From the Earth to the Moon (1998): Season 1, Episode 11 - The Original Wives Club - full transcript

[Kennedy] We choose to go to the moon.

We choose to go to the moon.

We choose to go to the moon
in this decade and do the other things,

not because they are easy,
but because they are hard.

[Gene Cernan] Look at that.

That's beautiful.

It's got to be one of the most proud
moments of my life. I guarantee you.

[Tom Hanks] Of the two dozen men
who flew to the moon,

twelve were veterans
who'd flown in space before.

Nineteen would never do so again,
and three made the trip twice.

The average starting pay
for an astronaut



was less than $20,000 a year.

And whereas they could purchase
brand-new Corvettes at dealer cost,

no one would sell them life insurance.

All but one of the astronauts
was married.

The wives of Apollo enjoyed the perks
and handled the attention

with varying degrees of success.

The tough task they faced was to cope
with an equal volume of stress

as did their mates,

making their time at NASA
just as arduous, just as consuming,

and just as adventurous as if
they themselves had made the voyage

from the Earth to the moon.

Well, that took a while.
I thought you left and went home.

Only clean way to have a bowel movement

is to completely strip down
and give yourself an hour.



Thanks. Want me to quote you on that?

I had a little problem, though.

I lost my wedding ring.

- You took off your wedding ring too?
- Yeah.

- You see it, John?
- No.

Then again, I wasn't looking for it.

You check the fingers in your glove?

Yeah, it wasn't there.

I just got married.

I can't lose my wedding ring
on the way to the moon.

That could be tough to explain
to the wife.

Unless she's had to take
a bowel movement in zero-G as well.

Tell her it's not NASA-approved
equipment for space travel.

[microphone feedback squeal]

[man] Ladies and gentlemen
of the Greater Houston area,

welcome to the fourth annual

Junior League
Winter Cavalcade of Fashion.

Get ready for some of the latest
in fashion fun and styles aplenty,

modeled by
the most elite women in the world,

representing the very best
that America has to offer.

And here they are now,
hardworking pioneers in their own right,

the wives of America's astronauts!

[fanfare plays]

[applause continues]

[shutters click]

Mrs. Elliot See is actually a Marilyn,

a civilian homemaker who takes
her housewife duties to heart.

Boy, is she gonna look sharp
at the market

in this smart paprika ensemble

with saffron blouse and matching lining.

Not to mention the accessories. Wow!

And there she goes. Goodbye, Marilyn.

And hello, Marilyn.

Yes, we've got two Marilyns
in this crop of astro-wives.

And here is none other than
Mrs. James Lovell Jr. or Marilyn.

She shows her navy spirit today

by testing out
a navy-blue silk shantung suit

with kicky red leather shoes.

Not quite what they wear
back in Wisconsin, hey, Marilyn?

[girl] Mom. Mom, where are we?
Are we still in Houston?

I think so.

I hope so.

I don't know.

- When will we get there?
- When we get there.

- But, Mom!
- Please.

Sit back.

[sighs]

- [boy] Come on. Hurry up.
- [girl] I'm coming.

Stop bickering. Please, stop.

- I didn't do it.
- It wasn't me.

Enough! Enough!

Okay...

- Mom.
- [man] Mrs. Lovell.

- Mom.
- Enough. Enough, please.

Hey.

We spoke on the phone. I'm Charlie.

Now, it's hard to imagine
what it'll look like right now.

But in a couple of months,
there are going to be houses

and more houses
and a supermarket and churches,

and you'll be in on the ground floor.

- Is that right?
- Mm-hmm.

So, are other NASA families
buying homes here?

Yeah. The original seven have
really staked their claim here.

There's John Glenn,
Deke Slayton, Scott Carpenter...

Mom!

- Conrads, Armstrongs.
- So which...

- Mom!
- One minute!

- Which is the one that Jim has picked?
- This is it, right here.

This was his favorite one.

- It was?
- Mm-hmm.

Now, you saw the sidewalks out front.
They'll continue into here.

And you'll have a paved driveway,
shade trees,

and your front door is right here.

Okay, everybody in. Everybody in.
Nobody touch the paneling.

It's just been stained.

- [boy] I'm hungry.
- I know.

Would you just peel some of these
bananas and give some to Suzie?

Jay, go out and bring in
some of those boxes

- or else nobody else is going to.
- [boy whines]

- Go on. Yes, I know.
- [whining]

The exterminators are
gonna come in the morning, I'm told.

