The price of fame is a cost no one can afford, not even the most famous men on the planet, or off it.

SYNOPSIS:

Late 1969, Neil Armstrong, ‘Buzz’ Aldrin, and Michael Collins are almost through their exhaustive world tour. The men who touched the face of God were just doing their job. They were pilots, they were astronauts, and their mission was to achieve mankind’s most famous adventure, to land on the moon. But now they’ve done that they face the hard part, standing in the spotlight. ‘Giant Leap’ is the story of the three ordinary men whose exploits had propelled them to a level of celebrity no other human had ever reached, and how they could never be able to cope with it. Armstrong in particular as the first man on the moon, is a reluctant American hero and struggles to accept the fame and adulation that has been thrust upon him. As the stresses and strains of their celebrity begin to take its toll, these three men must overcome these struggles to be the heroes the world wants them to be.

All three astronauts are simple men, and none of them have any idea how to deal with the burden of their historic voyage. Neil Armstrong is a reluctant hero. As the ‘First Man’ he is the face of the mission and people look to him for answers, but he has none to offer. Buzz Aldrin is left empty following the mission. Having trained and prepared for so long, now it’s over his life lacks a new purpose, and struggling to find purpose in the public eye as being the ‘second man’, a fact that eats away at him, takes its toll on his mental health. Given he didn’t land on the moon, Michael Collins is typecast as ‘the other one’ of the mission, and is given a lower profile than his colleagues. But as a result, the notion of him being ‘alone’ plays on his mind, not so much during the mission when he was alone in the command module, but the guilty thoughts that had the mission failed, he would have been the face, the famous one, as the only one to have made it home.

Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins suit up and prepare to leave the LRL (Lunar Receiving Laboratory). Their period of quarantine is over. Over breakfast, and some of the last of Neil Armstrong’s birthday cake, they muse over what they think is next in store for them. The astronauts leave quarantine to a rapturous welcome back. As they emerge crowds have gathered to applaud and see them in the flesh.

At a presidential state banquet, the astronauts are informed of Nixon’s intention to dispatch them on a world tour so as to promote space exploration, and ensure diplomatic harmony with nations by allowing to share in America’s lunar success. The astronauts are now PR machines, and they must be ready for their new role.

All three men are hounded by press prior to leaving for the tour. Armstrong tries to get some rest in his garden when three Japanese journalists attempt to climb over his garden wall, in search of a story or photos. Meanwhile Buzz is hounded by Italian reporters as he and his wife go suit shopping. A mini car-chase ensues as they attempt to lose the paparazzi. Michael Collins experiences a similar problem. The three men’s experiences of dealing with the fanatical press make them realise just how sought after they have become. Their celebrity status is a rude awakening to their new lives, and the world tour has the potential to make life impossible, let alone unbearable. They each deliberate over whether this is genuinely something they can accept. Armstrong is especially hesitant, as the First Man, he is not ready for the burden that brings, and is keen to avoid the tour altogether, preferring to go back to NASA, or find a new job. But the choice is not his.

The astronauts assemble at Johnson Space Centre, ready to begin the tour. They’re collected by Air Force Two and set off around the world. First stop: Mexico City. Aware that they’re going to have to make speeches, the astronauts’ press team suggest that Armstrong, as the First Man, and as the mission commander, be a sort of nominal spokesman, taking the lead in interviews and generally speaking first. The other two astronauts agree, though there is a faint trace of resentment from Aldrin.

The astronauts’ arrival Mexico City is a baptism of fire. Enormous crowds come out to welcome them. It is overwhelming for all of them. They’re shunted from one event to another, all of it passing in a blur of handshakes and motorcades. Their onward journeys follow much the same, and the longer it goes on, the more it takes its toll. In Bogota, Aldrin is prescribed anti-depressants, and by London, all three are battling illness. Armstrong in particular is suffering from laryngitis.

