William Redfield

A housewife tries to finance her cab-driving husband's education. Henrietta Robins works out of her home and her husband Pete drives a cab to try to support her. When Pete gets a tip from one of his fellow drivers that a deal will be made by the Americans and the Soviets over pork bellies, he decides to invest in the market, but needs $3000 to invest. Henrietta goes to extreme lengths to get the money by dealing with first a loan shark, then a madam, then the mob, and finally cattle rustlers. All this in the name of love. —Brian Washington <Sargebri@att.net> Young married Brooklynites Pete and Henry Robbins are madly in love but have financial problems. Pete works as a cab driver, while Henry, the household money manager, does whatever odd part-time jobs she can, such as telephone sales. Pete learns through his dispatcher about a sure-fired investment in the commodity's market, specifically in pork belly futures, that will pay out huge dividends within a week. They need a minimum $3,000 to be able to invest, which is $2,700.38 more than they have. After trying through legal means, Henry, who would do anything for her husband, decides to borrow the money from a loan shark. Henry doesn't see the 20% weekly interest rate as a problem because the investment should pay off far more than that. Henry lies to Pete about the source of the money. Problems ensue for Henry when the investment doesn't pay off as quickly as Pete thought. So when the loan shark doesn't get his money back on time, he is after Henry unless he can "sell" Henry's contract. Even if the loan shark can sell the contract, will Henry be able to pay off the buyer any easier? And what will Pete do if he finds out either the source of the money and/or that Henry lied to him? —Huggo

When Henry Graham's lawyer informs him that his playboy lifestyle has consumed all of his funds, he must avoid sliding down the social ladder. He plans to marry wealthy scientist Henrietta Lowell--and kill her. Henry Graham has a problem: he has spent his entire inheritance, and is completely broke. With no skills, the only option is to make money the old-fashioned way: marry in to it. With a temporary loan to tide him over, Henry has only 6 weeks to find a bride, marry her, and repay the money, or else he must forfeit all his possessions. —Drew from Baltimore This dark comedy stars writer/director Elaine May in one of the 1970s' best but least-known films. Wealthy Henry Graham, whose only interest is being wealthy, is bankrupt. In a deal with his uncle, he borrows $50,000, which he must repay within 6 weeks' time or forfeit everything. His plan is to marry a rich heiress with no family..... but he meets the most helpless, discombobulated person imaginable. —Huggo Examines the vapid life of a born-to-wealth New Yorker. After he spends all of what was left to him, his questing after more (without bothersome labor) changes him. The main agent of change is a phenomenally passive and unassuming lady known as Henrietta Lowell. —The_Kid in Bellevue Playboy Henry Graham squanders his wealth and must seek a new source to maintain his idle rich lifestyle. The easy alternative to work is to find a rich woman, marry her, and murder her. Klutzy, nerdy Henrietta Lowell is the ideal candidate. But in dealing with his klutzy, nerdy, trusting new botanist wife and her ill-managed estate, Henry unwittingly begins to assume some sense of responsibility, not realizing this while planning to do away with Henrietta on one droll camping trip. —NYK

While awaiting the outcome of her husband's surgery, Julie Messinger discovers he has been having affairs. Julie Messinger has it made. She is a New York housewife whose husband, Richard, is an editor for a prominent photography magazine. They have a small circle of friends, including well-meaning, but inept Dr. Timothy Spector, photographer Cal Whiting and Cal's live-in girlfriend Miranda. Julie's mother spends her days getting pedicures and manicures, applying make-up and fake eye-lashes and buying expensive clothes, all the while criticizing her daughter for her looks and behavior. When Richard goes into the hospital for a minor mole-removal surgery, Julie gets more than she bargained for. Richard suffers from complications and goes into a coma, supposedly caused by a rare surgical factor, and she gathers friends and family together, culminating in a hilarious "quasi-cocktail-party" scene in the blood donation center of the hospital. While dealing with red tape, hospital bureaucracy and clueless doctors, Julie discovers her husband's "little black book," which contains the names of her friends. She confirms that her husband had been sleeping around and proceeds to make a fool out of him by getting it on with his male friends. When the complications get more ominous, guilt opens the door to her liberation as a woman. A scathingly funny examination of the dirty rich partying while one of their number lies on the brink of death. —thustlebird

In Apache territory, a supply Army column heads for the next fort, an ex-scout searches for the killer of his Indian wife, and a housewife abandons her husband in order to rejoin her Apache lover's tribe. Lieutenant McAllister is ordered to transport several ammunition wagons to another fort through Apache territory with only a small troop of rookie soldiers to guard them. Along for the ride is ex-scout Jess Remsberg who is trying to track down Ellen Grange, who, having recently been freed from Apache captivity, has mysteriously run off again to rejoin them. Remsberg frees Ellen again and leaves her with the embattled soldiers as he rides off to the fort, not only for help, but to find the man who killed and scalped his Indian wife. —Doug Sederberg <vornoff@sonic.net>