Please go outside and get those boxes
and then I will make you a sandwich.

- I promise.
- They're everywhere.

I'm aware of that.

Suzie, I know I just told you
not to touch that. Thank you.

Hi.

Why don't you go ahead
and put that over there?

Look out for the wallpaper. Thank you.

Let's see.

What have I learned
in the two years since we've been here?

Ah!

You can't underestimate the importance
of a hot, nutritious breakfast.

This is what NASA said to us
the first day we got here.

I don't remember. Did anyone
from NASA actually say that?

- Yes! You were there!
- I don't remember.

- They meant it.
- Well, I'll tell you.

If Gordo were ever home
to eat breakfast,

I would certainly prepare him one.

Deke eats his breakfast
walking out to his Corvette.

- [laughter]
- Rumaki?

Oh... Mmm!

- Thanks.
- I love rumaki.

Please, go on. What you're saying
is very, very helpful.

Um, I guess
just that everything that was tough

about being married to a test pilot,
you can multiply by ten.

Twenty.

Yeah, you're right. Twenty.

What's tough? Because he has
to stare death in the face every day?

- I find that exhilarating.
- [laughter]

Yeah, that and the low pay
and long hours.

But it's worth it, don't you think?

- Look where we are.
- Oh, yeah. it is.

- Who brought the deviled eggs?
- I did.

- Do you like them?
- Oh, they're great.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

- Barb?
- No, I'm having one.

What did you put in these?

That must be the vinegar you're tasting.

- Yes, it's great.
- Yeah.

You know, I put a little vinegar
in with the mayonnaise.

I put a little vinegar in.
It just cuts the mayonnaise.

I've heard mustard, but never vinegar.

- Oh, come on, girls! Shh!
- That is so good.

- Marge, go ahead.
- Um...

Okay, well,

the long hours and the low pay
don't change.

But now you're married
to the Statue of Liberty.

So everything you say, everything you do

reflects not only on you
but on your husband.

- The space program.
- The United States of America.

[laughter]

Well, the thing is,
once your husbands have flown in space,

you are going to go places
you never would've gone

and meet people you never would've met.

Like who?

Um...

- Debbie Reynolds.
- [excited gasps]

Debbie Reynolds?

I guess...
The short guy, the funny guy, that...

- Bill Dana!
- Bill Dana.

And Senator Everett Dirksen.

Anybody else want anything while I'm up?

Oh, I'll have a little
of that stuffed celery. I'm on a diet.

But at social functions,
you're the perfect accessory.

NASA loves to trot you out
for pictures and cocktail parties.

But other than that,
they want you to stay out of the way.

Oh, shit!

[suppressed laugh]

Faye! From now on,
it better be "poodle-doo."

[laughter]

Wait, I'll help you.

Poodle-doo, Marilyn.

I just slopped all over your new rug.

- Oh!
- [laughter]

I'm so sorry. Marge, please go on.

I think the most important thing

is to take care of the home front
and that man of yours.

Don't burden him with anything.

Any problem at home could jeopardize
his place in the flight line.

[toilet flush]

[deep sigh]

[whispers] Sorry. Go back to sleep.

- You all right?
- Yeah, I'm fine.

Go back to sleep.

- That was your third time tonight.
- Yeah.

Yeah, I'm fine.

- Good night.
- Good night.

[quiet crunch]

Marilyn. [soft laugh]

- What the hell's going on?
- Uh...

Tell me this isn't what I'm thinking.

[irritated] Holy God.

[sighs]

Oh, I don't believe it.

Huh...

I can't believe this.

They're gonna pull you
from the flight rotation.

Aren't they?

Aren't they? God, I'm sorry.

I'm so so...

I'm sorry.

No. No, no, no.

No. I love you.

I'm gonna love this baby.

I...

- This is great news.
- They're gonna pull you.

- I know they are.
- No, they won't.

- They're gonna pull you.
- We won't give 'em a chance.

- [sighs]
- We're not gonna tell 'em.

But they're gonna know.

I'm gonna start showing soon.
I'm almost four months along, Jim.

Four months?

Uh-huh.

How could you...

How could you keep this from me
for four months?

Well, you were never home.

Well...

I must've been here at least once
about four months ago.

[laughs]

Yeah.

- Wasn't I?
- [laughs]

I was.