The tour party have three days to rest in Rome, but still have functions like meeting the Pope. Armstrong tries to recover from his illness, Aldrin uses the pause to take stock of the tour and his life up to now, his conclusions only serve to spiral him into a deeper depression. Michael Collins, being born in Rome, takes some time alone in the city when for once, he is the centre of attention, he finds it’s too much for him, he can’t help but feel a sense of guilt, that this is the attention he’d have received had the mission failed and he was the only one to make it back alive.

Buzz’s depression is beginning to strain his relationship with his wife, Joan. Buzz is surly and withdrawn when the tour party all go out to dinner in Rome, and afterwards he goes out drinking alone, not returning until dawn. He and Joan have a blazing argument. With their marriage seemingly on the rocks and both Armstrong and Collins noticing a distinct decline in Buzz’s state, the tour moves on.

The astronauts arrive in Kinshasa, Zaire. The crowds, in their excitement, are wild and over-zealous. The astronauts are alarmed as individuals attempt to climb into their car to be near them. The police use large whips to beat people who get too close, though this creates a frenzy. For Neil, the sight of seeing people whipped just because they want to see him is too much.

At a ball at the Presidential Palace, Buzz surprises everyone by spontaneously getting up and jumping the guardrail to dance with Miss Congo, cutting in on her escort whom she was previously dancing with. Everyone is taken aback by this sudden act, and predictably it makes the papers. The next day, the press team advise Buzz against such acts, suggesting it may come across as insensitive when they’re supposed to be being diplomatic. Buzz retorts that it doesn’t matter, suggesting people ought to see their heroes as ordinary humans. But this doesn’t wash. Neil similarly takes time to admonish Buzz for his actions, but Buzz argues back that it doesn’t matter what he does, it’s Neil who’s the main attraction, the ‘First Man’. Buzz’s resentments come to the surface in his frustration, believing he should have been the first one to set foot on the moon. Collins tries to play intermediary but Buzz refuses to listen. He storms off. This combined with the whippings the day before weigh heavily on Neil. He confesses to his wife, Janet, that when he’s back from the tour, he intends to quietly disappear in the hope that the world will forget him. Janet tells him that as much as he wants it, he can never have his anonymous life back. He left that life on the Moon. One way or another, he must find a way of accepting his new life, and she suggests that the best way to do that is to give the world the Neil Armstrong she knows: the pilot, the quiet, decent man who was given an extraordinary opportunity.

After their longest flight, the astronauts finally return to the United States, arriving back in Washington. As guests of President Nixon at the White House, a ceremony is held in the astronauts’ honour. To all three, it is just another event they have to get through, the magic has long since evaporated. During the ceremony, they all mull, once again, on what they will do next. Having seen the true scale of what their achievements have brought them, they all have to work out how they will deal with it. Armstrong returns to NASA, and is bombarded with fan mail. Remembering what his wife told him, alongside his work for NASA, he makes a point of signing every letter, and not just signing, but answering back. His secretary assures him just a signature is sufficient, but Armstrong politely insists that it’s not, anyone can forge a signature, but not everyone can be Neil Armstrong. Buzz Aldrin meanwhile continues to suffer with his bouts of depression, his alcoholism becomes more and more of a crutch to get him through the days. Michael Collins decides he needs a fresh start to detach himself from the pressure of being a celebrity, in order to escape Apollo 11, and taking the advice of President Nixon, agrees to a post as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs. He also starts to write about his experiences, he begins to write his book. Overall each man deals with their fame differently, for good or for bad. Armstrong in particular wholly embodies the mantra of being a reluctant American hero.

In the end, on December 28th, 1969. Neil Armstrong, having barely returned from his tour, joins Bob Hope on stage in Vietnam, as part of Hope’s 1969 United Services Organisations tour for the troops. Armstrong receives a roaring ovation and is congratulated by Hope, who rouses the 20,000 crowd for him. Hope’s charismatic stage presence is a total contrast to Armstrong’s modest, quiet personality. Armstrong is cheered as he leaves the stage and Bob Hope continues with the show. As other stars watch from the wings and congratulate him, Neil slips out the back and stands alone outside. He looks up at the night sky and stares at the moon.

GIANT LEAP