Top Gun (1955) User Reviews

Gravitas, if not charm, in a well-made B film

[oparthenon · 6/10 · 10 July 2018]

For a B Western, Top Gun provides top entertainment and makes a more-than-adequate contribution to its genre.

The initial conflict uses the basic premise of the Western: lone male figure, having been subjected to privation and now alone and searching for spiritual peace, finds the ultimate show-down when confronted with evil, which he tries to set right -- despite the all-powerful forces of law and nature which try to stop him. The situation -- that a top gunman is revisiting his home town to warn the citizens of a raid by the very gang he used to belong to -- is set up quickly and convincingly, even uniquely -- in a graveyard. The ensemble cast of veteran actors works well to create the tension necessary to convey a well-crafted and believable script. Sterling Hayden exudes gravitas, if not exactly charm, and his masculine presence is undeniable, nearly coming off the screen, as it does in all his films. The sets are well-constructed, and the camera work is consistent and well-planned, if not exactly subtle. The script even provides a few memorable one-liners, as when John Dehner (the heavy) gleefully tells Sterling Hayden, "Rick, you ole catamount, may you live until I kill you."

For Western fans, a gem; for Sterling Hayden fans, a treat (as the camera lingers on both his lumbering body and his rugged face for much of the film); and for cinephiles, a well-worth it adventure.

Western with credible supporting characters

[drystyx · 6/10 · 26 September 2015]

This fairly typical formula Western of "Town not trusting a gun man", in this case a gun man who has a history with the town.

Sterling Hayden is the stone faced lead, and that's not unusual. In many cases, it is a stone faced lead who goes through the motions, surrounded by more likable characters. Here, the supporting characters aren't "likable", but are credible.

What I like best about this Western is the "bad guys". They are dirty, unshaven, sloppy, and imperfect even at mayhem. Quite believable. It is this group of ravaging skunks, flea bitten mongrels, that makes this Western superior to the modern idiotic spaghetti garbage in which the bad guys are demi gods.

The townspeople are credible once one gets past the few stereotypes, like the uppity young gun. Ironically, this most ridiculous cliché has one of the biggest names of the movie portraying him (Rod Taylor).

Just a few more assets than detriments make this a decent Western.

"I didn't come back to this town. I came back to a memory."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 29 September 2012]

This movie doesn't get much respect from the other reviewers on this board, but if you watched it back to back on the Encore Western Channel following 1960's "Gun Fight" like I just did, you'd think it was a pretty good Western. What made it for me was seeing John Dehner in his role as a greasy, bearded gang leader intent on looting the town of Casper, Wyoming. Man, that was some make up job on Dehner, he looked tougher in this role than any other I've seen him in. Trouble is, he was pretty inept when you come right down to it. He lost what, about fifteen men in the raid on the town? Makes you wonder how he ever made it that far as a career outlaw. He didn't make one right call, especially after having half of his gang taken out right at the entrance of town. Oh well.

For his part, Sterling Hayden's a pretty laid back gunslinger as he investigates the circumstances of his mother's death and the sale of her ranch to town big-wig Canby Judd (William Bishop). There's always some nitwit cowpoke gunning for the fastest draw in the territory, and this time it's Rod Taylor's turn to get his due from Rick Martin's (Hayden) fast gun.

I had to scratch my head over that phony mortgage business though, that deal whereby Judd hoodwinked Martin's mother into selling her ranch to him. It was explained that she signed a bill of sale that was somehow covered over by a mortgage note in a latter day cut and paste job. I realize the 1880's was a simpler time, but really, how does something like that work? I guess if you're not paying close attention to the picture this would blow right by you, but as you can see, I'm still thinking about it.

Well we've seen it before in picture's like "High Noon", a woman saves the day at the end of the story by getting the drop on the bad guy after coming to her senses. Martin made the right call by going after Quentin (Dehner) even with a gun pointed at his back. You just knew that somewhere off screen, Miss Mead (Karen Booth) was getting ready to break off the engagement to her slimy fiancée. Nice shooting there Laura.

