Because I am wondering how they could use the names of the actual wives and astronauts.
shareYes. And why couldn't they? It is based on a book of the same name. Plenty of shows and movies about real people use their real names.
It ain't the Ganges, but you go with what you got." ~ Ken Talley, "The Fifth of July"
Are you serious or just dumb? Of course this based on true events with real people so why couldn't they use their names?
shareOf course I am NOT dumb, I know the space related storyline is true. I was wondering about portraying every astronaut as a cheater and every wife as a bitch. I would imagine the families of the astronauts would have some objection as to how their parents or grandparents were shown, even if it were true.
shareI's sure it has been dramatized as far as the infidelities have been portrayed but I am also sure some of that did happen to the real individuals. While it is based on real people and real events not all is 100% accurate.
Have you ever seen "The Right Stuff"? It was an excellent movie made in the 1980s about the space program which also delved into the personal lives of the astronauts and their I families.
First of all, they have not portrayed EVERY astronaut as a cheater. Second, the mini-series is based on a book. I do not know how accurate the book is or what sources the author used so it may be complete hogwash. Regardless between certain inaccuracies in the book and artistic license in the series, there is bound to be a lot of space between this show and reality. However, all public figures run the risk of having their lives inaccurately portrayed.
WE GOT MOVIE SIIIIIGN!
Since they didn't portray every astronaut as a cheater and I'd say none of the wives was a bitch. Did we watch the same show?
It ain't the Ganges, but you go with what you got." ~ Ken Talley, "The Fifth of July"
Using real names is disgusting. How have they not been sued.
share[deleted]
You're trolling, right?
Of the seven astronauts, only John Glenn, who was the oldest, is still living; he went on to become a U.S. senator. Gus Grissom died in 1967, in the Apollo 1 fire. The others all survived past retirement from service.
If anyone of the wives didn't sue when the book came out, why would they sue now?
Presumably you have seen or heard of other movies or TV shows that have portrayed real, historical people.
It ain't the Ganges, but you go with what you got." ~ Ken Talley, "The Fifth of July"
They didnt portray all the men as cheating. the only ones we saw cheating where Trudys husband and Louise. yes the other men attended the party but Marges husband and Bettys seemed very happy to see their wives. Rene and annies where happy when they interacted with them in the next day and we didnt see Jos husband
Just because all the men where present at the parties didnt mean they all cheated,. it just meant they all unwound at the end of the day
If you read The Right Stuff, the cheating/drinking/carousing was pretty widespread. John Glenn was a pretty straight arrow, which annoyed everyone even more.
shareI think the OP intended to question if this a fictionalized version of the real events
If so, do they cross a line by depicting slanderous activities,
I like historical stories that keep the truth the truth and use fictional characters if they want to be creative.
I was born in the house my father built
One factor that gives them more leeway is that a fair number of the real people are now dead. Of the original 7 astronauts, only John Glenn is still living. I'm sure more of the wives are alive, but given that the show is angled from the wives' perspective they're probably going to be generally happy with what we see (some may have outright consented in advance, for a little money).
shareThe Internet informs me that only three of the wives are still alive: Glenn, Carpenter and Grissom. Perhaps only coincidence that those three seem to be generally shown in a positive light.
shareBased on true events? of course not. Haven't you heard the whole flying in space thing was just government propaganda. It never really happened.
shareOh dear Lord our educational system is really that bad huh? Wow!
shareComing back around to the more general point:
Dramatic (i.e. non-documentary) movies based on real people and events should (with rare exceptions) be classified as historical fiction, in that they necessarily include made-up dialog and details. In this case, the book the show is based on is categorized (presumably the by the author) as a novel, rather than non-fiction.
So it's reasonable that - as in historical fiction generally - there is some license to the details, within a framework of actual historical characters and events. Legally, it's a lot safer to take such license with characters who are dead, which most of the characters on the show are by now.
One pretty minor example of a bit of license: the Shepard family. The oldest daughter should be a teenager in 1961, which she's obviously not on the show. Also, there should be a third girl as (I think) Louise's niece lived with them by then. Perhaps the two girls are supposed to be the daughter and niece, but then the older daughter is mysteriously absent from the biggest event in her life and every other scene on the show.
This is a big difference between being based on true events and actually being historically accurate. There is a lot of creative leeway between based on and actual true events.
shareYes, this is based on true events. All the astronauts and their wives were public figures and the subject of news stories, thus their real names can be used (just as if you're in a traffic accident and the local newspaper prints your name...) The movie "The Right Stuff" and the miniseries "From The Earth To The Moon" (which covered the Gemini and Apollo missions also) cover much of the same stories.
shareWell .. since 10 of the 14 are dead, whether they're public figures is pretty much irrelevant anyway.
The problem that often arises in real-life-based movies is that you almost always need to include stuff that's not verifiably true. For example, there are no transcripts of Louise Shepard's private conversations with Alan. The problem goes away if to the extent (a) the subjects are dead (with some minor continuing concerns not really relevant here), (b) you sign them up by paying for the rights to their book or whatever, or (c) there's nothing defamatory in what you make up. It's also reduced to the extent they're public figures.
The still-living, out of the original 7+7, are both Glenns, Mrs. Carpenter and Mrs. Grissom. So far, it would be awfully hard to consider anything we've seen of those four as remotely defamatory. John Glenn, of course, is a very public figure. The public figure status of the wives is more limited.