[both laugh]

- [phone rings]
- [baby cries]

Hello?

Hi, Marilyn? This is John Young.

Oh, God. Where's Jim?

Jim's fine. Uh...

We have a little situation here
I need your help on.

There's been an accident.

I need you to get to Marilyn's
before the press gets there, right away.

Oh, God. Thanks for coming.

He's asleep right now,
but if he wakes up,

just do what you can do.

I put two bottles in the refrigerator.

Marilyn... What's going on?

Elliot See's T-38 just crashed
in St. Louis.

Oh...

He and Charlie Bassett are both dead.

Oh!

Now I'm supposed
to go over to Marilyn See's and visit,

like us gals do,
until John Young can get there.

Okay. You got to keep her
from answering the phone.

- Keep her from answering the phone.
- And keep the press away from her.

How am I supposed to do that?

Just don't answer the door for anybody
until John Young gets there.

There has got to be one cigarette
in here somewhere.

I got one right here.

Thank you.

You can do it, Marilyn.

[whispers] Okay.

No, it's decided.

I've already made
the doctor's appointments.

- Mmm!
- I thought you quit.

Oh, I did, Marilyn.

- It's just so hard sometimes, isn't it?
- I know.

- Let's go in here.
- Thank you. All right.

That's a mess.

So, anyway,
I made the doctor's appointments.

After last summer, those kids,
they are getting their tetanus shots.

- I should do that too, shouldn't I?
- Yep.

They get out of that water,
and every mosquito bite, every scratch,

- it just looks infected.
- [children shout]

I don't know
why they call it Clear Lake. [laughs]

So, how's the baby?

- He's good. He's a good boy.
- Oh!

- [laughter]
- [dog barks]

Now, who could that be?

[doorbell, dog barking]

[knocking]

[announcer] And here's Jane Conrad
with some good news.

This winter,
the fabric is a new wool blend

that fits and forms, wow, fantastically.

Mrs. Pete Conrad steps smart and sure
in this warm ensemble

that's perfect for those trips
that take you out of doors.

And thank you, Jane.

[applause]

And who are these two Gemini twins?

None other than NASA's twin Pats.

Mrs. James McDivitt and Mrs. Ed White,

dressed here in matching silk Alaskine
double-breasted coats.

Their matching dresses, with Egyptian
beaded collars of silver and gold,

prove that these two women have
casual elegance "down pat."

- You can go first if you want.
- No chance, I couldn't.

No, you should. Ed made the space walk.
Jim just flew the capsule.

Come on, you go first, Patty-cake.

No, I wouldn't know how to talk.
You go first.

Okay, I'll go first.

But remember, when your turn comes,
just move your lips, say nice things.

Welcome, ladies.

Right this way.

Down here.

- Well, hey, Pat.
- Oh! Gordo.

- How are you doing?
- Hi.

- Just come on in here. Let me... Sorry.
- [laughs] Thanks.

There you go. That's good.

Come on, this way.

How about that, huh?

There you go. Steve, could you get...

- Pat, why don't we put you over here?
- Okay.

- Wanna sit here?
- Okay.

Sounds good.

And...

- And another one.
- Okay.

There you go.

Good. Why don't you
come on in like this?

Okay. All right?

Okay, let me...

Gemini 4, Houston CAPCOM.

Do you read me now?

Roger. Loud and clear.

Okay, well,

we've got your wives here.

So I think that we're gonna have Mrs...
well, Mrs. McDivitt first.

[laughs]

- Hold that.
- Okay.

- Here's your button.
- Okay.

All right. Uh...

- Just push.
- Uh...

Jim?

- Jimmy?
- What?

Can you hear me?

Roger. I can hear you loud and clear.

You're doing great, Jim.

Yes. We seem to be covering
a lot of territory up here.

Over California right now.

Well, get yourself over Texas.

[laughs] I'll be over Texas
in about three minutes.

Hurry up.

How are the kids making out?

They're fine.
They think you're at the Cape.

Are you being good?

[Jim laughs]

Well, I don't have much choice.

All I do is eat,
sleep and look out the window.

Is Ed awake?

Yes, he's right here.

[sighs]

You be good, kid.

We're switching headsets now.

[sighs]

Wow!

- Here you go.
- Hold this.

[softly] Good morning.

- Uh, you need to push that.
- Okay.

- You gotta push the button, honey.
- Okay.

Good morning.

- How you doing?
-I'm fine.