Fairly good forgettable western

[searchanddestroy-1 · 30 July 2023]

Thanks to Sterling Hayden, this Ray Nazarro movie is above average for a B western, but again, as I have said many times before in my reviews, no surprise here. It is tense, taut, gritty, and saved by Sterling Hayden's performance, never wooden, never lame, only the eternal Sterling Hayden, as we love him so much. Yes, a good western from a Lesley Selander like western director. It also looks like a Sidney Salkow film in the directing and overall atmosphere. After all, the latest also directed Sterling Hayden in westerns: IRON SHERIFF, GOLDEN HAWK - though not western. So don't miss it please. It is really worth.

Sort of like a re-working of "High Noon"

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 2 December 2015]

This film is a low-budgeted re-working of the classic film "High Noon". Instead of the hero being the sheriff, however, Rick Martin's a gunman who is thoroughly hated by his old home town and he returns to try to save them from a band of sociopaths headed their way. At first, they are very hostile towards Martin and make his stay short and nasty--and refuse his offer of help. But when the gang approaches, the town shows itself to be gutless again and again...and folks somehow think Martin is going to help them regardless of his reception.

This film would have been a lot better had it not been so much like "High Noon". It's not a remake but coming just a few years after, you cannot help but make the comparison...and in every way it comes up a bit short. A decent time-passer made a bit better by Hayden's strong performance.

Ever so slightly above average oater

[JohnSeal · 6/10 · 3 May 2006]

A first rate cast lends this brisk 73 minute western a bit more weight than it perhaps deserves, but the story is engaging enough. The always reliable Sterling Hayden is fine as Rick Martin, a cowpoke with a troubled past who returns to his home town just in time to save it from the marauding gang of villain Tom Quentin (John Dehner, who is excellent). Most of the townsfolk are a cowardly lot, with only a handful of manly men (including James Milligan and Regis Toomey) willing to strap on their holster and defend the old homestead. Even worse, conniving landowner Canby Judd (William Bishop) has his beady eyes set on winning the hand of Martin's old flame Laura (Karen Booth). Add in some surprisingly adept cinematography from Lester White, and the end result is a very enjoyable second feature.

Good movie, predictable, hokey

[sowestluv · 7/10 · 7 January 2010]

I liked Top Gun. It held my interest. Predictable plot, decent character development and story line. It is pretty similar to High Noon in that the town people appear weak and scared to stand up to a villain. This movie has some quality actors who really did not get a chance to share all of their talents. Also some of the actors did not receive credit for their roles. Denver Pyle was a good looking man in his younger days. John Dehner, Rod Taylor are outstanding in their roles. Sterling Hayden did the best that he could with poor material. It is hard to imagine him as a gunslinger. Laura, played by Karen Booth, was a nauseating character. She seemed flattered that two men may have been fighting over her. Ugh. Finally, How can people travel without luggage? Especially women.

To live by the gun to die by the gun.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 15 November 2018]

Top Gun is directed by Ray Nazarro and written by Steve Fisher and Richard Schayer. It stars Sterling Hayden, William Bishop, Karin Booth, James Millican, Regis Toomey, John Dehner, Rod Taylor and Hugh Sanders. Music is by Irving Gertz and cinematography by Lester White.

Rick Martin (Hayden) is a notorious gunman who returns home to Casper, Wyoming, to tell of an imminent invasion by a gang of outlaws. But his reputation and vested interests see the town want rid of Rick quickly - something they may regret should they get their wish...

"You've been listening to a slippery tongued fella can make a lie stand up and take a bow"

Top Gun is no hidden treasure, neither for fans of 1950s American Westerns or of the under valued Sterling Hayden, you wouldn't be staking your life on this one knocking anyone's socks off. However, there is good cause to put it forward for a look see to both parties, for Hayden dose his imposing presence act and under the stewardship of the trusty Nazarro we get a meaty traditional genre piece of the era.

