Movies by Minutes analysis of Ron Howard's 1995 feature film
Jim Lovell is surrounded by the applauding Iwo Jima crew.
TITLE: THE END
MUSIC: “Apollo 13 End Credit, Featuring Annie Lennox”
TITLES:
CAST
Jim Lovell – TOM HANKS
Fred Haise – BILL PAXTON
Jack Swigert – KEVIN BACON
Ken Mattingly – GARY SINISE
Gene Kranz – ED HARRIS
Marilyn Lovell – KATHLEEN QUINLAN
Barbara Lovell – MARY KATE SCHELLHARDT
Susan Lovell – EMILY ANN LLOYD
Jeffrey Lovell – MIKO HUGHES
Jay Lovell – MAX ELLIOTT SLADE
Blanch Lovell – JEAN SPEEGLE HOWARD
Mary Haise – TRACY REINER
Pete Conrad – DAVID ANDREWS
Jane Conrad – MICHELLE LITTLE
Deke Slayton – CHRIS ELLIS
NASA Director – JOE SPANO
Henry Hurt – XANDER BERKELEY
Glynn Lunney – MARC McCLURE
John Young – BEN MARLEY
EECOM White – CLINT HOWARD
EECOM Arthur – LOREN DEAN
EECOM Gold – TOM WOOD
RETRO White – GOOGY GRESS
RETRO Gold – PATRICK MICKLER
FIDO White – RAY McKINNON
FIDO Gold – MAX GRODÉNCHIK
Dr. Chuck – CHRISTIAN CLEMENSON
CAPCOM 1 – BRETT CULLEN
CAPCOM 2 – NED VAUGHN
GUIDO White – ANDY MILLER
LEM Controller White – WAYNE DUVALL
TELMU White – JIM MESKIMEN
TELMU Gold – JOSEPH CULP
INCO White – JOHN SHORT
INCO Gold – BEN BODÉ
FAO White – TODD LOUISO
GNC White – GABRIEL JARRET
Booster White – CHRISTOPHER JOHN FIELDS
Grumman Rep – KENNETH WHITE
Ted – JIM RITZ
Launch Director – ANDREW LIPSCHULTZ
Neil Armstrong – MARK WHEELER
Buzz Aldrin – LARRY WILLIAMS
Guenter Wendt – ENDRE HULES
Tracey – KAREN MARTIN
Woman – MAUREEN HANLEY
Kim – MEADOW WILLIAMS
Technician – WALTER VON HUENE
Pad Rats – BRIAN MARKINSON, STEVE RANKIN
Whiz Kid – AUSTIN O’BRIEN
Whiz Kid Mom – LOUISA MARIE
Orderly – THOM BARRY
SIM Techs – ARTHUR SENZY, CARL GABRIEL YORKE, RYAN HOLIHAN
Reverend – RANCE HOWARD
Neighbor – J.J. CHABACK
Noisy Civilian – TODD HALLOWELL
Stephen Haise – MATTHEW GOODALL
Fred Haise, Jr. – TAYLOR GOODALL
Margaret Haise – MISTY DICKINSON
Congressman – ROGER CORMAN
Loud Reporters – LEE ANNE MATUSEK, MARK D. NEWMAN
Suit Room Assistant – MARK McKEEL
Patty – PATTY RAYA
Science Reporters – JACK CONLEY, JEFFREY S. KLUGER
Anchors – BRUCE WRIGHT, IVAN ALLEN, JON BRUNO
Roger Chaffee – REED RUDY
Virgil Grissom – STEVE BERNIE
Edward White – STEVEN RUGE
Reporters – HERBERT JEFFERSON, JR. , JULIE DONATT, JOHN DULLAGHAN, THOMAS CRAWFORD, JOHN WHEELER, FRANK CAVESTANI, PAUL MANTEE, JOHN M. MATHEWS
Stunt Coordinators – MICKEY GILBERT, JIM HALTY
Stunts – HEATHER BURTON, JOE FINNEGAN, KIM KOSCKI, VINCENT MAZZELLA, JR., JOHN ROBOTHAM
Associate Producer – LOUISA VELIS
Unit Production Manager – CARL CLIFFORD
First Assistant Director – ALDRIC LA’AULI PORTER
Second Assistant Director – JANE PAUL
IN THIS MINUTE:
Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell
Jim Lovell, narrating from the present day, talks about how Jack Swigert ran for Congress from the state of Colorado, “but he died of cancer before he was able to take office.”
On board the Iwo Jima, the Apollo 13 crew walks among the applauding Navy crew.
The Mission Control team applauds and smokes cigars. Ken Mattingly is in the center of the support team.