You gotta push the button when you talk,
then release so I can talk.

- You're looking good.
- I try to.

It's looking pretty good from up here.

We're coming up on West Texas area.

Be over Houston in about a minute or so.

[Patty] That's good.

- Patty, repeat it.
- Oh. That's good.

Boy, you sure looked like
you were having a good time yesterday.

- Yeah, quite a time we had.
- Mm-hmm.

How are Eddie and Bonnie, hon?

They're fine.

Good. I'll see you later.

[tearful]
Okay, well, you have a real good flight.

- Thank you, honey. Bye-bye.
- [soft sob]

Bye, honey.

- Ow!
- Sweetie, wait. Careful, careful.

- I'm...
- There you go. I got it.

- Oh... You did so good.
- Hmm.

[Gordo] Straighten it up.

Here we go. Right, excuse me.
We'll stand over here.

Oh, my goodness. Look at them! Patty.

- Do I have to speak to them?
- Now, come on.

Barbara Young said it wasn't so bad.

The press are just hoping
for a few words with you.

You two are front-page news.

- See? Come on, it'll be fine.
- I just...

And Jim sounded great,
like he was really enjoying himself.

And that, of course,
makes me very happy.

How do your kids feel about
their dad not getting to walk in space?

Well, there they are,
clearly brokenhearted.

Mrs. White, you were the first wife
to speak to your husband in space.

That give you a special thrill?

I was thrilled.
Yes, I had a special thrill.

- Will you be relieved when Ed gets home?
- God, yes.

Oh, gosh, yes.

Is it true that LBJ has invited you
to the White House?

I beg your pardon?

We hear the President has invited you
to visit him at the White House.

What?

- What?
- Are you gonna go?

We'd be delighted.

[all laughing]

[no audible dialogue]

And everywhere you went,
it was... it was, uh,

"Lincoln slept here,
and Roosevelt spoke here,

and little John-John
played on this carpet."

[all] Oh!

Jackie Kennedy did such a beautiful job
on everything.

[all] Oh!

She did. She really did.

Did you steal any silverware
or stationery?

[laughter]

- What is LBJ like?
- Was Lady Bird there?

- Oh!
- Is he tall?

Does she really go by "Lady Bird"?

Gosh.

Hey, listen to this.

- The President...
- What's her real name, anyway?

The President gets this idea
out of the blue

that Ed and Jim have to go
to the Paris Air Show

and represent the USA.

Holy sh...

And we get to go with them.

[soft gasps]

Wait a minute, now. Wait a minute.
Is this Paris, France, or Paris, Illinois?

[laughter]

John didn't get to go to Paris
after his Gemini trip.

Well, hell, I'd be happy
with a trip to the White House.

He is never gonna get to go
to the White House.

Of course he is.

Don't you just wish you knew
that flight plan sometimes?

No, no, no. Marge said
that there isn't a flight list.

No, there has to be.

And I think that we should know,

so we have time
to find something to wear.

[laughter]

Exactly.

[Pat] Will you hand me the pincushion?

So, Ed must be thrilled.

He's happy to be flying with Gus,
but he was hoping to be in command.

The Chaffees are really nice,
and this is a feather in Roger's cap.

Are you sitting on my pinking shears?

I am so sorry. Okay.

When do they announce it?

Patty?

When do they announce it?

Oh. Monday, I think, or tomorrow.

I just wanted Ed and Jim
to fly together.

Yeah.

Jim loved flying with Ed.

I know.

[sighs]

They just always want Ed
to do things first, you know.

First space walk, now Apollo 1.

I'm so worried.
Sometimes I just get so worried.

Yeah, I know. Me too, kid.

I just have to have the same faith
that Jim does.

There's so much redundancy
in the spacecraft.

There's backups for backups.
All that stuff.

But it's all brand-new. it is untested.

More history to be made, then.

I'm sure Jim wishes it was him going.

Maybe I do too.

[match strike]

[low chatter]

Jan.

Hi.

[no audible dialogue]

[soft laugh]

[announcer] And here comes
one of our favorite astro-wives.

And with a quick snap of the jacket,

this smart suit becomes suitable
for a night on the town

of dinner, dancing,
and maybe just a lovely stroll

for Jan Armstrong and her husband, Neil,
beneath the soft glow of the moon.

Thank you, Jan.

