The Reluctant Astronaut (1967)

(spoilers) Roy works at a carnival entertaining kids on a simulated space ride; his father wants him to be an astronaut and sends an application for him to NASA. He receives a reply, but they misunderstand it, not realizing he was accepted for a job as janitor. The whole town thinks he is in a training program for astronauts, and he goes along with the lie while he can. It so happens that Russia is sending a layperson to space to prove that their automated spacecraft is capable of flying unattended; the U.S. does not want to lag behind its main competitor.

Space comedy. Its plot ideas are very conventional and formulaic, but it is passably well done and manages to entertain mildy. 

Rating: 43