don't you see, it's downright immoral to use this man?

He's our enemy!

Colonel, before I wore this uniform

I was a newspaperman who roasted the hide

off the Von Brauns of this world.

And I can't stop now just because I'm wearing this suit.

That man is the actual stuff

we fought Germany to destroy.

- It's probably only a matter of expediency.

- Expediency?!

When Chamberlain shook hands with Hitler,

he was expedient.

- It's four o'clock, Colonel.

- Major, you'll have to come in

for the official identification

of the top Peenemunde people.

- So you were right, Wernher.

When she ran away,

I thought it was only because of the raid.

Do you think Anton knew?

- What does it matter?

We are traitors and she's a spy.

All that matters in war is to be right.

- Well?

- I've checked the lists.

They're all here.

Except one.

- Which one?

- Anton Reger.

- Where is he?

- He stayed at Peenemunde.

- Why did he stay?

- It was his choice.

- So, there is one who didn't trade in his skin.

- Come with me please, for additional processing.

- So he stayed.

- Don't.

- Why shouldn't I?

I've had enough of the whole dirty business.

So have I.

The whole dirty business.

- Well, gentlemen, you're gonna have your hands full.

Here are your orders to ship Von Braun's group

to White Sands proving ground in New Mexico.

All except Dr. Neumann, friend of the SS

and a few of the others.

- Do they go by boat or by plane, sir?

- I'd suggest a boat.

A nice leaky boat that would sink

if it was rammed by an oyster.

- Taggert.

This picture here says "With love".

Don't use it to stoke your hatred.

- Maybe I'm not as..

Forgiving as you are.

- Welcome to White Sands, gentlemen.

- Look at them.

I think having them here

is carrying Western hospitality a little too far.

I'm not shaking hands with any Germans.

We fought one war with them, didn't we?

We just got through with another.

I still don't like 'em.

- I told you we should have gone to the Russians.

- After you've drawn your bedding and unpacked,

I'll show you around the installation.

- Yes, sir.

- Dr. Bosco here is in charge of our rocket programme.

It may not be as advanced as yours

but it's still classified.

- Come on, I'll take you for launching pad inspection.

- If anyone had ever told me that I'd see those men

or that rocket on American soil,

I wouldn't have believed them.

- Bill?

You have to realise that the world must go on.

- Unless they blow it up.

I have a reason for wanting to be here, but you don't,

after all you've been through.

- But my job isn't finished.

Intelligence wants me to stay with this group.

After all, I should understand them

better than anyone else.

- You think you understand them but you don't.

Nobody does.

- It is like a monastery.

I think I'm getting desert fever.

I keep seeing mirages.

All the cactus plants turn into dancing girls.

- You young people are never grateful.

- I thought America was full of curly blondes

wearing satin underpants and in soldier's hats

marching about in front of brass bands.

- You are thinking of Hitler's Germany.

Oh. - Hello.

- Hello.

- We are going to have to work together again.

I think we must speak of the past now

and get it over with.

It would be easy if we can be friends.

- You are the only woman we are going to see for a year.

We'll be friends all right.

I hope you can run fast enough.

- You've got that all wrong.

You'll be seeing plenty of women.

It's your own families you won't be seeing for a year.

I know what you must feel about me.

- The stupidity of war is not our fault.

Either of us.

- Anyway, you are a good spy and a great secretary.

Tell me.

This man Taggert, why is he here?

- He's a Special Intelligent Officer

assigned to your group.

- Uh huh.

He hates us, huh?

- He'll get over it.

We all get over our hates in the end.

- Well, that's something to report to Washington, anyway,

a new world altitude record.

You don't seem all that excited, Doctor.

- It wasn't exactly unexpected, sir.

We could do much better

if we had the necessary materials.

Maybe there's been some news.

- These things take time in the Army, you know?

- Time, it's always the same.

People don't believe that what we do is important.

- Even I would like a little more work to do.

The monastery is getting me down.

Weekends are the worst.

Everybody in the whole place pairs off and goes away

to enjoy themselves,

even the monkeys!

- Oh?

How does it feel up there?

Eh?

You know, I envy you.

Who would have thought that our ancestors

would be in space before us?

- What's the matter with them?

- Maybe one's just told the other

that some of his cousins in Russia

have got a lot higher than they have.

- Now don't get lost, boys.

Remember, this desert's only about

500 miles wide around here.