Lovell narrates: “Ken Mattingly orbited the Moon as Command Module Pilot of Apollo 16, and flew the space shuttle, having never gotten the measles. Gene Kranz retired as director of flight operations just not long ago. And many other members of Mission Control have gone onto other things, but some are still there.”
The Captain of the Iwo Jima salutes Jim Lovell. Lovell returns the salute, and shakes the Captain’s hand.
Lovell narrates: “And as for me, the seven extraordinary days of Apollo 13 were my last in space.”
The Apollo 13 crew bows its head in prayer along with the crew of the Iwo Jima.
Lovell narrates: “I watched other men walk on the Moon and return safely, all from the confines of Mission Control and our house in Houston. I sometimes catch myself looking up at the Moon, remembering the changes of fortune in our long voyage, thinking of the thousands of people who worked to bring the three of us home. I look up at the Moon, and wonder: when will we be going back, and who will that be?”
IN THIS MINUTE:
Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell
Bill Paxton as Fred Haise
Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert
Jim Lovell as Navy Captain
Gary Sinise as Ken Mattingly
Ed Harris as Gene Kranz
Jim Lovell looks up from the life raft outside the returned Odyssey spacecraft.
Later, on the deck of the Iwo Jima, Lovell, Haise, and Swigert exit the helicopter, wearing blue flight suits and sporting Iwo Jima caps.
Marilyn and the Lovell family are elated seeing the crew on television.
The crew of the Iwo Jima applauds. Swigert and Haise wave at the crew.
Lovell narrates: “Our mission was called a successful failure, in that we returned safely, but never made it to the Moon.”
A “Welcome Back” sign appears on the Mission Control monitor, as Mission Control applauds.
The crew of Apollo 13 walks past a cheering Iwo Jima crew.
Lovell narrates: “In the following months, it was determined that a damaged coil built inside the oxygen tank sparked during our cryo stir and caused the explosion that crippled the Odyssey. It was a minor defect that occurred two years before I was even named the flight’s commander. Fred Haise was going back to the Moon on Apollo 18, but his mission was canceled because of the budget cuts, he never flew in space again. Nor did Jack Swigert. Who left the astronaut corps and was elected to Congress from the state of Colorado.”
IN THIS MINUTE:
Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell
Bill Paxton as Fred Haise
Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert
Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell
A Navy frogman knocks on the hatch of Odyssey.
Jim Lovell gives the frogman a thumbs-up sign, then unstraps Fred Haise from his couch. Haise shakes his hand. Swigert and Lovell then shake hands.
“Houston. We’re at Stable One,” radios Lovell. “The ship is secure. This is Apollo 13, signing off.”
In Mission Control, Gene Kranz gives two thumbs-up.
Helicopter 66 lifts a Billy Pugh net carrying Jack Swigert up to the door. Haise is already onboard the helicopter. Lovell stands up in the hatch, blinking in the sunshine. He tumbles into the life raft. while a Navy frogman holds onto him.
IN THIS MINUTE:
Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell
Bill Paxton as Fred Haise
Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert
Ed Harris as Gene Kranz
Gene Kranz wipes his eyes and stands up in Mission Control.
Over the Pacific, three parachutes lowering the Command Module are lit by the rising sun.
Flight crews on the USS Iwo Jima applaud and wave as Odyssey floats toward the surface. Odyssey splashes down in brilliant sunshine.
Navy helicopters 66 and 406 head toward the spacecraft.
Mary Haise hugs her family.
Jay Lovell’s schoolmates pat him on the back.
Blanch Lovell smiles broadly as Buzz Aldrin hugs her.
Two Navy frogmen jump into the ocean next to the spacecraft.
In Mission Control, Deke Slayton shakes Gene Kranz’s hand, and also the NASA Director’s hand.
One of the Navy frogmen swims up to Odyssey’s hatch.
IN THIS MINUTE:
Chris Ellis as Deke Slayton
Loren Dean as John Aaron
Ben Marley as John Young
Todd Louiso as FAO – White Team
Joe Spano as NASA Director
Ed Harris as Gene Kranz
Marc McClure as Glynn Lunney
Clint Howard as Sy Liebergot
Googy Gress as RETRO White
Christian Clemenson as Flight Surgeon Dr. Chuck
Ned Vaughn as CAPCOM 2
Max Grodénchik as FIDO Gold
Walter von Huene as Technician
Kenneth White as Grumman Rep
Jean Speegle Howard as Blanch Lovell
Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell
Mark Wheeler as Neil Armstrong
Walter Cronkite as Himself
Tracy Reiner as Mary Haise
Miko Hughes as Jeffrey Lovell
Rance Howard as Priest
Emily Ann Lloyd as Susan Lovell
Mary Kate Schelhardt as Barbara Lovell
Max Elliott Slade as Jay Lovell
Jay Lovell looks at the classroom clock. It’s 11:56 AM.
