What was it called?

Turns out there’s another planet Earth on the other side of the sun, with the same people and the same history etc, and they both send a mission to the other planet at the same time.. then the astronaut gets in trouble for supposedly turning back (except he didn’t, it’s the other guy) and then he loses his job, starts drinking, and being nasty to his wife (who’s actually the other guys wife) etc etc…

Did it have Lee Majors in it?

Doppelganger

And everythingis reversed?

Gerry Andersons ‘Journey to the far side of the sun’ (apparently was also called doppleganger’

Thankyou.

Does anyone else think it was specially made to be all dark and moody just because 2001 had recently come out?

Gerry Anderson produced move, Doppelganger

Does anyone else think it was specially made to be all dark and moody just because 2001 had recently come out?

Not necessarily – other British SF films of the 50s and 60s (e.g., Quatermass) were similar in tone. In fact I don’t think 2001 is particularly dark and moody… it’s actually quite trippy and optimistic (nice but unfathomable aliens are looking after us).

That was based on a short story I believe… It definitely rings a bell, but I have just read a collection of short stories (an anthology if you would) edited and compiled by Jim Baen, David Drake and Eric Flint.

Damn, now I’m going to have to find it again.