Flat Top (1952)

Group Commander Dan Collier, on an aircraft carrier in Korean waters during the Korean War, starts to think back to the rough days of the air-war against Japan during World War II, when he ... See full summary »

Director:

Lesley Selander

Writer:

Steve Fisher

Stars:

Sterling Hayden, Richard Carlson, William Phipps

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Sterling Hayden	...	Cmdr. Dan Collier
Richard Carlson	...	Lt. (j.g.) Joe Rodgers
William Phipps	...	Red Kelley (as Bill Phipps)
John Bromfield	...	Ens. Snakehips McKay
Keith Larsen	...	Ens. Barney Smith / Barney Oldfield
William Schallert	...	Ens. Longfellow
Todd Karns	...	Judge
Phyllis Coates	...	Dorothy Collier
Dave Willock	...	Willie
Walter Coy	...	Air Group Commander

Storyline

Group Commander Dan Collier, on an aircraft carrier in Korean waters during the Korean War, starts to think back to the rough days of the air-war against Japan during World War II, when he was in the same squadron. In flashbacks, he recalls the arrival of the squadron, led by Executive Officer Joe Rodgers, and the campaigns in which the squadron participated and its desperate fight for survival prior to the climax of the war.

---

Plot Keywords:

squadron | survival | korean war | flashback | aircraft carrier | 

---

Genres:

War | Drama

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 October 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

Aguilas de la armada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Monogram Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (archive footage) Color (Cinecolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The climactic battle scene is actually footage of the Battle of Leyte Gulf (10/23-10/26/44), which occurred before the carrier this film was shot on, The USS Princeton, was built.

---

Goofs

The pilots left the carrier in F4U Corsairs, and the first mission showed ordinance dropped by SB2C Helldivers and the landings were done showing F4F Wildcats with the 'after-landing' unmistakable wing-folding characteristic feature of the Wildcat. Some plane-to-plane shots showed the silhouette of the F4F very clearly.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Case Against the 20% Federal Admissions Tax on Motion Picture Theatres (1953)

User Reviews

A decent war film for its time.

I am into WW2 aircraft carriers and the Pacific War and I find this film to be a good one for its time. The editing is great and there is only a couple of war film segments that appear twice. Unlike Midway, they don't use modern carrier shots and even through it is not completely tied to a battle or campaign, every thing gets explained(In Midway, they didn't show the fact that the USS Yorktown CV5 sinks, or at least is supposed to sink). Over all, I'll give this film 3 1/2 stars out of five.