by Chip Proser REVISED April 4, 1985 Registered, WGAw. NOTE: Aerial dialogue in CAPS is UHF radio; plane to plane, plane to carrier. Aerial dialogue in small case is ICS; an inter-cockpit system; a live mike, heard by pilot and RIO only. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.
1 EXT. NIGHT. - THE PACIFIC IS ANYTHING BUT WINDS HOWL. Rain drives horizontal. The sea surges up, nearly to the flight deck of the Aircraft Carrier USS Kitty Hawk. The carrier plunges, driving its bow into a wall of grey water. The deck pitches forward and back, rolls left to right, and yaws in a corkscrew motion. The entire 93,000 ton behemoth rises and falls in the TYPHOON-DRIVEN SWELL. 2. SOMETHING DROPS DOWN OUT OF THE NIGHT A ROAR. Silver wings flash by, a cockpit, fiery jet exhausts. A forty ton monster drops at 120 knots into an area the size of a tennis court in a CONTROLLED CRASH. 2A. A SHOWER OF SPARKS, A SCREECH OF RUBBER AND METAL as the gear hits the deck. The hook catches the 3 wire and the F-14 TOMCAT is slammed to a halt. It's the scariest thing you've ever seen, the most dangerous maneuver in aviation and just another day at the office for a Naval Aviator. TITLES OVER HARD DRIVING ROCK AND ROLL - THE CARS - RIDE ME HIGH 3. FLIGHT DECK - THE LANDING SIGNAL OFFICER - (LSO) Leans almost horizontal into the winds. He holds the pickle, controlling the landing lights and speaks into a mike. His calm, professional commands belie the extreme conditions. LSO POWER, POWER...DON'T CLIMB... OKAY, HOLD WHAT YOU GOT. 4. ANOTHER TOMCAT FLIES OVER THE RAMP It slams in. The pilot hits full power, catches the wire, slams to a stop, cuts his engines.
2 OMITTED AIR OPS - BELOW DECK Lots of scopes and electronic gear. The CARRIER CONTROL APPROACH OFFICER (CCA) watches a blip on radar, reaches for his mike key. 3 EXT. THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING - (AERIAL) We float like gods, above the storm, above the cloud cover, looking down. From overhead, a probe slides into frame, then a graceful nose. The cockpit sides by, Pilot, then Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) barely illuminated by the orange glow of their instruments. The fuselage gracefully swells to two enormous air intakes, then variable angle wings, swept back for high speed flight. Twin tailbooms cant outward, ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. horizontal stabilizers make constant adjustments. Enormous twin jet exhaust ports glow red in the moonlight. 4 INT. COCKPIT - (AERIAL) We become aware of WIND WHISTLE, JET ENGINE SOUNDS, RADIO STATIC. The pilot, COUGAR, is calm, steady. The Radar Intercept Officer in the backseat, GOOSE, is a wildman, always an edge of humor in his voice. A UHF transmission breaks in.. STRIKE (V.O. FILTERED) GHOST RIDER, THIS IS STRIKE... WE HAVE UNKNOWN CONTACT INBOUND, MUSTANG. YOUR VECTOR ZERO NINE ZERO FOR BOGEY. Almost immediately the RIO picks up a target and responds. GOOSE CONTACT 20 LEFT AT 25, 900 KNOTS CLOSURE. 8A. ANGLE - SECOND F-14 - 115 - COUGAR'S WINGMAN Come in on the cockpit with stenciled name and call signs: LT. EVAN MITCHELL is the pilot, MAVERICK. In flight suit and oxygen mask, we can only see his eyes. they are confident. In his mid-twenties, he is lean, hard, athletic...the archetype fighter pilot. His rear-seater is LTJG. WALTER MERLIN; WIZARD. MAVERICK I'LL I.D. HIM, YOU HOOK 'EM. Maverick peels off to right, to high cover position; 5 o'clock. 