[applause]

Next up, Susan Borman,

perfect and pretty
in this French rose-pink swing coat

and matching front-pleated skirt
with an empire waistline.

The wife of Frank Borman
has many demands placed on her,

and looking good is just one of 'em.

Susan handles her duties
with style and grace,

as you can tell by this ideal blend
of practicality and design.

How could there be a fire?

This was just a test.

Locked down the pad for the plugs-out.

Well, they should've been able
to get them out.

They should've been able
to open the hatch.

I'll call you sometime tonight
and fill you in on what I can.

They sure don't waste any time
getting you to the Cape.

They can't remove the bodies
until I get there.

I guess I won't see you
until we're all there, then.

No, I guess not.

[sighs]

Are you sure you want to go?

It's not a question of what I want.
I'm needed there.

To the moon.

- What?
- Are you sure you wanna go to the moon?

Is it worth any of this?

Susan, Gus and Ed knew the risks.
We all do.

This could've been you in that fire.

It wasn't.

There's more to this life
than just living.

I gotta go.

- [kiss]
- Bye-bye.

Okay, Fred.

You and your brother behave yourselves
and try to get some sleep.

And listen, tell Eric's mom

that next week you guys
spend the night over here, okay?

All right, honey. Bye-bye.

- [doorbell]
- [Jeannie on TV] Master.

Master, someone is at the front door.

[applause]

Well, I don't know what I did to deserve
this attention other than marry a pilot.

[laughter]

But a pilot's wife is what I am.

And I'm glad I can support him
in doing what he loves.

I do agree that the exploration of space
that he and others are working towards

is a great thing for this country
and the world.

It's an endeavor
that is worth all the risks

that they have to face every day,

as great as those risks
have proven to be.

Even if my husband had not flown
the first mission to the moon and back,

I would be proud to say that
I did my part to support the program.

So, thank you for this award,

and thank you for the lovely afternoon.

- [applause]
- [indistinct]

[sighs]

[Patty] The one thing I do not miss
is Junior League.

I'll tell you,
I don't know how you do it.

All those speeches,
you are so good at it.

- Am I?
- Uh-huh.

- Didn't you get nervous?
- Oh, yeah.

I just try and speak slowly.

So are these all the houses
that you've seen?

Yeah, I'm considering them.

They're all so far away.

From what?

Well, here's a nice one.

This has a nice yard, and it's...

two bedrooms.

- Is two enough for you?
- I don't know.

Pat, why don't you just stay
in the house you're in?

Because I can't stay
in this town anymore.

And I can't stay in that house.

But you're gonna be far away
from everyone you know.

Nobody cares about me.

They cared about Ed. Ed's gone, I'm not.

You know, sometimes, I just...

I forget how to breathe. [laughs]

It's the craziest thing.
I can't get any air.

You know, I go running around the house,

opening up windows
and trying to get air.

I keep telling myself,
"Now, Patty, calm down.

Just... Just inhale and exhale."

Inhale. It's an easy thing to do.

Breathing's easy, but I just...

Huh...

[laughs]
I just can't seem to get any air.

[sighs]

It's 3:30.

That's not too early
to have a drink, is it?

A drink?

No. I'd love a drink.

All righty. Be right back.

[no audible dialogue]

Thank you.

Something wrong, Mrs. Borman?

I'm sorry. I have to go.
I forgot something at home.

[chattering]

Okay. No changing the answers this time.

The truth.

"Do you make efforts
to hide your drinking?"

Yes.

"Do you often drink alone?"

Yes.

"How long have you been drinking?"

[children playing]

[tinkling]

Before we go on another second,
special attention needs to be paid...

[no audible dialogue]

Uh, you know... [laughs]

Their husbands have the courage
to go to the moon,

but I think the wife of Thomas Stafford
may need a boost from the audience

to get her from backstage.

So why don't we all have it up
for Faye Stafford.

And here she comes,
ladies and gentlemen,

Faye Stafford,
wearing this nutmeg silk three-piece

with a restrained touch of rhinestones
at the jacket's belting

adding just the right touch
of brilliance.

Complemented by the fawn
coq feather cloche,

this outfit makes her unstoppable.

So, out with it, kid. How is Oklahoma?

Yes.

Well, you do know, of course,

that Weatherford, Oklahoma, is, in fact,
the home of Thomas P. Stafford,

the astronaut who flew around the moon
in Apollo 10,

paving the way for Neil Armstrong's
one giant leap.

