Flat Top (film)

Flat Top
Flat Top
Directed by	Lesley Selander
Written by	Steve Fisher
Produced by	Walter Mirisch
Starring	Sterling Hayden; Richard Carlson
Cinematography	Harry Neumann
Edited by	William Austin
Music by	Marlin Skiles
Distributed by	Monogram Pictures
Release date	October 26, 1952;
Running time	85 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Flat Top (also released as Eagles of the Fleet) is a 1952 American drama war film filmed in Cinecolor, directed by Lesley Selander and starring Sterling Hayden, with early appearances from Phyllis Coates, Jack Larson, Richard Carlson, and William Schallert.^[1] The film earned William Austin an Academy Award nomination for Best Film Editing in 1953.^[2]

Plot

On board an aircraft carrier off from the coast of Korea during the Korean War, Commander Collier is the Commander Air Group (CAG), or Air Boss, in charge of air operations on the carrier, or 'flat top'. When asked about how he first handled his job, he goes back to the time of World War II, where the rest of the film takes place. Told in flashback form, Collier recounts the war in the Pacific, working flight ops on the same carrier as the Fighter Squadron Commander with a new Executive Officer, LT Joe Rogers, and getting a group of fighter pilots ready for the tough fight to come against the Japanese.

Cast

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

References

^ "Flat Top". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
^ "The 25th Academy Awards (1953) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved August 20, 2011.