- Good night.

- Night. - Good night, sir.

- Come on, I'll take you to your quarters.

- No, Bill, I'll see you in the morning.

- Working overtime to earn your citizenship, Doctor?

This must seem just like Peenemunde all over to you, huh?

Nice cosy little setup

for a defeated enemy alien, don't you think?

- I'm sorry about your personal feeling toward me.

I was brought over to make rockets.

And that's what I intend to do.

- You do that, Doctor.

And if one of them happens to blow up,

I hope you're as near to it

as my wife and kid were back in London.

Yeah, that's it.

That's the reason.

How do you like it?

- I don't like it, that's all I can say.

- You mean you accept the responsibility?

You, a kraut?

I beg your pardon.

I mean a German, and a scientist,

actually accepts the responsibility?

- I don't feel responsible for what happened to you.

- Ah, that's more like it.

Hitler was to blame, huh?

Himmler was to blame.

Private Kraut who pushed the button was to blame,

but not me, oh no, not me.

Well there's something I'd like you to know.

Whenever I'm lonely, and I'm often lonely.

Whenever I hear a little girl laughing at the street

I think of you.

And when you're a great, big, brand new American citizen,

big public hero and all the rest of it, and you will be.

Just remember, I'll still be thinking of you my way.

- You must stop this.

- Who the hell do these scientists think they are?

They got us all in the palms of their hands.

You, me, Joe Doakes, the President.

What they do dominates the entire world

and they don't accept responsibility!

Men and women don't mean any more to them

than the guinea pigs they tie up

under their atom bombs.

Or the monkeys they shoot up from here

in their precious rockets!

They change sides without batting an eyelid.

They have no loyalty to anything

except their own research!

And when they destroy the whole damn world

and everything in it,

they'll still be saying, "Oh sure, we made the bomb

that did it, but it's not our responsibility."

- You just can't go on with this hatred.

Hey fellas, wait for me!

- I agree with Mischke.

This is when it's the worst,

when everybody drives off for the weekend.

Maybe even Maria.

- You'll be seeing Maria pretty soon.

- What?

- I have a present for all of you.

The year's probationary period is over.

At the convenience of the government,

your status is being legalised.

This can eventually lead to citizenship, marriage,

your own home.

- This acceptance of us,

of men who until recently were wartime enemies

proves that this is a hell of a country.

How are you, Mrs. Von Braun?

- Very well.

Oh, darling, I'm so happy.

I still can't believe it's true.

- You know, work doesn't matter in America.

- Oh, darling, your work matters to you all the time.

Now, tell me what's the trouble.

- It's always the old story.

Not enough of the raw material, not enough money.

- But darling, in America there's masses,

masses, masses of money.

- Mmm, but it's not coming to us.

People just don't want to know about space.

- What do you expect to find out though?

- What does Columbus expect to find out?

Certainly not a new world.

We really don't know what to expect either.

All we know is equal to the first few notes

of a melody.

And we want to go out there

to find the missing sounds.

The ones we've never heard before.

I know we've checked the design a dozen times

and we'll check it a dozen times more.

All we need is to build it and launch it.

We'll have the world's first satellite

floating in orbit around the globe!

- Gentlemen, we've got a crash programme on our hands.

- War in Korea.

- We have a lot of lost ground to cover,

but I know you'll do it.

The Army's opening a big new installation

at Redstone Arsenal.

- Why is it that it always takes a war

to make people see how useful scientists are?

- Here are your travel orders.

So, life does repeat itself, huh?

Seems to me I once read about the circle of history.

- Meaning?

- Not so long ago, you were inventing rockets

to fire at us.

Now you're off to make one to fire at our enemies.

- Don't you want your country to win the war?

- My country, your country.

Gets a little confusing, doesn't it, Von Braun?

Just which is your country?

I've kind of forgotten.

- Maybe you'd rather I sat back and did nothing.

Maybe.

- Fine, let's all sit back and do nothing.

And let America become the 49th state of Russia.

How would that affect you?

You'd be right in there.

Comrade Von Braun.

- If you feel like this,

why are you wearing that uniform?

- I won't be, after today.

I'm out, I've resigned.

I'm going back to my old job

as a public troublemaker for hotshots like you.

- You might as well face it, Wernher.

Taggert is right this time.

You are going to make rockets again for war.

Oh I was so happy when you were interested only in space.