An opening narration explains a panorama of a space station and attendant space craft under construction. It goes on to explain the station is used for both observation and construction of spaceships for the conquest of space. Opening scene On board the space station, the crew watches a transport ship approach the station. Barny Merritt (Eric Fleming) complains to his father, General Merrit (Walter Brooke) that he has been onboard the station known as the Wheel for a year without any leave, he requests he return to Earth on the approaching spacecraft. General Merrit denies the request On the rocket being constructed an accident occurs when Roy Cooper (William Redfield) becomes paralyzed while working with high tension cabling. The crewman is taken back to the wheel and is checked out after recovering. The doctor is satisfied he will recover in time. He confides with Capt Merritt that Cooper is suffering from space fatigue, and needs to be returned to Earth. In the rec area Cooper talks about the selection process that got them to on the Mars flight, Sgt Siegle argues that they may just be guinea pigs, and the real crew has not been selected. The six selected crewmen go to the mess hall. Their meal consists of various flavored tablets and water At dinner Sgt Mahoney (Mickey Shaughnessy) explains some of the history of General Merritt, and how his son is an ingrate. Suddenly the wheel is rocked by a concussion. It is reported a meteor hit the installation. Gen Merritt co-ordinates the stabilization of the wheel while damage control crews seal the leak Later, the cargo rocket arrives and begins transferring passengers including Dr George Fenton (William Hopper) The doctor meets Fenton. The space craft being assembled is a mystery. General Merritt thinks the ship is to go to the Moon, but is puzzled why it has wings. Fenton reveals the true destination of the ship is actually Mars. The general is furious about the change. He wanted to go to the Moon as a test run of the ships systems although he considers the mission dangerous, but accepts the command anyway. His son, hearing of the new mission requests his transfer be stopped. He wants to go to Mars with his father. The crew who have been building the ship are going to crew. Unfortunately their numbers have to be whittled down from the original 6 to 3. Merritt asks Siegle (Phil Foster), Imoto (Benson Fong) and Andre Fodor (Ross Martin) to seriously consider their options. The General thinks the mission is poorly thought out and doesnt hesitate to tell the potential volunteers. Imoto with an impassioned speech about the worlds need to find more resources agrees to go. Mahoney then volunteers, but is rejected by the general as being too old. Sanella and Siegle ultimately agree to go. Later the crew watch a tv broadcast from Earth, a special bulletin interrupts the show to announce the official launch of the ship to Mars. Then each of the crew receives a private message from a family member, Fodors mother speaking from Vienna wisher her son the best. Sgt Seigles girlfriend speaks next. She announcers her undying love for Seigle A few hours later the ship launches without incident and begins the year long voyage to Mars The crew settles in, but they soon realize Mahoney has stowed aboard the ship. He is badly injured because of no acceleration chair; however he will survive his injuries. Gen Merritt expresses doubts to his son about mans role in space. As strong Christian he searches the Bible for answers, but finds little comfort in the passages he locates. Later in the flight, an external camera fails Siegle and Fodor are ordered to go outside and make repairs. While working on the camera a huge asteroid comes up on the ship from behind. The two men scramble to attach their safety lines as Merrit undertake an emergency maneuver to save the ship. Assuming the danger has passed the two men continue their work. Suddenly they see a series of flashes and pinging sounds around them. Before they realize the danger Fodor is hit by a micro meteor, screams and drifts away from the ship dead. Siegle is ordered to return to the ship leaving Fodor drifting in space. After some discussion the General decides to go outside and perform a space burial for Fodor. After reading passages from the Bible, he gently pushes the body away from the ship. As the voyage progresses the Generals actions become more erratic. During a routine report to Earth he snaps and begins screaming about the sacrilege of the voyage what an abomination the whole venture is. Capt Merritt reports that the General has been suffering very bad headaches and lack of sleep. Finally reaching Mars, the ship begins its landing. The General is piloting the ship at this stage, he suddenly has a vision, panicked he tries to abort the landing. Seeing the situation, his son overpowers him and completes the landing without incident. Safely down the crew wastes no time getting their suits on and exploring the planet. Imoto removes his glove and grabs a handful of soil. Letting it filter through his fingers he declares it good. He then produces some flower seeds and explains he was going to plant them. Behind them they hear huge amounts of fluid gushing from the ships engines. Merritt fears one of the pipes was ruptured during the landing Reaching the engine room Merrit finds his father is releasing the fluid, which turns out to be water. Gen Merrit fires at his son. A fight ensures in the cramped area and the General is shot and killed. Sgt Mahoney sees the end of the fight and thinks Capt Merritt shot his father intentionally and hopes a court marshal will be called for back on Earth. The crew buries the General and Imoto plants a seed on the grave. Because of the water lost, they face a critical shortage. Capt Merrit begins rationing immediately. The months drag on and the crew celebrates Christmas and moral is slumping due to a lack of water or contact with Earth. Mahoney dwelling on what he saw in the engine room; snaps and begins to believe the General might have been right and the planet along with the ship is cursed. Suddenly they see something outside and to everyone glee, its begun to snow. They set about collecting snow realizing their water shortage is now over. July comes, and it is time to prepare to leave. Imoto has spent his time collecting a large number of samples and remains convinced the planet can be agriculturally productive, especially after seeing one the seeds has germinated. An earthquake rocks the landing site, putting their intended launch time in jeopardy. The ship is now tilted incorrectly and needs to be straightened. By selectively firing the engines they believe they can shift the sand from under the ship and get it pointed correctly. The plan works seconds before they must take off. Excited Merrit fires the engines and the final scene shows the ship lifting into space