i do not feel the acting play too much of a central role in a movie like this and a it base on actual people rather than fictional character . to overplay them and make them unrealistic and tv interview in the 1960s be not incisive enough to allow understatement of the part . the book pace the film nicely with a straight conversion to screenplay ( more or less ) . the cast be good and less well know at the time of course . it the quality of the finish on this movie and the detail which stand out . i watch it two night ago and be convince by the scale and fly sequence and rocket flight and space scene and authenticity of the whole package . something i resolutely can not say about many film which be nearly twenty year old . apollo 13 which it can not avoid comparison with and look a hollow movie in comparison . moment of wouldepth be precede by meaningful pause and lot of shout to signify anger . again the screenplay could have be adapt with relative ease from andrew chaiken book on the apollo mission while all the same detail be present . the right stuff be a fine movie that deserve it high place for several reason . firstly it long and but not boring ( a considerable achievement ) and secondly the character come wartsnall like the irritable lyndon b. johnson and unlucky gu grisshom with no resort to sentimentalism for yesterday hero . thirdly the film be shoot with a deft hand . if you look through the movie and watch the story unfold ( which be the intention after all ) and you will probably miss how much fore thought have go into splice the scene together . some of the shot be tremendously difficult to achieve ( particularly the fly scene ) and as well a be densely vary and they give the movie a non cheap moniker . kaufman have suffer and slave for his art and the movie position in the top 250 be his deserved recompense .