The Right Stuff Page #7

Resume the countdown.

All systems go.

T minus ten seconds...

nine, eight, seven...

Ignition.

You're on your way, Jos.

We have liftoff, and the clock is operating.

I think we'll be able to talk

to one of the astronauts' wives...

if not to Louise Shepard herself.

He has re-entered the Earth's atmosphere

and the g-forces should be building up.

Louise, he's coming down!

We almost missed this.

Eight.

That's nine.

I'm okay!

The Vice President,

who is Chairman of our Space Council...

and who bears great responsibilities

in this field...

the members of the House and Senate...

Space Committee,

who are here today to award you...

this decoration,

which has gone from the ground up.

What was Jackie like?

She's very nice.

We talked about all kinds of things.

My Gus goes up next.

I can't wait to talk to Jackie after that.

You'll love her. She's so nice.

We talked about the kids.

Mr. Shepard, sign here.

I never realized...

a gruff, mean son of a b*tch like you

could be so popular.

How'd you get to go up before me?

Even before "Mr. Clean, the Marine."

Charm, Hot Dog. Pure charm.

Watch this.

Hey, sis, how are you doing?

So-so. How are you doing?

I ain't doing anymore.

Damn thing's dragging in the mud,

and I can't get it up.

Charm, Gus, that's pure charm.

How'd you like one of these?

I can get one of those from a dime store.

Not one that's been in outer space.

I'm taking these up with me tomorrow.

Would you like a souvenir

after I get written in history?

Well, I might, if it's been in outer space.

See you after outer space.

You got to think ahead to the future.

Folks have a taste for things

that have been there.

I'll give you one of these dimes

I'm taking up so you can play with it...

and dream about outer space.

Why don't you just make sure

you don't screw the pooch?

Oh, God, look at this.

Go get 'em, Deke!

Grissom has just reached the apex

of his flight into outer space...

and will be coming down

with the valuable data...

needed for the future flights

that will actually orbit the Earth.

He will be re-entering

the atmosphere now.

Liberty Bell 7, Liberty Bell 7,

this is Hunt Club 1. Over.

We're in orbit at this time

around the capsule.

Are you ready to come in and hook on?

Roger. This is Hunt Club 1...

waiting for your okay

to come in and hook on.

Roger. I've unplugged my suit,

so I'm kind of warm now.

Hunt Club 1. Roger.

One, roger.

Roger. Blow the hatch after we hook on.

All right, get ready.

Another 15 feet to the right.

If you're ready for me to blow the hatch...

I'll take my helmet off.

Say again, Liberty Bell.

Waiting for your okay to hook on.

Who designed this?

Say again, Liberty Bell. We can't hear you.

I can't get it off.

Liberty Bell, say again.

This is Hunt Club 1, waiting for your okay.

What happened?

It's all right. He's okay. Go for the capsule.

Help, I'm sinking!

Get the capsule. He can float in that suit.

We need the data in the capsule.

Throw down a line!

Help! Throw down the line!

Hey, I'm sinking!

Forget the f***ing capsule!

We can't pull it. It's full of water.

Hey! Help me over here!

We've lost it!

Blow the cable!

Come back here, damn it!

Throw a line down.

I didn't do anything.

I was just lying there.

It just blew.

The hatch just blew.

It must have been a technical malfunction.

The capsule was rocking around a bit.

There were no loose items. I don't see

how I could have hit that button.

I was just lying there, flat on my back...

and it just blew.

Well, what do you think?

Explosive hatches have been

on jet fighters for ten years.

The things have been wrung inside out...

subjected to trial by heat,

by water, by shaking, pounding.

We even drop them from a height

of 100 feet onto concrete...

and not one of them has ever "just blown."

- Are we going to the White House?

- No.

Isn't the President coming?

No ticker-tape parade in New York?

Not even one in Mitchell, Indiana?

No Jackie?

By order of the President

of the United States...

the Distinguished Service Medal...

is awarded to Captain Virgil I. Grissom...

who distinguished himself by valor

above and beyond the call of duty.

These actions...

reflect great credit upon himself...

the Air Force...

and the United States of America.

You proud, boys?

Hey, look. They filled up the refrigerator.

Pretty good, huh?

Pretty good.

A full refrigerator!

I can see this afternoon

is shaping up just great!

And the rest of the day. Tomorrow, too!

What do they want me to do in here?

Cook?

Then risk my life and my kids'...

by dragging them across that highway

to the worst beach in Florida!

Oh, Gus, I wanted to eat

in the White House.

I wanted to talk to Jackie about...

things.

Well, look, I've got to go

to the Holiday Inn for some...

beer call with the guys.

All those years of test flying...

and all those times I waited

and all those times you weren't there!

The military promised...

and now they are welshing

on that damn compact.

Look, I am finally

"Mrs. Honorable Astronaut."

But they are treating me like I'm...

Honorable

"Mrs. Squirming Hatch Blower!"

I didn't do anything wrong!

The hatch just blew! It was a glitch!

It was a technical malfunction!

Why in hell won't anyone believe me?

I know that.

Gus, I mean are these the goodies?

Is this how the military pays off?

Oh, Gus, they owe you.

But they owe me, too.

They owe me.

They owe me, they owe me so much!

I love you.

We are here with Virgil I. Grissom

and his lovely wife, Betty.

Gus has just come back

from the second trip in space.

Betty, how do you feel about this trip?

I'm so proud of him.

I think he was wonderful.

We're all proud of Gus Grissom.

Gus, how do you feel about the trip?

Was it a success?

It was A-okay.

My God. He lost his capsule

but he's keeping his story.

To recap yesterday's dramatic events...

here we see America's

newest hero, Gus Grissom.

He is shouting to save the capsule first.

Pull that in flight test, it's all over for him.

He screwed the pooch, partner.

Plain and simple.

Sometimes you get a pooch

that can't be screwed.

The President's got his own problems

with the Bay of Pigs.

He doesn't want

the astronauts' image tarnished.

Nothing these guys do

is going to be called a failure.

These astronauts are our Davids.

You'd think the public would know they're

just doing what monkeys have done.

You think a monkey knows he's sitting

on a rocket that might explode?

These astronauts know that.

I'll tell you something.

It takes a special man to volunteer

for a suicide mission.

Especially when it's on TV.

Old Gus, he did all right.

Though the capsule was lost,

our new hero...

Astronaut Gus Grissom, was saved.

Now President Kennedy has started

an even more ambitious space program.

Those who came before us...

made certain this country...

rode the first waves

of the industrial revolution...

the first waves of modern invention...

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