You don't have to make rockets for war, you know.

You could refuse. Others-

- Oh, stop talking about things you will never understand!

Can't you see?

I must stay with my work.

I can't allow myself to fall behind.

Progress, knowledge, and results are my existence!

Can't you understand?

One, zero.

Fire.

- It's been a terrific piece of work

building the Redstone rocket.

And don't go getting the idea

that the Pentagon and Congress for that matter

aren't perfectly aware of how well you've done.

You can be proud of yourselves.

- And when Korea is over?

- I think people are rocket conscious now.

Things will go right ahead.

I tell you, this is the turning point.

From now on, that factory out there

is gonna be busier than it's ever been.

- Now that the war is over,

Congress just doesn't want to give money for space research.

- Always problems.

- There was another one this morning.

I had the chance to talk the great American public

about my battle to conquer the universe

on the weekly TV programme.

Ooh, ah yes, I forgot that.

Yeah, Dr. Wernher Von Braun and his space rangers.

- Will they let you say what you want?

- Oh yes, of course.

No holds barred.

- Then do it.

Answer Taggert that way.

- What good will it do?

People will see me and say,

once you get to the moon, huh, what's next week?

The man who thinks Judgement Day Thursday

followed by the woman who believes

she understands the fishes?

I give up, Professor.

Oh, no, no.

Professor Von Braun and the first

of the very popular series

"Great Crackpots of Our Time" huh?

It's sad, isn't it?

It's a fact but it's sad

that an old man looks a bigger fool

than when he's talking about something

he really believes in.

- You're wrong.

You can convince people.

- What do you want me to do?

Go in from door to door?

Good morning, lady, I represent Rocket Incorporated.

Please buy my product.

Easy terms. Launch now, pay later?

- Just tell them the truth

the way you tell it to me.

- The way I tell it to you?

That's different.

Now go on.

- Well I believe

that a big part of the future of mankind

will take place in what we now call space.

Lord knows, I'm a practical scientist, not a poet.

But I just can't see space

as a vast inhospitable waste.

I see it as an unexplored country,

a gift to mankind.

And it's mankind's duty to accept it.

We are going into a time when a country's power

will be measured by its scientific achievement,

not by the number of bombs it has.

The country that will put up

the first instrumental satellite

will capture the imagination of the world.

I want the voice of this country

to be the first to speak to the world from outer space.

But ultimately it is essential for the great powers

to be equal in space.

It is this balance of power

which will secure peace.

- War.

Whatever the scientific opportunists of this world may say,

it's war and it's only war that has financed

and furthered their experiments.

The conquest of our own human problems

is more important than the conquest of space.

- In the years since Hiroshima,

the bomb hasn't been used again, and why?

Because it's held by both sides.

- Von Braun will give you a lot of nonsense

about the benefits of pure science,

all to cover up what he's done.

But I can tell you what he did in a very few words.

London, 1944.

- But man lives by elements which can destroy him.

Fire, water.

And he's learned to control these elements.

And he must learn the same use of atomic power and rockets

or he will perish.

- A long time ago, the leading nations of the world

established the principle of the freedom of the seas.

And unless we as a nation or the United Nations

back up our right to the freedom of the seas of outer space,

then we may be left in the dust of history.

That was a quotation from a television speech

made by a fellow named Wernher Von Braun.

Thank you.

- That's all, gentlemen.

- Well, General, good luck.

- Toftoy, the country owes you a great deal

for your missile pioneering.

You laid the groundwork for what I'm expected to finish.

Good news, Wernher.

The United States is going to cooperate

in an international geophysical year.

They want to give the upper atmosphere

a thorough going-over.

Ionisation layers, cosmic rays.

- And now they need a satellite to get those answers.

But we have the project Starlight, haven't we?

- Well, we won't get the official go ahead

from the Pentagon until midnight.

But they'll either have us, the Army, build the satellite

or the Navy.

But with our record, I'm certain their decision

is bound to favour us.

- We'll be in your office at midnight.

- Speaking.

The Navy got the job.

- I thought you had gone over to the Navy with the rest.

That's where the news seems to be.

The news may be there.

Von Braun happens to be here.

If I didn't hate his guts so much,

I could almost feel sorry for him.

- That means you do feel sorry for him.

- Ah, he deserves all he gets.

- You know what would make me very happy?

- What?

