This film served as the pilot for the television series "Salvage 1." Whether it was planned that way or the series came as a result of the incredible ratings this movie got I don't know. But this was one of those TV movies that came at the heyday of ABC made for TV films.
"The Night Stalker," "Duel," "Trilogy of Terror" and others were making a lot of what was showing in the theatres look a bit pale by comparison. These were features that actually got folks to stay home on Saturday night to watch. This was one of the most magical things
done at the time.
Imagine: A junk man has become a legend. He can buy an item and on the way home sell the pieces for many times the amount he paid for the whole. He is so good that he has become a bit jaded by his business and, possibly, his own ability. He needs a new challenge. A big one.
Like many people of his generation (and following generations) he was fascinated by the quest for space. A flyer in World War II and Korea he understood more about the physical trappings of the space race than most folks. So Harry Broderick (Andy Griffith) decides to meld these two loves of his life into one Herculean task.
He is going to salvage the parts and the laid off NASA specialists, and then he is going to build a space ship and fly to the moon. There is a "lot of good stuff" that has been left up there by the American astronauts and Harry is going to bring it back and sell it to the highest bidder.
Along the way he picks up a rogue Rocket Scientist and a fuel expert to set the project in motion. He also sets off security alarms that have an FBI agent sent to dog him every step of the way. You will find yourself on the side of this unlikely team as they make the impossible seem attemptable, and you will feel for Harry as he must give up his dream of being the one to fly the mission.
When the ship is damaged and there is a question (not really, it's a movie, they are going to be all right and you know it) as to whether or not the team is get home safely you will hold your breath. And when it is all done you will feel that humans can accomplish wonderful things if they have enough hope (and just a little skullduggery) on their side.
Here is the cast:
Andy Griffith . . . . Harry Broderick
Joel Higgins . . . . Skip Carmichael
Trish Stewart . . . . Melanie Slozar
Richard Jaeckel . . . . Jack Klinger
J. Jay Saunders . . . . Mack
Raleigh Bond . . . . Fred
Jacqueline Scott . . . . Lorene
Peter Brown . . . . Bill Kelly
Lee de Broux . . . . Hank Beddoes
"Salvage" became an excellent short run TV series, but it all you ever see is the film it will be time well spent.
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