Strange Angel

So you truly do believe that you,

Jack Parsons, can build a ship

that will take us all to the moon?

- Yes. - Preposterous.

What is standing in the way

of manifesting your dream?

Plenty. My partner, for starters.

This is Caltech, Mr. Parsons.

We don't deal in fantasy.

We deal in hard facts.

And what about your wife?

But Jack refuses to listen to reason.

Then it's difficult to know what we're up against.

You have always seemed to me to be...

like water.

I believe you have found far more

in Mr. Parsons than an acolyte.

I believe you've found...

your liberation.

Going to the moon

is not just a scientific inevitability.

It's a strategic necessity.

They didn't want rockets.

They wanted a way for planes to take off

from shorter runways.

I don't give a damn

what they wanted. I am the one who made it real.

Not you. Me.

You didn't make it real.

You made it small.

You haven't...? Haven't what?

You know.Maybe.

You and Jack must do it all the time.

Isn't that the whole point of getting married?

I think something might be wrong with me.

But until you confront the source of your shame,

you will remain a prisoner of it.

- Susan! - Tell them.

I don't know what she's talking about.

I'm going to teach you about shame. This is my house,

and I am not gonna stand here... Why didn't you ever say anything?

And what about you, Father?

Did he confess his sins?

And did you give him some prayers

as penance, as if that could ever

wash him clean?!

How could you do that to her, your own flesh and blood?

Shut your vile mouth!

We have a demonstration tomorrow.

For the military.

This is taking it too far. We can't let him fly that plane.

- Ernest is a grown man, okay? - He's doing this

of his own free will. Marisol, did Jack send you?

Or that-that group? No, Richie, I swear.

I'm not even part of the Agape anymore.

I got exactly what I was looking for.

You know what drew me to the Agape?

It was this magical place where people let their guards down,

trusted one another.

God help us if anyone

ever got in, tried to take advantage.

They'd be like a wolf in a henhouse.

- Do you do this of your own free will? - I do.

Then let the rituals be performed with beauty.

Count down...

from the number 93.

Ten.

Nine.

Eight.

Seven.

Six.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One!

One!

Can you get the lights?

From a single spark may burst forth a flame.

Though we may be here to celebrate,

we must not lose sight of the great struggle

that consumes us all.

Not just between the Allies and Axis powers,

but between light and dark...

and between good and evil.

After all, we must defend freedom

unless we all wish to be slaves.

I think what my colleague is trying to say is

we can feel good about the work we're doing.

Every plane our JATOs get off the ground

is helping the good guys beat the Germans and Japs

that much quicker.

Bomb them all to hell!

Mr. Parsons.

I'd heard Samson Hunt enlisted and there might be a...

It's already filled. Sorry, Professor.

We've got engineers coming out of our ears right now.

But you will be the first person I call if anything comes up.

Thank you.

Enjoy.

I've got half a mind to hire the poor sap.

It'd be satisfying to watch him do the grunt work.

Or you could let bygones be bygones.

I'm so proud of you.

Nice speech, Richie.

Yeah? Not too long? No. No.

They'd already gotten an earful from you-know-who.

Whoa. Excuse me. Uh, how about a picture

of all the Aerojet men with their wives?

Right this way.

Coming?

It's fine, Richie.

I don't need to be in the picture.

Come on.

Okay. And say "cheese."

Cheese.

Whoa.

You don't say cheese?

Can I borrow you boys for a minute?

Yeah. I'll be back.

We've gotten intelligence that Von Braun's work

on Hitler's "Vengeance Weapon," the V-2,

is on the verge of completion.

We need you boys to head them off at the pass.

We will. Well... we'll do our very best.

We're gonna blow 'em out of the water.

Good. You have the full support

of the War Department

and an initial grant of $500,000.

If you can build an operational missile...

the sky's the limit.

Before you go poppin'

any more bottles of champagne,

y'all are gonna need to up your clearance.

A project of this nature requires the utmost secrecy.

Army Intelligence will be conducting interviews,

digging into every aspect

of your personal and professional lives.

We look forward to it.

Enjoy the night.

Because very soon...

the real work begins.

We've got a war to win.

Thank you, General.

Anything the military requires,

we will do our best to provide.

Can you picture it? Half a million dollars.

I'm more interested in the "sky's the limit" part.

The only difference between a rocket and a missile

is that a missile carries an explosive.

That's a fairly significant difference.

If we've got to kill a few Nazis on the way to the moon,

so be it.

Assuming we get our clearances.

It is not only enemies on the battlefield we face...

but enemies who live across the street...

who work on the same assembly line

or attend the same church,

some even within our own families!

For as Satan disguises himself as an angel of light,

it is no surprise that his minions

Disguise themselves as servants of righteousness!

How were you prepared to be consecrated?

I obtained the four powers of the Sphinx:

Knowledge, Will, Courage and Silence.

This will help you surmount your fears.

The third degree requires

a consummation to our faith

not only in words but in action.

Are the candidates ready to pledge themselves

in front of all those gathered?

We are. We are.

There is no law beyond

do what

thou wilt.

What is this? Alfred Miller?

Yes. You've been ordered to vacate the premises,

effective immediately.

We've paid our rent.

You have no right.

Let me talk to him.

No, it won't do any good.

This property's been acquired by the archdiocese.

Son of a bitch!

He's the one you should be locking up!

Tell him, Susan!

Yes, tell him, Susan.

See if anyone believes you.

Your depravity is apparent

to all those here.

"And lo, the beast was taken,

"and with him the false prophet

who wrought miracles with which he deceived!"

Ah. Here we go, sweetheart.

Here we go. Yes. Thank you.

I suggested

they go with neoclassic pieces to match the style of the home,

but my daughter-in-law wanted something more unexpected.

Oh! Well, she certainly succeeded

in that regard.