Apollo 13/Heartwarming

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • Listening to the real Marilyn Lovell choke up in the audio commentary as they watch Apollo 13 launch in the movie. You get a real sense of just how much they love each other.
    • The solidarity and faith she shows in the face of horrible times:

[Marilyn has refused to allow news crew equipment on her front lawn]
Marilyn: If they have a problem with it, they can take it up with my husband. He'll be home on Friday.

    • And his mother's faith in him:

Blanche Lovell: Are you scared?
Susan Lovell: (nods)
Blanche Lovell: Don't you worry. If they could get a washing machine to fly, my Jimmy could land it.

    • Forty years later, the real Gene Kranz still gets choked up when talking about how proud he is of the men in mission control who helped being Apollo 13 home safely.
    • The show of solidarity shown by the people of the world in hoping that the Apollo 13 crew gets home safely.
    • Shortly before the launch, Marilyn tells Jim that she's thinking about not going to the liftoff, making Jim say "You're gonna miss a hell of a show.". Then, the night before liftoff, as the crew says their goodbyes to their families and loved ones, Jim sees Marilyn show up.

Jim: Well, that looks like Marilyn Lovell. But it can't be. She's not coming to the launch.
Marilyn: I heard it was going to be a hell of a show.
Jim: Now, who told you that?
Marilyn: Some guy I know...
Jim: (chuckling) You can't live without me...


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