5 INT. GHOST RIDER 117 - COUGAR'S POV HEADS UP DISPLAY (HUD) glows dimly on the windscreen. Directly in front of the stick, two CRT screens display data. The bottom screen shows a radar sweep. Wedged between the instruments is a snapshot of a pretty young woman with a 2 month-old baby. GOOSE Closing fast. MUSTANG, THIS IS GHOST RIDER ONE ONE SEVEN. CONTACT ONE BOGEY, 090 AT 15 MILES, 900 KNOTS OF CLOSURE. COUGAR Look for the trailer. GOOSE I don't see anything. MAVERICK, YOU HAVE A TRAILER? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. MAVERICK'S F- Flying in combat spread, 1 mile abeam, higher. GOOSE (CONT'D) NEGATIVE, COUGAR. LOOKS LIKE HE'S SINGLE. 6 INT. 117 - COUGAR'S COCKPIT COUGAR HANG BACK AND WATCH FOR HIM. HERE COMES...MIG ONE. 7 EXT. SKY Closing at 900 knots, The MiG is a speck, then a flash and a ROAR, a knife-edge pass at 300 feet. It rockets past his left wing tip and disappears. Cougar kicks rudder, whips the stick, screams into a tight turning roll and dives after him. He slams the throttle forward to ZONE 5 AFTERBURNER. 8 EXT. - MAVERICK'S F- Maverick sees a SECOND MiG drop from above onto Cougar's tail. MAVERICK BOGEY ON YOUR SIX. I'M ON HIS. Maverick swings after him, lights it. 13A. ALL FOUR JETS SCREAM DOWN IN A POWER DIVE. They punch through cloud cover into the soup. 9 EXT. COUGAR'S F- He is closing on the first MiG when a shocking BLIPBLIPBLIPBLIP tone breaks into their headsets. GOOSE I've got a six strobe. I think he's locked on us. COUGAR It's a MiG 21. They don't have radar missiles! GOOSE Let's hope you're right! COUGAR What is he doing? GOOSE He's pissing me off! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Cougar swings mad gyrations, cutting back and forth across the front MiG's tailpipe, trying to break the lock-on. The TONE grows more insistant. COUGAR Can't shake him. MAVERICK (V.O.) WHAT'S MIG ONE DOING? COUGAR Maintaining course. Straight for Mustang. GOOSE Stay with him. The tone grows steady, BLIPBLIPBLIPBLIP. GOOSE (CONT'D) (alarmed) That's missile lock! COUGAR He better be kidding! GOOSE Lordy! Eyeball to Asshole. Hope nobody burps! A. INT. MAVERICK'S F- MAVERICK I'LL LOCK ON THEM, COUGAR. (to himself) Gotcha covered, don't nobody move. COUGAR I'M UP HERE TOO, MAVERICK. MAVERICK ROGER, COUGAR. (to himself and his RIO) Okay boys, pull out with your hands up and nobody'll get hurt. B. INT. COUGAR'S F- Up front, Cougar checks his gunsight...He gets I.R. lock... COUGAR We're locked on MiG ONE. Why doesn't he disengage? GOOSE These guys are getting on my nerves. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. 14C. FINALLY, MIG ONE TURNS AWAY. GOOSE (CONT'D) GHOST RIDER TO MUSTANG. BANDITS TURNING AWAY. But Cougar presses forward, and MiG TWO stays on his tail. MAVERICK COUGAR, BREAK LEFT. TRY A HIGH G ROLL UNDERNEATH. BREAK OUT THE BOTTOM. Anger gives way to discipline. Cougar's Tomcat breaks left, dives into dense cloud. MiG TWO still follows. MAVERICK (CONT'D) HE'S STILL ON YOU, COUGAR. 10 EXT. COUGAR - IN THE CLOUDS Still hears the tone, BLIPBLIPBLIP... COUGAR I KNOW. I KNOW. He rolls over into wild evasive maneuvers, finally breaks lock. 11 INT. MIG Breaks out of cloud, looks around, startled. There is nothing, no F-14. He scans the sky frantically, while rolling the aircraft. ...Suddenly, he feels a presence. He looks straight up and behind him. A few feet away, a TOMCAT slides into position canopy to canopy, an incredible feat of flying. Maverick and Wizard stare at him. Maverick slides even closer, canopies nearly touching. The MiG pilot acknowledges them with a weak wave. Maverick stares for a moment, then flips him the bird. The MiG pushes negative G, hard down and away. He heads for the deck. WIZARD He's running for it. MAVERICK Ah, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. WIZARD Speaking of feet, fuel's down to 4.0. We're gonna get them wet unless we find a Sonoco station. