Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Star Power Hollywood’s Treatment Of Harrowing Apollo 13 Story Gives Jim Lovell’s Book A Rocket Boost

Jeff Guinn Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Back home in Texas, Jim Lovell is a “reasonably” happy man.

It has been almost four weeks since the release of “Apollo 13,” a cinematic re-enactment of the heroics of Lovell and two crewmates as they overcame in-space disaster to get back to Earth safely. Lovell is pleased by the movie’s box office success, and said it comes as something of a surprise.

“I never expected the film to do so well at all,” he said from his secluded home near Marble Falls. “It came as a windfall after the book. I thought the book got the story right, that it all rang true. But the book never got going like I’d thought it would, as far as ‘The New York Times’ bestseller list or anything.”

The movie “Apollo 13” is based on “Lost Moon,” co-authored by Lovell, who commanded the ill-fated moon mission in 1970, and Jeffrey Kluger. The book, written in matter-of-fact third person, was published last summer to first-rate reviews and lukewarm public response.

But producer Ron Howard loved “Lost Moon,” signed Tom Hanks to star as Lovell in his film, and hired the real-life Lovell as a technical adviser. The public has loved the result, and Lovell counts himself as pleased with it, although he has some specific nits to pick.

“The movie is very authentic, but they did use some … I guess you’d call it ‘artistic license,’ when they felt they had to,” said Lovell, noting that the movie exaggerated a confrontation scene between fellow astronauts Fred Haise and Jack Swigert.

“They built up our lack of sleep, the coldness,” he said. “And there was a party scene at the beginning that was fabricated, but they explained they had to do that to introduce the characters, so that’s all right.”

But the Hollywood insertion that bothers Lovell and Haise most (Swigert died of cancer in 1982 after being elected to Congress, but before he could take office) is what they consider gratuitous use of obscene language.

“I’ve talked to Fred about this, and of course he knows this as well as I do,” Lovell said. “The filmmakers used freedom of speech, and the language is, I suppose, why the movie is rated PG. But we never used those words. To be certain, Fred went back and went through the entire air-to-ground transcripts from the mission. He couldn’t find one instance of swearing.”

Even as Hanks makes him a larger-than-life screen idol, Lovell said he’s just glad to get home after months on the interview circuit and some time spent at the second home he and his wife, Marilyn, maintain in Chicago.

“We love Texas, but my wife has family in Chicago, and her idea was that it gets so hot in Texas during the summer that it would be good to go north during that time,” Lovell said with a laugh. “Well, the temperatures in Chicago lately! It’s cooler down here.”

The 64-year-old Lovell’s professional plans are limited.

“With the movie done, I’d sort of like to just retire,” he said. “I’d like maybe to help my sons in business more, and keep busy otherwise trying to get away from everything. Oh, I’ll be doing some work. My main occupation other than my family will be giving talks on the space program. It can’t be forgotten, can’t be eliminated in the future.”

Lovell knows the “Apollo 13” film has ensured his name will remain in the public consciousness. But an unexpected bonus of his newfound notoriety is a sudden sales surge of “Lost Moon,” now cannily retitled “Apollo 13” as well.

“The movie has really inspired book sales,” said Lovell, chuckling. “The paperback is the bestselling in the country, and now they’re going to reissue the hardcover.

“I got a bestseller after all.”