- If you go down that hall, open his office door

and say "Von Braun, I'm sorry the Navy

got the satellite assignment."

- While the violin plays Moonlight and Roses offstage.

What a beautiful scene. I'm in tears already.

Women never give up, do they?

You got a hopeless case in your hands.

Aren't you getting tired of me?

- Sure, I'm getting tired of you

but that doesn't mean to say I give up.

- All right.

I don't believe in a thing he stands for,

anything he's trying to do.

But if it's gonna make you happy

I'll go down there and smoke the peace pipe with him.

Come on.

Oh, Von Braun.

- Oh don't you twist the knife, Taggert.

I'm not in the mood for you.

- You see?

He doesn't love me either.

Come in.

- Morning, sir.

Hello, Wernher.

Get over the bad news yet?

- It'll take me a little while.

Sit down.

Thank you.

- Do you want it to come in bits

or do you want to take it in one knockout punch?

- No, what's happened?

- The news has just come through.

The Russians have launched the world's

first satellite into space.

It's in orbit now.

- They got there first.

Hmmph.

I always thought I would have had

something to do with that piece of history.

They got there first.

We could have done it years ago, you know that.

If anyone would have cared.

It's people like you, Mr. Taggert. Yes, like you.

Who hold us back.

- There was a moment when I almost weakened about you.

That's what I must remember.

Never to weaken and never to forget.

- Anyway, gentlemen, let us hope the Navy succeeds.

And we must wish them luck.

- Today at Cape Canaveral, the Navy is writing

a big piece of American history.

For today, America is going into space.

And Vanguard, we're with you.

The countdown is now almost over.

It's six, five, four,

three, two, one.

Sputnik, here we come!

I'm afraid something went wrong.

- In Von Braun's programme "I Aim at the Stars",

it's your money he's been asking for.

Nothing can be done without you.

You taxpayers must demand that your hard-earned money

be spent for more hospitals, better schools,

higher salaries for teachers.

And forget about the scientists

who want you to buy their pies in the sky.

Dr. Von Braun is going to Washington tomorrow

and he'll get an okay to put up his satellite,

that's for sure.

Maybe Von Braun can bluff the government, but not me.

He may put this thing into space

and they'll pin medals on him.

But he may fail.

Then perhaps people will believe what I've been saying.

- You really believe what you say?

How can you think this way

when Sputnik may be passing over your head

right now at this very moment!

This thing up there is a fact.

And you cannot make it disappear with words.

It's happened!

Oh, stop, oh will you stop, eh?

Let me tell you something.

I'm going to put up the satellite

and you and the rest of this

timid, half-baked idealist can go and jump in the river!

Pr�st!

- And after building rockets for everybody, what next?

You frighten me, Von Braun.

You frighten me.

- You said this once.

Don't you remember?

A long time ago you said "You frighten me."

I feel as if you would belong to another world.

Why did you say that?

- It was when the V2 was being fired at London.

And you admitted that it might land on the bomber's station

or on a children's hospital.

But you didn't seem to care.

And I tried to tell you that,

well that it wasn't simply enough

to leave it to other people and think

it could be off your conscience.

- Yes.

I remember.

- But you care now?

- Yes, very much.

But why does nobody understand

that to a scientist,

the present must be the future?

Yes.

The present has to be the future.

- I don't need to tell you, gentlemen,

that with the Sputnik launching

and the Vanguard's failure,

the United States has suffered a loss

of prestige all over the world.

The American people expect their government

to do something about this.

Dr. Von Braun, you have repeatedly said

that the Army could launch a satellite

using the Redstone rocket.

Are you sure you'll succeed?

- Mr. Secretary, I have seen more rockets fizzle

than anyone else in this room.

But I'm willing to stick my neck out.

- How long will it take?

- I'll put the satellite into orbit within 60 days

with a crash programme.

- Let's make it 90 days with the crash programme.

They expect success, you realise that?

- All right, Doctor.

You can have your 90 days and a crash programme.

- Crash programme?

You know what it is?

A crash programme is based on a theory

that with nine pregnant women you can get a baby

in 30 days.

Clear the path.

Dr. Von Braun, to the blockhouse.

Clear the path.

Dr. Von Braun, to the blockhouse.

- Standby for final communications check.

Repeat.

- Wernher Von Braun is now out on the launching pad

making a final check.

But zero time is almost at hand

and he is expected back here in the blockhouse

at any moment.

