I Aim at the Stars

- Magnus, this gentleman is from the fire department.

- Your Excellency, I am sorry to disturb you.

Mr. Becker's greenhouse burnt down

and Mr. Becker asked me to speak with you about it.

But how does this concern me?

- But Your Excellency, your son Wernher

apparently caused the fire.

- Did Mr. Becker make this absurd accusation?

- But Baron Von Braun, here on the thing it says

finder, please return to Wernher Von Braun.

Including the address.

I see.

Well, kindly convey my apologies to Mr. Becker.

He will be reimbursed for all damages.

A great pleasure, sir.

A painful duty, sir.

A disgrace.

Outrageous.

My own son commits arson.

He'll burn Berlin to the ground.

- But darling, he was only experimenting.

- What good are these experiments?

Now I insist that if a Von Braun shoots off a rocket

it should go where it's supposed to go.

- Professor Oberth, what can you tell me

about this Von Braun?

Wernher?

He wants to get to the stars.

He dreams big dreams, that one.

- You have been Wernher's teacher since he was a boy.

Tell me about him.

I understand the Rocket Society is running short of funds.

Not now, please.

Short of funds?

We are flourishing.

Don't joke, Mischke.

These things are important.

Captain Dornberger, if you are in a position to contribute,

Oh, not exactly.

But I wonder whether Von Braun would be interested

in continuing his experiments

under the auspices of the Army.

You'll have laboratory facilities, test equipment,

- Captain, you seem to run a lovely Army.

I hope you can afford us.

We have expensive tastes.

Ready, Wernher?

Yes!

Open the valves!

Why does he risk it out there?

- He wants to observe the ignition.

A record for a static test.

- Looks innocent, doesn't he, Colonel Toftoy?

- Well, since I'm here only as United States Army observer,

I have one observation to make.

Nobody allocates that much manpower

and building materials to a project

unless it rates pretty high priority.

- What do you suspect, Major Drummond?

- There's been a lot of talk about weapons

with which Germany will conquer the world.

Mystery weapons.

Propaganda?

- It isn't propaganda, Major Hammel.

Anything definite?

- Unconfirmed, but persistent reports from the Dutch,

the Danish, and the Polish underground.

Now my government have asked for a word

of clarification on these mystery weapons.

I think the word is Peenemunde.

Anton.

Your nerves are terrible.

We all live on our nerves.

What can I do for you?

Nothing.

Unless you'd like to change your mind and marry me.

What's the matter with you these days?

Nothing.

Have I done something?

Is something wrong?

No, there's nothing wrong.

What time this evening?

- I'm afraid I can't manage this evening.

You don't like it, do you?

Neither do I.

Meeting in dark corners and creeping upstairs

so as not to wake the landlady,

you don't like it one bit.

Do you?

We are not the sort of people, you and me.

No, we're not.

Then why won't you marry me?

I can't, Anton.

I love you.

And you...

Well, at least you are,

you are fond of me, aren't you?

You know I am, Anton.

I beg your pardon.

20 minutes to go, Anton.

He's a very nice fellow, you know.

I do know.

I'm just being selfish.

You're a wonderful secretary

and I want you to stay in the family.

All right, go ahead.

You'll be late, Anton.

What time this evening?

Same time.

Are you sure?

Yes, I'm sure.

Ah, Reger.

Where's Dr. Von Braun?

He said he wouldn't be

in the observation post today, Colonel.

Excuse me.

- He thinks he has a better vantage point.

- I told him to stay off this roof.

I don't want Wernher taking any foolish risks.

Will you ask him to step down here?

It would be a big step.

- He's trying to use a high speed motion picture camera

to find out what goes wrong.

He's up in his plane.

Von Braun?

Yes sir?

- I want you to keep well out of range.

Do you hear, that's an order.

Yes, Colonel.

I'm not worried about you.

But the plane's government property.

If anything happens,

I'll send you back the pieces.

All right, gentlemen.

Let's try again.

Fire rocket.

She's off course!

It's out of control!

Destroy rocket.

- It's headed for Von Braun's plane.

Well, that's it.

The vapour trail shows a number of zig-zag lines

which grow in intensity

up to the moment of explosion.

The failure is structural.

Some sort of metal fatigue in the forward area

I should say.

- The quality of the steel we're getting

just isn't up to the job.

It wouldn't surprise me if it isn't thought a bit peculiar

that we don't have a closer contact

with the heads of the Party.

Look, I'm a scientist.

I couldn't care less about all this Party stuff.

Hitler or the man on the moon,

it's all the same to me.

Come to think of it, I'd prefer the man on the moon.

He's nearer my heart.

Are you implying that-

Oh don't be childish.

Oh, gentlemen, please.

- I'd think it over if I were you.

We need better quality raw material and more money.

And in my opinion, it's your attitude

to the people in control of these things

that's sabotaging our work here!

Stop this.

- That will be all, gentlemen, thank you.

Wernher.

Yes?

- We've been a long time without results.

At least in the eyes of the high command.

Your dream of space flight,

while they keep reminding me that in the third year

of the war, they want practical results.

They'll settle for a shorter range than the stars.

Like London, for instance.

But Colonel.

The bullet that can reach the stars

can also be fired across the room.

Get me that bullet, Wernher,

before they move in on us.

Himmler and the Party are always suspicious

of anything we in the Army do

and have a few people strategically placed among us.

Neumann, for one.

He would like the SS to take over me

and give him your job.

- Neumann, if he wouldn't be such a good engineer

I could really dislike him.

Well try, it doesn't hurt.

- Colonel, see to it you're still here

when I get back, hmm?

Maria looks lovely tonight.

- I know you'll say it has nothing to do with me

but I don't think she'll wait forever.

- My mother really believes I came all this way

because of her birthday.

Oh Wernher.

You make Karl tell us how he got all those medals.