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Conspiracy theory films range from the extraordinary to the plausible. 1975 political thriller “Three Days of the Condor” offered a realistic mystery, and 1978 Peter Hyams-directed sci-fi thriller “Capricorn One” follows suit. With a taut screenplay, superb acting, and a gripping premise, “Capricorn One” is an irresistible watch.
NASA official Dr. James Kelloway (Hal Holbrook) arrives and explains in a Shakespearean-caliber soliloquy, that a critical error in Capricorn One’s life-support system would have killed the astronauts in-flight leaving the mission a failure. Rather than scrap the voyage, Kelloway insists the three astronauts fake a Mars landing. Sacrifice the mission and falsify its results to save the space program, he argues. Reluctantly, and with their families threatened, Brubaker, Walker, and Willis agree.
Unfortunately, the faux landing doesn’t quite proceed as Kelloway planned. NASA technician Elliot Whitter (Robert Walden) reports anomalous data readings which Kelloway dismisses as a malfunctioning workstation. However, Whitter shares his disbelief with friend and journalist Robert Caulfield (Elliott Gould). When Whitter disappears seemingly without a trace, Caulfield embarks on a mission to uncover the truth about Capricorn One, and his friend’s vanishing.
With a run-time of just over two hours, “Capricorn One” marvelously paces its plot. There’s ample action, and a smattering of characters. Yet even the most inconsequential of characters feels important. Whitter, who first reports discrepancies in the crew’s television transmissions, isn’t prominently featured in the film. Nevertheless, his importance comes across as much larger. In part, this is because Whitter serves as the catalyst for Caulfield’s investigative reporting. Caulfield dons a Woodward and Bernstein importance in his quest for the truth. Additionally, the screenplay, penned by Hyams, establishes his character extremely well. Likewise, in the third act Caulfield’s editor (David Doyle) confronts his journalist. As with Whitter, he’s sparsely in the movie, yet the dialogue provides a concrete relationship, thus making him appear as though he’s been in the flick from the onset. Even a pair of unmarked black helicopters which search for Brubaker, Willis, and Walker after the astronauts manage a daring escape are personified on-screen, graced with human-like personalities of their own.
From a technical standpoint, “Capricorn One” glistens with magnificent cinematography. In a standout scene, a car’s brakes are tampered with sending it on a chase through the city worthy of “The French Connection.” Despite its lengthy run-time and primarily dialogue-driven style, there’s nary a moment of boredom throughout. Even the slight filler, such as Brubaker eating a rattlesnake int he desert, oozes importance and, on some fundamental level, serves a purpose. Jerry Goldsmith handles the score which fits the tempo of the film, alluding suspense when necessary, at other times tense action. The plot, unlike many conspiracy flicks, seems plausible particularly when buoyed upon Kelloway’s sound, albeit conniving and sadistic, logic.
The final shot of “Capricorn One,” however, falters. So cliche and unimaginative is its cheesy ending, a slow-mo run which abruptly, and predictably, freeze frames, that it almost detracts from the splendid, suspenseful, thrilling two hours which preceded it.
A more than disappointing ending aside, “Capricorn One” proves a brilliantly written, acted, and shot film. It exudes a captivating presence, managing several surprises, and wasting none of its deceptively lengthy run-time.
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