Front and centre is the anti-hero axis, where although his past deeds are unpalatable, the fact the townsfolk are in the main worm like, with chief heel duty falling to Bishop's Canby Judd, Rick is a man to root for. Loose canon role falls to a youthful smirking Taylor, making a good mark, and Dehner (wonderfully scuzzy) fronts up the villainous outlaws coming to sack the town of Casper.

Action is healthy in quota, the stunt men and sharp shooters earning their respective keep, while the look and aural technicalities are appealing when considering the budgetary restraints. Familiar traits such as a love triangle and the finale face off between good and bad does not a fresh film make, but the script packs some smart dialogue which in turn gives Dehner, Hayden and Millican room to hold court.

Good stuff for the genre faithful to sample. 7/10

Sterling Hayden in brisk, low-budget western...

[Doylenf · 5/10 · 14 May 2007]

Western fans who like their stories brisk and to the point, should find enough reason to like this mildly interesting western with STERLING HAYDEN as a gunslinger who returns to his hometown after a prison stay and runs into trouble again when he finds corruption rampant and the town's citizens all have him wrongly responsible for a series of murders.

KAREN BOOTH is the love interest and she gets to play a crucial role toward the climax when she saves Hayden from a gunman's bullet. WILLIAM BISHOP is a corrupt landowner who had something to do with the death of Hayden's mom and becomes his staunch adversary throughout the plot.

The opening credits fail to mention ROD TAYLOR who plays a town bully interested in provoking Hayden into a gunfight. He makes a convincing braggart with hardly a trace of his Austrlian accent showing. But the real villain of the piece is JOHN DEHNER as the head of an outlaw gang that Sterling Hayden tries to warn the villagers about.

It's a decent enough western with a theme similar to HIGH NOON in that the town's sheriff has trouble rounding up a posse to take care of the invading outlaws.

Summing up: All of the principal players do a decent enough job but it's more or less a standard western with some conniving characters getting their comeuppance in time for Hayden and Booth to ride off into the sunset.

Sterling Hayden excellent as ever

[jromanbaker · 6/10 · 9 May 2022]

I have no idea how he did it, but whatever film he was in Sterling Hayden added quality to it. He does so here in what could have been a mediocre film, but he gently rises it above that category, along with Karin Booth who is his love interest. The story is simple; a ruthless gang want to take over the town ( the very poor sets did not make it worthwhile, but then I do not think a lot of money was given to this film ) and Sterling Hayden makes sure that justice is done. There is a good subplot concerning his dead mother which is woven into this 70 odd minutes, and disliked as a ' top gun ' Hayden is, despite his bravery, not welcomed at first into returning to the town. This is where his mother's death is cleverly added on to the suspense. I like the film. It is in many ways well directed, but still falls heavily into the B-category of Western, due to the sets and a few stereotyped minor roles, poorly acted. But worth seeing for Sterling's magic at not ' acting ' at all, and yet giving a performance that stands alongside his other, better films. A final mention again for Karin Booth whose performance was, in my opinion, excellent.

awful western, surprisingly bad in all aspects

[chipe · 5/10 · 16 April 2006]

An awful western. The trite screenplay and minimal sets are especially bad. That it has a top notch cast makes it particularly laughable, and the acting was surprisingly poor; maybe the cast members were sickened by the embarrassing script and direction. Big disappointment as I am a big Westerns fan.

To give one example of how lame the movie is, I mention this laughable "gem:" the hero (Hayden) tries to gain the confidence of the leader of the outlaws (Dehner) by offering to tell him where $50,000 in money is hidden in the town they just shot-up. Dehner seriously replies: we're so bad there is no town we can go to spend it! Hayden then has to tell him of a wide open town. Good grief!

Karin Booth shined though. Very beautiful woman.

