Kenneth More as William Blood is a man who seems immune to all known diseases, displaying an extraordinary resistance to heat and cold. He attributes this remarkable stamina to his carefree, single life and his habit of avoiding commitments, a mindset that keeps him steady while he works with medical researchers chasing cures for a range of ailments, notably the common cold and seasickness. Blood’s uncanny resilience makes him a curious asset for scientists who hope to test the limits of human endurance.
Blood is recruited for a mission by Michael Hordern as Dr. Davidson to become the passenger on a high-altitude test flight, but the real objective is far more ambitious: he is groomed to be the first man to land on the Moon. The project leaders keep the truth from him because of the extreme danger and because they consider him expendable. He begins training alongside three other potential astronauts, including Charles Gray as Leo, a talent who is polished and competent but lacks Blood’s unusual immunity. The contrast between Blood and the other trainees is striking; Blood never quite fits in with the group, and the looming prize of a £100,000 reward casts a long shadow over their camaraderie and competition.
As Blood’s path toward the Moon presses on, he encounters Polly, an attractive stripper whose presence begins to loosen the walls around his immune defences. Polly becomes a powerful lure, and the relationship starts to take a toll on Blood’s invulnerability. Polly is a catalyst for Blood’s longing for a normal life, a life that he hopes could be shared with her once he returns. The allure of a future home with Polly nudges Blood to push through the rigorous training, even as the pressure to outpace his rivals intensifies.
Jealousy blooms among the rivals, especially with Leo, who grows dangerously resentful and attempts to derail Blood’s progress. The situation grows even more devious when the scientists uncover Leo’s treachery and respond with a drastic intervention: a sensory deprivation chamber that brainwashes him, convincing Leo that he is Blood’s loyal friend. The manipulation runs deep, revealing how far the team will go to secure the mission’s success and how fragile loyalty can become under pressure.
In a dramatic turn, Polly is swept away by a river and appears to be in peril. Leo intervenes to save her, but he deliberately allows Blood to claim the credit for the rescue, further complicating Blood’s already fragile sense of self and achievement. The tension between truth and reputation threads through every step of the training and the mission, shaping Blood’s decisions and the way he is perceived by those around him.
The mission culminates with the launch from the Woomera rocket base, and Blood’s name is celebrated as if the ascent were flawless. Three days after launch, he steps out of his capsule, thinking he has reached the Moon’s surface. His exploration is interrupted when he initially believes he has encountered an extraterrestrial being, only to discover a mundane object—a used baked beans can. The harsh reality dawns: his capsule had ejected prematurely, and Blood has landed in the Australian outback near Woomera. The supposed “alien” turns out to be a uranium prospector, a stark reminder of the gap between intention and outcome.
Returning to England, Blood and Polly participate in a social test about family planning. The scene closes with a small, practical indication of their hopes: three cots by their bed confirm that the test has been successful, signaling a future that contrasts with the grandiose dream of lunar conquest. The tale leaves Blood with a sense of reconciliation between his extraordinary biology and the ordinary realities of life, illustrating how triumph can arrive in unexpected ways.
> back to the drawing board