Oh, no. Please don't tell me
it says all that on one sign.

One of many signs.

Like, there's one welcoming you
to the Thomas P. Stafford Airport.

Oh! They named the airport after him.
Who'd have thought, huh?

Or may I suggest a stroll
down Stafford Street

to the Thomas P. Stafford Park,

where you can admire a life-size
bronze statue of the man himself,

Thomas P. Stafford.

Everywhere I go!

- Faye, I miss you.
- I'm so glad I could come.

I really am.
I can't believe you're leaving.

I know, I can't believe it either.

- I feel... I feel like a deserter.
- No, Patty.

You are smart 'cause you are getting
out of here with your marriage intact.

And...

boy, I wish I could say the same
for the rest of us.

But, you know.

- Well, thank Donn Eisele, huh?
- Really.

Didn't the whole damn thing
just go to hell in a handbasket

when he and Harriet split?

When he left Harriet.
When he left Harriet.

And they didn't kick his ass
out of the astronaut corps.

They did not. They didn't.

It opened up the floodgates.

There must've been a zillion marriages
just hanging by a thread, you know,

just waiting for one to go bust,
test the waters.

Al and Pamela.

John and Barbara. John and Barbara.

Who knows how many more to come
as the years go by?

[scoffs]

Why should NASA be any different
than the rest of the country, really?

Oh, I didn't tell you.

I was flying home
from one of Pete's launches.

And this stewardess...

This stewardess sits down beside me
and she says,

"Can I ask you a question?"

I'm in love with one of your astronauts,

and he loves me.

"Am I just being naive,
or will he ever leave his wife?"

- What?
- No.

No. Didn't you wanna
just throw her off the plane?

- [laughter]
- I wanted to.

But I said to her as forcefully
as I could, "Not ever."

Now I just hate that that peanut pusher
knows that I was wrong.

You know what I think? I mean, honestly.

I would rather be widowed.

So would I.

- You don't mean that.
- No, I do.

I do because at least you get outta here
with a little dignity.

Exactly.

If you're widowed,

there's a code of behavior
that's understood by everybody.

- That's right.
- When you're divorced...

Did anyone call Marilyn See?

- I did.
- I haven't thought about her in so long.

Yeah, well, I wish she could come,

but she said
she just wasn't comfortable, you know.

Poor Marilyn.

Sometimes I miss Pat White so much.

She should be here.

We fell out of touch. She remarried.

- Where are you moving again?
- Michigan.

Jim's gonna be vice-president
of consumer affairs for, um... um...

Did you forget
what he's gonna be, honey?

- Yeah, I can't...
- [laughter]

Um, Jim's gonna be vice-president
of corporate affairs

- for Consumers Power Company.
- Wow!

Just a little less exciting
than being an astronaut.

- That's a good thing.
- That is.

[coughs]

Is Barbara coming, does anybody know?

You know, she might.
I don't know, though.

I don't know.

What is she gonna do for the launch?
Does anybody know? Is she gonna go?

- [scoffs] I wouldn't.
- I would.

- I would too.
- I definitely would.

She was just as much a part
of the Apollo program as anyone.

As far as I'm concerned,
it's her mission too.

- [man] Good luck.
- [applause]

[announcer] An astronaut's wife,
like Barbara Young,

needs an out-of-this-world style,
and she sure looks way out

in this tulip skirt
with matching crimson swing coat

and stand-up collar,

making her a standout fashion statement.

Wow.

[people chatter]

Thirty seconds to go now

as launch control continues monitoring
the Saturn V booster.

Reporting all systems are go.

And T-minus ten,
nine, eight, seven, six,

five, four, three,

two, one...

ignition.

We have ignition of the mighty rocket,

and liftoff!

- [applause]
- Liftoff of Apollo 16.

And off they go,
astronauts Young, Mattingly and Duke,

on what will be the fifth mission
to put man on the moon

at the Descartes Plain.

Apollo 16 is go as it climbs higher
into the sky over the Atlantic

on April 16, 1972.

[Young] This is more spectacular
than I could have imagined.

[Duke] Spectacular! Just spectacular!

- [Young] Do you copy that, Ken?
-[Mattingly] You got it!

[Young] I'm right behind,
a little bit to the left.

To the left. Move in right...
Oops. I did that.

- Coming to you.
- [Duke] We copy that. Right on.

[Young] Hold it tight.

- [Duke] You got it.
- No, I don't.