I'm surprised that the TV Guide and MSN movie web sites gave it relatively high ratings (2-1/2 of 4 stars; and 3 of 5 stars). I wonder if they really saw the movie they reviewed. (The MSN site incorrectly said that the Booth character was married to the main bad guy. Not so, just engaged.)

A true classic

[halljp-43142 · 10/10 · 18 August 2020]

I am writing a review for this picture because i loved watching it as a child and I think top gun tells the truth about the west and western civilization as a whole. We do only as we're told.

A Good Cast and Some Good Gunplay

[LeonLouisRicci · 6/10 · 22 May 2015]

A High Body Count and a Decent Cast Highlight this slightly Above Average B-Western. Sterling Hayden is a Laid-Back Gunslinger trying to Outlive His "Top Gun" Status.

Returning to His Hometown seeking something Memorable He finds Animosity and Trouble but manages to make Amends and Help out. The Bad Guys are on Their way to Take Over. Said to have Killed 36 People in Their Last Rampage, this is a Gang to be Feared.

There's an Early Role for Rod Taylor as a Cocky Squirt and John Dehner is Slimy as the Gang Leader. The Ending Shootout with Guns Blazing contain come Good Stunts and the Whole Thing is Over before Much Happens.

Overall, Worth a Watch for Western Fans, but there isn't enough to attract Anyone Outside followers of the Genre.

This movie is just plain poor

[rooster_davis · 3/10 · 5 July 2009]

I'm a big fan of Westerns but this one.... whew, what a stinker! I think what turned me off almost right off the bat was the inane dialog. I think I could have written better dialog than this when I was in eighth grade. And the poor actors! Given this terrible dialog, none of them came across looking anything but ridiculous. Really, I'm not kidding. Some of this is little better than what you'd get in an Ed Wood film.

The biggest tragedy is Sterling Hayden. He was probably THE "big" star in this movie which if you called it a B-Western, you'd be lavishing praise upon it. This is what should be called a B-minus Western perhaps. Pity Sterling Hayden, who appeared at other times along with Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Frank Sinatra, and other major talents. For him to appear in a vehicle this poor must have been something he tried to downplay for the rest of his life.

One annoying thing about this movie is all the men look like they haven't shaved in a week and their faces are all greasy. I know in the old West guys weren't always well groomed but to a man this is a movie that makes you want to just go 'EWWWW!' Really, this is a crummy Western. Denver Pyle also had to live this one down, especially after appearances in so many great Westerns. Bad, bad movie.

Unrealized Potential

[dougdoepke · 17 May 2007]

What a shame that a really competent director like Andre de Toth who specialized in slippery, shifting alliances didn't get hold of this concept first. He could have helped bring out the real potential, especially with the interesting character played by William Bishop. As the movie stands, it's pretty much of a mess (as asserted by reviewer Chipe). The main problems are with the direction, cheap budget, and poor script. The strength lies in an excellent cast and an interesting general concept-- characters pulled in different directions by conflicting forces. What was needed was someone with vision enough to pull together the positive elements by reworking the script into some kind of coherent whole, instead of the sprawling, awkward mess that it is, (try to figure out the motivations and interplay if you can). Also, a bigger budget could have matched up contrasting location and studio shots, and gotten the locations out of the all-too-obvious LA outskirts. The real shame lies in a waste of an excellent cast-- Hayden, Taylor (before his teeth were capped), Dehner, Reeves, along with James Millican and William Bishop shortly before their untimely deaths. Few films illustrate the importance of an auteur-with-vision more than this lowly obscure Western, which, in the right hands, could have been so much more.

Top Gun review

[JoeytheBrit · 6/10 · 11 May 2020]

Sterling Hayden glowers manfully in this ok Western from old hand Ray Nazarro. He's a notorious gunslinger returning to his home town to forewarn them of an imminent invasion by slimy John Dehner and his gang, and to maybe take up with his old flame. Karin Booth spends her entire time looking concerned and nothing more as that flame. A young Rod Taylor livens up the early stages, but is sadly despatched too soon.