“Odyssey, Houston,” says Mattingly, “Do you read?”
Suddenly on the monitor, three large parachutes appear, with the Command Module swaying in the sky.
“Hello, Houston,” says Lovell. “This is Odyssey. It’s good to see you again.”
Mission Control erupts in applause. The Lovell family smiles and hugs each other.
“Odyssey, Houston,” says Mattingly. “Welcome home. We’re glad to see you.”
Gene Kranz sits at his station and rubs his face.
IN THIS MINUTE:
Chris Ellis as Deke Slayton
Loren Dean as John Aaron
Ben Marley as John Young
Todd Louiso as FAO – White Team
Joe Spano as NASA Director
Ed Harris as Gene Kranz
Marc McClure as Glynn Lunney
Clint Howard as Sy Liebergot
Googy Gress as RETRO White
Christian Clemenson as Flight Surgeon Dr. Chuck
Ned Vaughn as CAPCOM 2
Max Grodénchik as FIDO Gold
Walter von Huene as Technician
Kenneth White as Grumman Rep
Jean Speegle Howard as Blanch Lovell
Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell
Mark Wheeler as Neil Armstrong
Walter Cronkite as Himself
Tracy Reiner as Mary Haise
Miko Hughes as Jeffrey Lovell
Rance Howard as Priest
Emily Ann Lloyd as Susan Lovell
Mary Kate Schelhardt as Barbara Lovell
Max Elliott Slade as Jay Lovell
Blanche Lovell watches the television coverage of her son, with Neil Armstrong.
Mary Haise sits on a couch and watches the coverage with her son.
“We’re about to learn whether or not that heatshield which was damaged, if you remember, by the explosion three days ago has withstood the inferno of re-entry,” says Walter Cronkite.
On board the USS Iwo Jima, the bridge scans the horizon.
A packed Mission Control awaits any word from the spacecraft.
“Odyssey, this is Houston,” says Mattingly.”Do you read me? Odyssey, Houston. Do you read me?”
“Three minutes, thirty seconds,” says INCO. “Standing by.”
Static-filled images from the Pacific are projected on the MOCR screen.
“Odyssey, Houston,” says Mattingly. “Do you read me? Odyssey, this is Houston, do you read me?”
“That’s four minutes,” says INCO. “Standing by.”
The Lovell family holds back tears as they sit in front of their television.
Jay Lovell looks at his classroom clock. It’s 11:56 AM.
IN THIS MINUTE:
Chris Ellis as Deke Slayton
Loren Dean as John Aaron
Ben Marley as John Young
Todd Louiso as FAO – White Team
Joe Spano as NASA Director
Ed Harris as Gene Kranz
Marc McClure as Glynn Lunney
Clint Howard as Sy Liebergot
Googy Gress as RETRO White
Christian Clemenson as Flight Surgeon Dr. Chuck
Ned Vaughn as CAPCOM 2
Max Grodénchik as FIDO Gold
Walter von Huene as Technician
Kenneth White as Grumman Rep
Jean Speegle Howard as Blanch Lovell
Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell
Mark Wheeler as Neil Armstrong
Walter Cronkite as Himself
Tracy Reiner as Mary Haise
Miko Hughes as Jeffrey Lovell
Rance Howard as Priest
Emily Ann Lloyd as Susan Lovell
Mary Kate Schelhardt as Barbara Lovell
Max Elliott Slade as Jay Lovell
The Lovell family in Houston, and son Jay Lovell in Wisconsin, continue to follow the coverage of reentry on television.
“This is the critical moment,” says Walter Cronkite on television. “Will the heat shield hold? Will the Command module survive the intense heat of re-entry? If it doesn’t, there will only be silence.”
“Mommy, you’re squishing me,” says Jeffrey Lovell.
“Sorry, sorry, Sweetie,” says Marilyn. A priest pats Jeffrey’s head.
Reporters are packed in the NASA press room, watching coverage.
Monitors in the Mission Control Center show video of circling Navy helicopters.
The countdown clock moves to 00:00:00.
“Okay, Flight,” says INCO. “That’s three minutes. We are standing by for acquisition.”
“Copy that,” says Gene Kranz.
“Odyssey, Houston. Do you read me?” says Ken Mattingly. “Odyssey, this is Houston, do you read?”
“Expected time of re-acquisition, the time when the astronauts were expected to come out of blackout, has come and gone,” says Walter Cronkite. “About all any of us can do now is just listen and hope.”
Pete Conrad watches the television intently.
