Top of the World

The names of the two actresses were Evelyn Keys and Nancy Gates. I think it was Nancy Gates I was helping with her boots. Without digging out the pictures I cannot be 100% sure. Because I need more lines I will tell you a little about my military service. Basic training was at Parks AFB, California. Tech School was 1 year of Aircraft & Engine School at Sheppard AFB, Oklahoma. Then Altas AFB, Oklahoma for one week. Then Donaldson AFB, South Carolina. next it was Eillson AFB, Alaska for one week then to Ladd AFB, Fairbanks, Alaska. Then to Palm Beach AFB, Florida. Then TDY to Sheppard AFB for 6 month advanced tech school. From Palm Beach AFB to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. Then to Keesler AFB, Mississippi for one year Ground Radio Maintence Tech School. Next McGuire AFB New Jersey. Next Daharan Air Base, Saudi Arabia for one year. Next three years at Ladd AFS at Weisbaden, Germany. Next Montgomery AFB, Alabama. Next back to Keesler AFB, Mississippi for one year for advanced Electronics School. Next Mt. Laguna AFS, California. Next Sparavon AFS, Alaska for one year. Next and last North Turo AFS Mass. where I retired.

Wilbur C. Watts, TSGT USAF Ret., 100% Service Connected Disabled

The plot is a cliché, and the acting is barely B-movie serviceable, but the film is an interesting look at the U.S. Air Force in the early 1950s. The film features a C-47 (DC-3) on skis, an Air Force glider (similar to those used at the Normandy landings in WWII), and the rarely seen F-82 Twin Mustang. Incidentally, the aircraft used in the film indicate that principal photography must have taken place well before the film's 1955 release; the Air Force retired its very last F-82 in June, 1953, and the piston-powered B-36 bombers featured in the melodramatic formation flight that closes the film were old news by the mid-1950's, by which time jet powered B-52 had begun to replace them.

This movie is a classic 1950's-style gawdawful, low budget (very low budget) love-triangle-in-uniform melodrama with a very grade B script and even worse directing (it should should have gotten the Anti-Oscar for Most Indifferent Director, which is why I gave it only a 5). The romantic lead, Dale Robertson, looks like he had been groomed to be the TV stand-in for Clark Gable, which while that might seem obvious, does not mean it was done well. The better-known Evelyn Keyes plays the Woman With A Past. Parts small enough to be cameos fall to Paul Fix and the now very late William Schallert (R.I.P.), but since neither were really famous yet you can't really call them cameos. As the (equally) very tragically late Joan Rivers might have put it, my overall reaction was, please, gag me with a spoon.

There is a little bit there for aviation enthusiasts, though, which is why I watched it. The film features prominently near-stock footage of some unusual and even rarely-seen aircraft in flight, beginning with a classic Cessna 195 on skis in rare Air Force Rescue livery and including an entire formation of B-17 Flying Fortresses also in Air Rescue mode, various C-47 (Douglas DC-3) aircraft on skis, another C-47 towing and retrieving a Word-War-II-style invasion glider, and rare footage of the bizarre F-82 Twin Mustang in action. The movie ends with an almost purely gratuitous flyover of a full formation of B-36 Peacemaker thermonuclear strategic bombers (almost purely gratuitous because they have absolutely nothing to do with the plot, per se, however appropriate they might be to the theme) and begins with a number of equally gratuitous jet fighter flyovers (complete with exciting jet-flyover sounds) because in 1955, United States Air Force fighter jets were still near the cutting edge of cool even after nearly 10 years of Cold War deployments. Fun for plane spotters and instructive for film students to see a textbook example of 1950's very-low-budget melodramatic schmaltz.

Every actor from that time and their cousin is in this movie. You expect that from a major movie but what is it about "Top of the World" that drew them in?

Maj. Lee Gannon (Dale Robertson) is too old and too slow to be a jet pilot. Strange that is why I left the reserves. To add to that his Ex-wife is not doing so well with a joint of her own in Alaska that see gage back alimony checks.

Wait he has a choice of leaving the force or transferring (here it comes) to Alaska. You guessed it and as the story unfolds, we get a glimpse of the past, present and possible futures.

There are love triangles inside triangles and so forth. A real tesseract.

On top of that we get to see Top of the World. A secret mission that is kept up with the daily news.

We have a real tearjerker here.

Keep your fingers crosse.

Looks like they showed a lot of B36 Peacemakers at the last minute.

"Top of the World" is a movie about the US Air Force in Alaska, though it's mostly about a Major making some pretty inappropriate advances to a female officer who he used to be married to long ago. When the Major ISN'T hitting on her or arguing with her, the film has some interesting scenes such as a rescue on the ice as well as some amazing aircraft, such as the C-47 transport and the Twin Mustang.

This is a film where you really notice how times have changed! While Airmen today might say a few of the sexist things they said in the film, it's not officially tolerated and the story seems to imply that if you badger a woman long enough, she'll come falling into your arms. Heck, the Major makes some of these comments in front of fellow officers...it was seemingly that accepted. Regardless, the film is at its worst during these 'love scenes' and would have been better without it.

For a MUCH better film about the US Air Force during this Cold War period, try Jimmy Stewart's STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND...a film where the planes are the stars and the romance is good and less annoying.