Who Was the Town Bully? Wasn't that..............

[bsmith5552 · 6/10 · 6 January 2021]

"Top Gun", not to be confused with the 1986 Tom Cruise film of the same name (but little else), is about a gunman returning to his home town of Casper Wyoming to warn the town of an impending raid by a gang of raiders similar to Quantrell's Raiders.

Rick Martin (Sterling Hayden is the so-called top gun in the territory with a history of killings. When he returns, he goes to the cemetery to visit his mother's grave. He is confronted by Marshal Bat Davis (James Millican) who questions him about Martin's reasons for his return. Martin explains that a gang of raiders headed by Tom Quentin (John Dehner) is planning to attack and sack the town.

Martin offers his services to Davis and the town, however Town Council members Ed Marsh (Hugh Sanders), Hank Spencer (Denver Pyle) and wealthy land owner Canby Judd (William Bishop) vehemently oppose it because of Marin's reputation. Martin goes to his one friend in town, hotel owner Jim O'Hara (Regis Toomey) for support. He next goes to visit his ex-sweetheart Laura Mead (Karen Booth) who he finds is now engaged to Judd.

Back in town, Martin is challenged by ambitious gunfighter Lem Sutter (Rod Taylor) which Marin turns down. Davis meanwhile is trying to mount a defense against the impending attack. He is only able to raise four deputies. The Town Council votes to have Davis send Martin out of town. Marin investigating his mother's untimely death discovers that Judd had cheated her out of her property and had her murdered.

Martin and Judd have a knock down drag out fight which Laura breaks up. Martin informs Judd that he has a score to settle before he leavers. Judd conspires with Sutter to confront Martin on his way to settle things with Judd. He does so but is gunned down by Martin. Martin is then arrested by Davis and locked up rendering him unable to aid in the town's defense.

Davis goes to meet Quentin and his gang outside of town to try and reason with him since they were old buddies. The slovenly Quentin guns the marshal down. O'Hara and the deputies try to hold the gang off but are all killed except for O'Hara. The rest of the townsfolk including Judd and the Town Council are hiding in the church.

The Town Council relents and plead with Martin to become Marshal in Davis' place. He reluctantly agrees and formulates a plan to trap the remaining gang members. He manages to do so until there is only himself and Quentin left. As the two face off, the oily Judd sneaks up behind Martin and.......................................

Sterling Hayden at 6ft. 7ins. or so, makes an imposing gunman. William Bishop specialized in sneaky behind the back bad guys in the 50s. Rod Taylor in an early role stands out as the town bully. John Dehner, always better than his material, is a nasty bandit. Millican and Toomey lend able support as well. And watch for western veterans Tom London as Casey, the bad guy that Quentin knocks through the campfire and John "Lefty" Cason as Ben, one of Quentin's gang.

Remade in 1964 as "The Quick Gun" with Audie Murphy.

A Gunslinger Defending a Cowardly Town

[Uriah43 · 6/10 · 26 October 2022]

