Space is something that has captivated men for eons. In the 20th century, with new technology being invented and science taking a turn toward the cosmos, the human infatuation with space expanded. Along with this, a new group of heroes found their way onto our screens and into print – astronauts.
These space cowboys, as they became known, would find themselves being looked up to by kids, and that means that Hollywood would soon be making films about these men and eventually women. Maybe one of the most popular and iconic is the 2000 film Space Cowboys, starring Clint Eastwood and an all-star cast. This cast also included big names like James Garner, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, and Marcia Gay Harden.
Directed by one of its stars, Clint Eastwood, the film follows a band of pilots who, in the early beginnings of the space program, found themselves being replaced by chimpanzees. Fast forward several decades and this band of pilots are called to service. A satellite is deteriorating, and only they can fix it before it finds its way into the Earth’s atmosphere.
This film has some of the most well-known quotes when it comes to space films. These quotes are cited by movie buffs and casual moviegoers the world over. Here is a great list of some of the most memorable Space Cowboy quote and conversation interactions that will have you laughing, scratching your head, and thinking deeply.
Space Quotes by Space Cowboys
“I’m an engineer! I stopped running when Nixon was president!”
Jerry O’Neill (Donald Sutherland)
“I can’t fill up a space shuttle with geriatrics!”
AuthBob Bob Gerson (James Cromwell)
“You know what the worst day of my life was? The day Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. I was probably the only person in America who wanted to commit suicide that day.”
“Clock’s ticking, Bob. And I’m only getting older.”
“Well, what do you say, Reverend? You think a prayer’s in order?”
“Yeah? Well, I’ve got MediCare; go ahead and shoot your best shot!”
Frank Corvin (Clint Eastwood)
“I have never met a kid who didn’t dream of being an astronaut when he grew up.”
Sara Holland (Marcia Gay Harden)
“Well, thanks a lot, Frank. We haven’t spoken in twelve years, and that’s basically been the big question on my mind, what could make you commit…”
“What is a pancreas, anyhow? I mean, I don’t know what the damn thing does for you, besides give you cancer.”
“Did you ever meet a kid who didn’t grow up?”
Hawk Hawkins (Tommy Lee Jones)
“I was just reciting the Shepard’s Prayer. Alan Shepard’s prayer. Please, God, don’t let us screw up. Amen.”
Tank Sullivan (James Garner)
“I’ll put you in the hospital, old man.”
Tiny, Bar Bounce
“Would you like me to read the instructions to you again?”
Barbara Corvin (Barbara Babcock)
“Let me tell you something, my dear. Those instructions were written by a fellow in Japan when they made this damn thing. They were probably translated by some gringo who was an expatriate American that couldn’t get a job in this country. And then the Japanese guy probably translated him just to double-check on him. You don’t need these instructions. Not at all. Tear them up.”
Frank Corvin (Clint Eastwood)
orbit doing rock and roll sign” class=”wp-image-88617″/>“Francis D. Corvin”
Bob Gerson (James Cromwell)
“Is he dead?”
Sara Holland (Marcia Gay Harden
“Only if I’m lucky.”
Bob Gerson
“Have you noticed how everybody seems to be dead lately?”
Hawk Hawkins (Tommy Lee Jones)
“What are you doing here?”
Hawk Hawkins (Tommy Lee Jones)
“Keeping a promise I made years ago.”
Frank Corvin (Clint Eastwood)
“Was that the promise you made to kill me or the promise you made to have both my legs broke?”
Hawk Hawkins
“Space will never be the same.”
Gene Davis (William Devane)
“Hawk, this isn’t a stripped-down show plane. You’ve got to do it their way.”
Frank Corvin (Clint Eastwood)
“I don’t need a damn computer to tell me how to land an aircraft.”
Hawkins (Tommy Lee Jones)
“It’s not an aircraft, Colonel. It’s a flying brick, and you’ve got to use the computer’s protocols.”
Roger Hines (Courtney B. Vance)
Who Are the Authors of the Listed Quotes
These ionic quotes were written by a team of very talented writers – Ken Kaufman and Howard Klausner. Ken Kaufman started in the 1990s writing films like Muppets From Space and has continued writing hit films. The most recent being Curious George.
This film was the first big project of his partner, Howard Klausner. After the film hit it big, he continued writing wonderful screenplays. Though the words were terrific, they would not have been the same without actors like Clint Eastwood, James Garner, and Courtney B. Vance uttering them. It was the actors of the film that truly authored these iconic quotes. By putting their own unique take on each of them, they created memorable moments that will stand the test of time.
Wrap Up
We have all had our dreams dashed at some point in our lives. So it is easy to sympathize with the pilots of this film wanting to take their opportunity when it comes around. Cowboys were men in the old west that lived life on their own terms and roamed the world, exploring territories that were not explored yet.
In a way, astronauts do the same thing, which is why they also became known as space cowboys. The camaraderie and real-life interaction of these space cowboys are why this film has remained in the minds of everyone that has seen the film. This is why the quotes live on.
Though the luster of the space program has waned a bit, there are still kids out there that dream of touching the stars someday. Because of this, Space Cowboys, the 2000 hit space movie, is still among one of the best movies ever made.