Standby, Von Braun has just come in.

- Take it easy, Wernher.

- Thank you.

- Yes, everyone is quite confident.

- Okay, check utility from fuel vapours.

Notify the blockhouse, when we're all clear

to start generators.

- Any problems on the pad?

- No, everything is fine.

Control voltage on.

Close all the shutters

except the main observation window.

All shutters close except main observation window.

Gyros on.

- Gyros on.

- Check if locks loading's been completed.

- Locks loading completed.

Weight reading is 409.

- Connect assembly to igniters.

- Roger.

Gyro direction on.

Control protection project. - Okay, right down the least.

- Roger.

Start vibrational RPM recording.

RPM recorders on.

Power transfer off.

Check all operating lights and metres

for proper operation.

Foster control, panel checked.

Our panel checked.

- Our panel checked.

How's the fuel loading coming along?

- Loading is completed.

Fuel tanks are being pressurised.

Thank you.

- Majoring panel, okay.

We are holding at X minus 85

checking a possible fuel pressure leak.

- That's all this country needs.

Another flop.

- I knew this would be the worst part,

just getting it off the ground.

- What do you wanna do?

Go out there and light it personally with a match?

- At least I would like to give an encouraging pat

on its tailfins.

- This third rate country could jump back

into first place again with a home run by Von Braun.

- Or it could fall flat in his face

with the sound of a big loud nothing

heard all the way around the world.

- We know which way you're rooting.

You want this thing to fail.

That's sort of like putting self before country, isn't it?

You accused him of that, remember?

Fuel pressure normal.

- Okay then, resume count at X minus 85.

Countdown resumed from X minus 85.

- Rudder drive on.

- Record all voltages.

- Voltages okay.

Jet vein deflection,

number two vein. - Hold it.

We got a jet vein deflection.

Telemeter indicates jet vein two is deflected.

- What do you want to do, sir?

- Forget it, eh, Von Braun?

- Yes, we forget it.

Resume countdown.

- Okay, resume countdown.

Resume countdown, roger.

- JPL, telemeter recording on.

- JPL telemeter on.

- We are entering the final countdown stage.

The time is now X minus 30.

29.

28.

27.

26.

25.

24.

23.

22.

21.

20.

19.

18.

17.

16.

15.

14.

13.

12.

11.

10.

9.

8.

7.

6.

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

Fire!

- Well, Von Braun's rocket has been launched

but there are three more stages

it must be successfully fired

before it can start to orbit around the earth.

- Telemeter stations, stand by to report.

Second, third and fourth stages firing.

- From now on,

you're on your own.

- Second stage fired successfully.

- No indications of stage three and four yet?

- Come on, have a cup of coffee

and sweat it out with us.

- Third and fourth stages fired successfully!

Repeat, all stages fired successfully.

- Now the waiting really begins.

We'll know whether she orbits in an hour and 48 minutes.

- Well, the final stage has been fired.

The rocket should be in orbit right at this moment.

Four key tracking stations will report

when the rocket passes over.

These stations are Caicos, Antigua, Jodrell Bank,

and Earthquake Valley, California.

Earthquake Valley is the last station

and when she reports the rocket has passed,

- Then Von Braun's dream will be a reality.

- Yeah, that's right.

Then Von Braun's dream will be a reality.

- Message received.

Caicos tracking station reports loud and clear signal

of the satellite's transmitter.

- Well, there goes the first one.

Now we've only got three left.

- Roger.

Antigua tracking station reports

strong signal from satellite.

Everything looks fine.

- The Caribbean stations have checked us out.

Our next report will be from Jodrell Bank, England.

Jodrell bank reports.

Satellite has passed over.

Signal strong.

- Well, there's only one more to sweat out.

Earthquake Valley, then we're in.

We should have heard by now.

- They picked it up, we're in.

Our satellite will circle the earth

every hour and 54 minutes.

- Six minutes late.

You know.

I've almost grown to like you, Von Braun.

I suppose I could say the same about you.

Except that one never really likes one's conscience.

- But if I tried for a million years,

I could never understand you.

Not really.

What have you scientists got in here

in the place of a sense of human values?

- The concern for the future, perhaps.

The Universe.

The whole Universe waiting for us,

and we must explore it.

That what makes man man, and not a mere vegetable.

- Goodbye, Von Braun.

And good luck with the Universe.