IN THIS MINUTE:
Gary Sinese as Ken Mattingly
Ed Harris as Gene Kranz
Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell
Miko Hughes as Jeffrey Lovell
Rance Howard as Priest
Emily Ann Lloyd as Susan Lovell
Mary Kate Schelhardt as Barbara Lovell
Max Elliott Slade as Jay Lovell
Jules Bergman as Himself
Walter Cronkite as Himself
Rance Howard as Priest
Ed Harris as Gene Kranz
Ben Bode as INCO
David Andrews as Pete Conrad
The radio blackout continues through Odyssey’s reentry. The crew experiences rising G-forces, as Apollo 13 leaves a blazing trail across the pre-dawn sky.
On patrol, two Navy helicopters fly low over the Pacific.
In the Lovell household, Marilyn Lovell is seated behind her son, Jeffrey. Daughter Susan sits next to Marilyn, and daughter Barbara sits nearby.
Jules Bergman narrates the scene on the USS Iwo Jima.
“Back to the Iwo Jima and our live cameras there. The Navy recovery and rescue helicopters already airborne, circling, waiting for first radar contact,” says Bergman.
Barbara begins to cry, and moves next to her mother.
Outside the Lovell home, crowds of reporters fill the street, with broadcast trucks parked everywhere.
“Coming up now on three minutes until time of drogue (chutes) deployment,” says a NASA PAO. “Standing by for any reports of acquisition.”
Two news men stand atop a broadcast truck, listening to a portable radio.
“One minute and thirty seconds to end of blackout,” says an announcement in Mission Control. All the controllers wait and stare at the large monitor.
In Wisconsin, Jay Lovell continues to watch the news coverage in his school classroom.
“No re-entering ship has ever taken longer than three minutes to-,” begins Walter Cronkite.
IN THIS MINUTE:
Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell
Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert
Bill Paxton as Fred Haise
Gary Sinese as Ken Mattingly
Ed Harris as Gene Kranz
Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell
Miko Hughes as Jeffrey Lovell
Rance Howard as Priest
Emily Ann Lloyd as Susan Lovell
Mary Kate Schelhardt as Barbara Lovell
Max Elliott Slade as Jay Lovell
Jules Bergman as Himself
Walter Cronkite as Himself
Swigert, Haise, and Lovell ponder many thoughts as Odyssey falls into the re-entry corridor over the South Pacific.
The heat shield begins to ionize, then blaze as the CM decelerates.
Ionized gasses illuminate outside the left window of the Command Module. Water rains from the control panel.
“Flight, we have loss of radio contact,” says CAPCOM Mattingly.
“Roger that,” replies Gene Kranz.
“Expect to regain signal in three minutes,” says INCO.
A countdown clock shows 000: 02: 59
“All depends on the heat shield,” says an engineer.
The ionization is an incandescent white now. Water is leaking from the control panel.
IN THIS MINUTE:
Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell
Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert
Bill Paxton as Fred Haise
Gary Sinese as Ken Mattingly
Ed Harris as Gene Kranz
Ben Bode as INCO
RETRO has informed Gene Kranz that the Command Module’s re-entry path may be shallowing out, but there’s nothing that can be done to change the trajectory.
“Then, they don’t need to know, do they?” asks Kranz, re-tying his tie.
“Copy that,” replies RETRO.
“RETRO says the typhoon is still a presence in the splash down area?” says Henry Hurt, the Public Affairs Officer.
“Yeah,” replies the NASA Director.
“What’a we got?” says Henry. “The parachute situation, the heat shield, the angle of trajectory and the typhoon, there’s just so many variables. I’m a little at a loss-”
“I know what the problems are, Henry,” interrupts the NASA Director. “This could be the worst disaster NASA’s ever experienced.”
Gene Kranz, overhearing the conversation, leans in.
“With all due respect, sir,” says Kranz, “I believe this is gonna be our finest hour.”
“Okay,” replies the NASA Director, quietly Ken Mattingly is CAPCOM.
“Expect entry interface in 45 seconds,” says Mattingly, “and on my mark, your velocity will be 35,245 feet per second. Mark. 35 seconds to entry interface.”
The tropical cyclone over Fiji shows lightning rippling through the clouds as the Command Module heads toward the Pacific Ocean.
Inside the Command Module, the crew looks at the instrument panel in front of them.
“Gentlemen,” says Jim Lovell, “It’s been a privilege flying with you.”
Jack Swigert looks to his right.
IN THIS MINUTE:
Mark McClure as Glynn Lunney
Gary Sinese as Ken Mattingly
Bill Paxton as Fred Haise
Googy Gress as RETRO – White
Ed Harris as Gene Kranz
Xander Berkeley as PAO Henry Hurt
Joe Spano as NASA Director
Loren Dean as John Aaron
Brent Cullen as CAPCOM
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