Top of the World

Apparently this isn't easy to find. The new Sony/MGM digital broadcast network dug it out of their vaults and aired it several times recently.

I saw one of those broadcasts, and found ti to be mostly an interesting adventure film whenever the main plot device of a weather tracking expedition to nearby the North Pole is involved, and the rescue of the Air Force men who end up stranded there.

It was much less interesting when dealing with the melodramatic subplot of the two major officers and their girls, and who would get which girl. That part was pretty unappealing and, in terms of being realistic, quite obtuse. It seemed added on to the major plot in order to bring ladies into the theater. Ladies of the 1950s that is, not modern girls.

Still the adventure aspect is fun, and especially the rescue of the last man on the crumbling ice island.

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.

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.

Before there was Top Gun, there was Top of the World. The U. S. Air Force is the star of the picture with extensive USAF footage. Aviation fans will love seeing the footage of an array of planes.

The love melodrama on the ground never really takes off and you won't need to buckle your seat belts for the climactic rescue mission.

The film would have benefited greatly from wide-screen cinematography instead of the 4:3 aspect ratio. I imagine the filmmakers were forced to go 4:3 to match the film acquired by USAF.

Performances by all the leads are okay. Supporting cast, particularly of the endangered crew, are, unfortunately, underdeveloped.

"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.