Lee J. Cobb was a brilliant actor. On Broadway, he scored a HUGE success in the late 1940s playing the lead in "Death of a Salesman" and played many great supporting roles in films--such as in "12 Angry Men". Because he was such a fine actor, I was taken aback when I watched "Test Flight", as he was the weakest link in an otherwise excellent episode of "Tales of Tomorrow". I am pretty sure that this show was aired lived (very common in 1951)--especially as many episodes had slight miscues from the actors that would have been re-shot had they been filmed first. Had this show been filmed first, I am sure Cobb would have been a lot better. But the sad fact is that when the show began, it seemed like he had no idea what he was saying or why. Now it got much better--but the first couple minutes were just embarrassing to watch. Also, while a much smaller problem , the organ music was also very poor and distracting.
Cobb plays a megalomaniac head of a corporation. He's decided, on his own, to build a spaceship to go to Mars! The problem is that as the CEO, he's also decided to use the corporation's money to fund this insanely expensive program. Throughout the show, board members vow to stop him from destroying the company, but Cobb is not to be swayed. And, with the help of a scientist to had created new engines capable of the trip, it looks like the nutty plan MIGHT work. But there, of course, is a hitch! The show has a nice plot and a great twist at the end. So, look past Cobb's mistakes and you'll enjoy a fine early sci-fi anthology episode--one that makes nice use of cheap props and a simple idea.