This film begins with a notorious gunman by the name of "Rick Martin" (Sterling Hayden) riding into the town of Casper, Wyoming to the complete shock and disdain of the townspeople as he had previously killed three men there not too long ago. To that effect, while Rick is at the cemetery visiting his mother's grave, the town marshal "Bat Davis" (James Millican) informs him that he is not welcome and strongly suggests that he ride out of town immediately. For his part, Rick acknowledges the marshal's concern but then informs him of the news that a gang of ruthless outlaws led by a man named "Tom Quentin" (John Dehner) is riding toward Casper with the intention of pillaging the town in the morning. Not only that, but Rick also offers his services to repel the outlaws if needed. Stunned by this news, Marshal Davis grants Rick the opportunity to spend some time in town while he takes matters up with the local town council. Unfortunately, while Marshal Davis is conferring with the town council, Rick is challenged to a gunfight by a cowboy named "Lem Sutter" (Rod Taylor) who seeks to make a name for himself. Having promised Marshal Davis that he wouldn't cause any problems in town, Rick refuses the challenge-which temporarily resolves the problem but, over time, only emboldens Lem even more. But what Rick doesn't realize is that there is another man in town who is even more dangerous than Lem or Tom Quentin--and he has his own plans for dealing with people who stand in his way. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was one of those solid Westerns which typified the period in which it was produced and was a staple at drive-ins across the United States during that time. Especially interesting was the mindset of the townsfolk once they were informed that a ruthless horde of outlaws was headed their way to murder, rape and pillage. It was both amusing and rather pathetic as well. Be that as it may, while certainly not a great film by any means, I found it entertaining enough and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Almost good...

[gkhege · 5/10 · 19 June 2018]

I personally think the actors in this movie were probably underpayed. The people who attempted to write the dialog for this film should have been made to sit on the front row at the first screening. The use of axle grease to make the outlaws appear to need a shave was a little strange but caught my attention. Being presented in black and white, just may have brought it to a level of interest in old westerns by old farts like me.No cursing was also a plus for me.

Poor direction, script, action sequences: immediately forgettable Western

[adrianovasconcelos · 4/10 · 29 December 2019]

Sterling Hayden was an actor of some quality, as proven by his performances in Stanley Kubrick's THE KILLING and DR STRANGELOVE, among others -- but he never sat comfortably as a lead, and that is the case here, too.

Hayden just looks uncomfortable and wrong for the part throughout -- and, with such an unbelievable mish-mash of a script, you can hardly fault him.

I had never heard of Rat Nazarro as a director, but now I will avoid him -- he should never have been entrusted with any role higher than extra. His is a careless and lazy direction, beginning with female lead Booth who is neither beautiful nor convincing, and whose role appears to borrow from Grace Kelly's in HIGH NOON (1952). The difference is, of course, that Kelly was a far better actress and much kinder on the eye.

James Millican, as the town sheriff, and Toomey as the only person in town who will give Rick Martin (Hayden) the time of day, provide the film's better moments.

Even top villain William Bishop is given such a patchy part that he can't save it, in spite of lying most of his way.

The idea of a 20-strong band of "renegades" (what they are renegading against is - sadly and absurdly - unexplained) attacking a town which they know to have few people able to defend it, and losing more than half of their force in the attack, really stretches your suspension of disbelief to complete snapping point. John Dehner is the band leader and he, too, is poorly used, to a large extent because his character's motivations are not clear - one moment he has no use for money, the next he's ready to kill for it.

The final shootout is ludicrous. You get no sense of where the goodies and baddies are in relation to each other, and the stunts are amongst the poorest I have ever watched in a Western - and I have watched many. Even spaghetti Westerns had more credible stunts than you see in this movie!

TOP GUN works as a case study in missed opportunities: much of it borrows from HIGH NOON (the scared inhabitants, the church offering insufficient sanctuary, and one man against the rest as criminals ride into town), and a potentially interesting angle is thrown in when Rick Martin discovers that his mother was murdered by Bishop, who also forged the deed of sale to her house for good measure... but Nazarro just can'y make it work.

4/10 is much too generous, but then Rod Taylor makes a surprise and uncredited appearance -- in a Western! -- and I am a sucker for Westerns.

Dang good western

[stevebrooks-80749 · 9/10 · 21 July 2019]

A great western although the cinama was rather lacking

The 25 Year Old Rod Taylor

[Single-Black-Male · 3 November 2003]

Having acted alongside Bette Davis and Joan Collins in 'The Virgin Queen' the previous year, the 25 year old Rod Taylor progressed from extra work to small acting roles in films like this one. Although he was born in Australia, you didn't notice his Australian accent.