- Yeah, I'm up.
- Just like in the training building.

[laughter]

[Young] Jesus, one-six G.

Charlie, I'm right behind you.

- [Duke] You got it.
- Okay, Charlie, comin' to you.

[Duke] Again, I will say, I am proud
to be an American, I tell you.

- [Young] Hang on.
- What a program!

What a place! What an experience!

You need to go up
about three degrees, then.

[thrusters fire, muffled]

- That the right way now?
- Yeah.

- All right.
- It's moving in the right direction now.

[Duke] Hey, Ken.

- Guess what I just found.
- What's that?

A ring.

- [laughs] Is that right?
- Yeah.

I think it's yours.

[Mattingly]
Boy, how's that for luck?

[Young] That's luck, boy.
That is good luck.

[Jim] Okay, that's done.

What else can I do for you, lady?

[sighs] Oh, God, I don't know.

I don't know.
I think we're finished in the kitchen.

[Jim] I thought you finished
packing up in here weeks ago.

Oh, I did, but there's always some
little place that I've missed things,

isn't there?

[Jim] All right, I'll tell you what,

why don't you go over to the new house,
get there before the movers?

- And I'll check around here.
- Right.

Okay, well, I'm just gonna finish
marking these boxes.

- Mar?
- Yeah?

There's a whole drawer
full of stuff here.

What do you want me to do with this?

- Uh... Pack it, maybe.
- Where?

In a box.

What is all this stuff, anyway?
It's a lot of junk.

You really want to keep all this stuff?

You know me,
I can't bear to throw anything out.

What is that?

A receipt for Jeff's bike.
That's two years old.

Some of Barbara's artwork.

A bunch of manuals for a lot of stuff
we don't own any more.

What's that? Is that a skate key?

What is this?
"Barbara Lovell. Susan Lovell."

What...

- What are these?
- Huh?

Oh, gosh.

Those are
their old hospital ID bracelets.

There's probably another one
somewhere in there.

This is when
the kids had their tonsils out.

Um, when did our kids
have their tonsils out?

Um, 1964?

No, '65. '65.

Um, all three kids
had their tonsils out?

Yeah.

Yeah, I was pregnant with Jeffrey,

and they were having
all their problems with tonsillitis,

and Dr. Gordon and I just decided
to yank them out.

Just yank 'em out.
Why didn't you tell me?

Uh, well, you weren't here.
You were working.

Just yank 'em out? You know,
you put three kids in the hospital.

I should've been informed.

They're my kids too, Marilyn.

Well, you were getting ready
for Gemini 7.

You were about to go into space
for the very first time.

I was trying to protect you

from anything that might be
the reason that you...

that you just didn't come back.

Every day, I had to decide what part
of your life I was gonna tell you about

and what part of your life
I was gonna keep from you.

So there were a lot of things
that I didn't tell you, a lot of...

Many things.

That was my job.

Thank you.

For what?

Everything.

Now, honey, come on.

Do you really wanna keep all this crud?

- Look at it. It's just junk.
- Look. Blue Chips. I could use these.

Look, there's Barbara's little egg.

Okay, we'll keep that.
But what about this stuff?

[exhales] I, uh...

I understand how they have to...

you know...

restrict your contact with people
who might be upsetting to you.

Yes.

I didn't get to talk to you.

Well, they have a lot of rules.

[soft laugh]

Worse than the military.

[laughter]

Anyway, I thought
I'd bring you some things.

I didn't know what you might need.

Okay.

Your... Your slippers.

Some, uh, some notes from the boys.

Let's see.

Your pillow.

[laughter]

I don't know.

Maybe...

Maybe you don't need any of this.

Frank...

I'm so sorry.

I... I didn't want to embarrass you.

I wanted to be perfect.

- [tearful breathing]
- You're... You are.

[sobs]

Don't you have
30 seconds of guilt about this.

But I let you down.

No, Sue.

I let you down.

I didn't know.

I never knew.

I...

I've missed you.

I've missed you too.

But then I'm used to missing you.
You're not used to missing me.

No.

And I don't wanna get used to it.

[murmurs]

[Sue exhales]

I'm gonna be fine.

We're gonna be all right.

We're gonna be fine.

Yep. Okay.

Okay.

[Sue sighs]

[announcer]
Ladies and gentlemen, one last time,

the wives of the new nine astronauts.

[applause]

[indistinct]