First Men in the Moon (1964)

The British science fiction film First Men in the Moon (1964), directed by Nathan Juran, was distributed by Columbia Pictures and adapted from H. G. Wells’ 1901 novel of the same name by screenwriter Nigel Kneale. Set in 1964, the United Nations launches a rocket flight to the Moon with a multi-national group of astronauts who believe they will be the first explorers on the lunar surface. However, upon their debut moonwalk, they come across a battered Union Jack flag and a handwritten note dated 65 years prior, claiming ownership of the moon for Queen Victoria. To their surprise, the note is written on the back of a court summons for Katherine Callender from Dymchurch village in England.

While searching for information on Callender at the records office in Dymchurch, located in the south-east region of England, the UN authorities come across news of her passing. However, they also learn that her spouse, Arnold Bedford, is currently residing at a local nursing home known as ‘The Limes’. Unfortunately, the staff at the facility do not permit him to watch any television coverage of the Moon expedition because it tends to agitate him, as explained by the matron. Despite Bedford’s persistent claims about his journey to the Moon, he is dismissed as having senile delusions. Still, when questioned by the UN representatives, he recounts his experience through flashbacks.