Top Gun opened in the United States on May 16, 1986, and grossed $177 million worldwide against a $15 million production budget. It finished the year as the highest-grossing film in the United States and the highest-grossing film worldwide. The numbers were never the problem.
Trailer, via Paramount Movies.
Maverick Flies Below 10,000 Feet
Tony Scott directed from a screenplay by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr., inspired by Ehud Yonay’s California magazine article “Top Guns.” Tom Cruise plays Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a naval aviator aboard the USS Enterprise. Anthony Edwards is his radar intercept officer, Nick “Goose” Bradshaw. Both are sent to the Navy’s Fighter Weapons School at Naval Air Station Miramar after Cougar (John Stockwell) leaves his commission.
Maverick breaks a major rule of engagement in his first training hop, flying below 10,000 feet to beat instructor Rick “Jester” Heatherly (Michael Ironside). He and Goose buzz the control tower when told not to. Commander Mike “Viper” Metcalf (Tom Skerritt) reprimands them. Jester tells Viper he admires Maverick’s skill but is not sure he would trust him in combat.
Charlie Blackwood Teaches Astrophysics
Kelly McGillis plays Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood, an astrophysicist and civilian instructor. Maverick approaches her at a bar before he knows who she is. She objects to his aggressive tactics against the MiG-28 in class, then tells him privately she admires his flying. They start a relationship. Val Kilmer appears as Ice in a supporting role.
The dogfight sequences hold up. The soundtrack holds up. The visual effects hold up. Reviews were mixed, and critics singled out the plot, the characters and the film’s reliance on style over substance. Four weeks after release, the theater count rose 45 percent anyway.
The 1986 Release Calendar
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| May 16, 1986 | Top Gun opens in the United States |
| Four weeks later | Theater count increases 45 percent |
| End of 1986 | Highest-grossing domestic and worldwide film |
What the Miramar Story Leaves Out
The tragedy with Goose is the film’s turning point, and the synopsis promises personal demons that threaten Pete’s dreams of becoming an ace pilot. Cruise is charismatic. Edwards is likable. Kilmer is underused, in this paper’s view.
The aerial footage still moves, and it is the main reason the film remains watchable. This is the part worth watching. Top Gun was the highest-grossing film of 1986, but its staying power rests on its flying, not its script.
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