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. MAVERICK COUGAR, THIS IS MAVERICK. I'M GETTING HUNGRY, LET'S HEAD FOR THE BARN. ...COUGAR, WHERE ARE YOU? 12 EXT. KITTY HAWK FLIGHT DECK - THE LSO Stands the on plunging deck, peering into the roaring night. CCA (FILTERED) GHOST RIDER ONE-ONE-FIVE, THIS IS MUSTANG. WX THREE HUNDRED. ONE MILE VISIBILITY WITH HEAVY RAIN. FINAL INBOUND BEARING THREE-FOUR- ZERO. DECK IS MOVING. 13 INT. COCKPIT 117 - COUGAR COUGAR This is crazy. How the hell we supposed to land on something we can't even see! GOOSE Hey, if it was easy, everybody would want to come up here and do it..... Instead of just us. COUGAR (corrects him) You. MUSTANG (V.O. FILTERED) MUSTANG TO GHOST RIDER 115...110 SPIN, 42 LOCK. AT 5 MILES READ YOUR NEEDLES. 14 INT. COCKPIT 115 - MAVERICK MAVERICK NEEDLES READ DOWN AND LEFT. CCA (V.O. FILTERED) CONCUR, FLY YOUR NEEDLES. MAVERICK NEEDLES CENTER. CCA ROGER. CALL THE BALL. MAVERICK Call the ball? I don't see the ship! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. 15 INT. COCKPIT 117 - COUGAR'S POV BLASTS slam the airframe. Rain tattoos the canopy. A gust rolls the Tomcat, he straightens it, A gust flips it again. A. MAVERICK'S POV The Carrier lights appear and disappear through the storm. 16 INT. COCKPIT 117 - COUGAR GOOSE (To Himself) A walk in the park, Mustang. You with me, cat man?...Cougar...you with me? Goose is thrown about as the wing dips, straightens, dips. COUGAR Help me with this one, I'm really screwed up. GOOSE Bring it left. Bring it left, You're high. COUGAR This is crazy! GOOSE What is? COUGAR Wait! Hell!..Something's wrong! GOOSE What? What is it? COUGAR Were upside down! GOOSE You're crazy. We're level. COUGAR Can't you feel it? I'm hanging in my straps! GOOSE You're not. We're level. Look at the instruments, we're okay! COUGAR They must be broken. I'm hanging in my straps! We're inverted! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. GOOSE We're not! Trust me! We're okay. 22. FLIGHT DECK - LSO CONTROLLING 115 - MAVERICK LSO A LITTLE POWER...FLY THE BALL. LOOKING GOOD...HOLD WHAT YOU GOT. 23. MAVERICK'S F-14 - ON FINAL APPROACH. 17 INT. COCKPIT - MAVERICK He hears Cougar's chatter over the air. COUGAR (V.O. FILTERED) WE'RE UPSIDE DOWN! WE CAN'T LAND! GOOSE (V.O. FILTERED) WELL, WE CAN'T STAY UP HERE EITHER. FLIGHT DECK Maverick's plane settles in over the ramp, suddenly, BLASTS FROM IT'S AFTERBURNERS...it ROARS over the deck without touching and off into the night. The LSO is shocked into comment. LSO WHERE THE HELL YOU GOING? 26. MAVERICK'S COCKPIT - (AERIAL) MAVERICK I...FORGOT SOMETHING. WIZARD What the hell you doing? MAVERICK Helping him in. WIZARD What makes you think we can get back in? We don't have the fuel for this. MAVERICK Just get me to him. WIZARD He's nine o'clock high. We're two thousand pounds low! DARK TURBULENT CLOUDS Maverick's plane pulls up behind Cougar's. Cougar's plane suddenly flips over, flying inverted. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. COUGAR I'm pulling up. GOOSE No! Now we're inverted! Maverick pulls up off the wing of the inverted aircraft. His voice is calmness itself. MAVERICK HEY, ANY OF YOU GUYS SEEN AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER AROUND HERE? Cougar looks over, surprised. COUGAR WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? MAVERICK EVERYBODY'S GOT TO BE SOMEWHERE. ..NOW WE'RE RIGHT WITH YOU. YOU ARE INVERTED. ROLL IT, COUGAR. Nothing happens. MAVERICK (CONT'D) COUGAR, THIS IS MAVERICK. HALF ROLL IT. NOW! Cougar's plane completes the roll, is now upright. GOOSE We're on vapor, Cougar, you got to put it down. COUGAR It's crazy, man. Instruments are crazy. We're gonna have to eject. GOOSE TELL HIM, WILL YOU TELL HIM? OUR INSTRUMENTS ARE OKAY. MAVERICK YOU'RE STRAIGHT AND LEVEL, COUGAR. COUGAR I'M HANGING IN MY STRAPS. I TURN IT OVER AND I'M STILL HANGING IN MY STRAPS. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON UP HERE? MAVERICK YOU'RE NOT IN THE STRAPS. (MORE) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11. MAVERICK (CONT'D) IT'S VERTIGO, THAT'S ALL IT IS. STAY ON MY WING. I'LL DROP YOU OFF. Maverick pulls up wing tip to wing tip, inches apart. COUGAR MAVERICK. MAVERICK YEAH, COUGAR? COUGAR YOU BETTER NOT BE RAGGING ME... IF YOU'RE FLYING UPSIDE DOWN... MAVERICK NO JOKE, COUGAR. ON THE LEVEL. EVEN I WOULDN'T DO THAT TO YOU. COUGAR I'M UPSIDE DOWN. I KNOW IT. I'M GONNA EJECT. GOOSE Look at the weather! They'll never find us! We're near out of fuel. Put it down. MAVERICK COUGAR, YOU'RE ON THE BALL. COUGAR OKAY... OKAY. BUT IF I LAND THIS THING UPSIDE DOWN. AND I LIVE. I'LL HAVE YOUR BUTT! GOOSE You'll have mine, Cougar. It'll be where your head used to be. 18 EXT. FLIGHT DECK All eyes are on what they can see of the approach of the two planes. Maverick drops him off at the pattern and circles. The LSO watches the approach. The Tomcat drops a wing, straightens, drops the wing, straightens ... the approach of a pilot experiencing vertigo as Cougar tries to satisfy his inner ear. LSO LEVEL...YOUR WINGS... EASY... YOU'RE SETTLING....FLY THE BALL. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. A wind shear just off the ramp drives the plane suddenly down. LSO (CONT'D) POWER...POWER!..POWER!...WAVE OFF! WAVE OFF WAVE OFF! AFTERBURNERS BLAST, but the Tomcat horrifyingly settles tail- low toward the deck. The deck crew watches in terror as the plane wallows in toward them. The LSO'S turn, take a few steps and throw themselves off the flight deck. They sail into the night toward the surging seas a hundred feet below, then are caught in safety nets hung off the side. A. THE PLANE Settles, settles, standing on it's engines, trying to arrest it's downward momentum. The hook raises sparks as it skids across the deck... The plane stops falling and hangs for a moment, about to blast back up, when the hook catches the last wire.. The wire snags it, plucking 45,000 pounds of fuel, metal and men out of the air and slamming it all to the deck. WHAMMMM! Right wheel flies up the deck and over the side...the gear collapses. The plane SCREECHES sideways. The crew watches helplessly as it skids slams into it and comes to rest in cloud of fuel vapor and steam. The LSO runs up, shouting into the mike. LSO (CONT'D) COUGAR, GOOSE...COME IN COUGAR! SHUT YOUR ENGINES DOWN, YOU'VE ARRIVED. AIR BOSS GHOST RIDER! ACKNOWLEDGE! GHOST RIDER! ACKNOWLEDGE! Crash crew leaps into action. The fire crew is there. The man in the Silver Suit jumps up on the wing and crawls to the cockpit. The figures inside are not moving. He hits the canopy release. The canopy pops open. Silver suit grabs at the rear seat harness release. He screams through his suit's aluminized cloth... SILVER SUIT Goose, can you hear me? Goose! Nothing for a moment. He's dead! Then the RIO'S helmet moves...His head turns. He tears the mask away from his face, looks up at Silver Suit. His head clears. GOOSE Oh, Hello... Valet parking? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13. Silver suit is stunned for a moment. He straightens up, his head inclines quizzically. Then it hits him. SILVER SUIT Son of a bitch! GOOSE You will put it up front, with the Porsches? He grabs him under the armpits, drags him out of the plane. GOOSE (CONT'D) Hey...easy...Take it easy... I'm a veteran! Goose grabs a passing crewman by the arm. GOOSE (CONT'D) Can you check under the hood. I thought I heard a funny noise. Other crewmembers help Cougar out. He seems stunned, but Goose reacts to his fear with frantic one-liners. He grabs a crew member's radio, as Silver Suit helps him away and looks to the figures of the Admiral and the Air Boss far up on the bridge... He waves to them, does his best impression...Desi Arnaz. GOOSE (CONT'D) Lucy...Ricky...I'n Home! B. BRIDGE FLIGHT DECK A moment of disbelief... Then hysterical, tension relieving laughter. C. FLIGHT DECK Goose spots Cougar being helped out. He pulls away, reaches back into the cockpit and grabs Cougar's snapshot of wife and kid. They lead Goose away as firemen blast the aircraft with foam. GOOSE (CONT'D) Is it extra for the hot wax? 28D. BRIDGE - FLIGHT DECK - AIR BOSS AIR BOSS Clear the flight deck. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14. FLIGHT DECK A TILLIE, a four wheel mobile crane, slams up to the plane and slings its lifting harness. Goose turns to Silver Suit. GOOSE Well...there goes your tip. 19 INT. MAVERICK'S PLANE They have monitored the chatter. WIZARD It's Goose. He's alright. Bring it left...You're settling. IS THE DECK CLEAR? LSO (V.O. FILTERED) (softly) ROGER, BALL, LITTLE POWER...DON'T CLIMB...OKAY, HOLD WHAT YOU GOT! Wizard does a quick sign of the cross, reaches down, grabs his balls...as... A. FLIGHT DECK The TOMCAT slams onto the deck, clearing the wreckage by inches. 20 INT. CARRIER HATCHWAY - FLIGHT SURGEON, OTHERS Watch as they bring a shaken Cougar past. Goose, eyes wild, waves at Maverick and Wizard, rolling up. They flame out - VVOOOMMMMM! They sit there, immobile, waiting for a tow, looking numb. Goose does his "stewardess". GOOSE On behalf of your Captain and your crew, I want to thank you for flying VF101. And next time your plans include the middle of the goddamn ocean in the dead of frigging night, I hope you'll think of Naval Aviation. The surgeon looks into Goose's eyes. SURGEON Stress reaction... XO Check his head. GOOSE (wobbling off) Never mind my head, check my shorts! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15. 21 SICK BAY - LATER Cougar lies alone in the dimness, staring at the overhead. 33. 03 LEVEL - BELOW DECKS - OFFICER'S COUNTRY The usual CLANGS, WHISTLES, ENGINES of Navy life sound FORLORN ECHOING through the dim, deserted passage. From the distance, a single figure passes in and out of the glow of the overhead lights. Cougar comes closer, hobbling unsteadily. He reaches a door, pulls himself erect and knocks on the sign: COMMANDER TOM OTAWOCZEK CO VF 101 STINGER 34. STINGER'S CABIN The skipper works at his desk, responds without looking up. STINGER (CONT'D) Come in. He looks up. Cougar stands in the doorway, a strange, dazed look on his face. STINGER (CONT'D) Cougar, what is it? You should be in sick bay. What are you doing? He walks over to the skipper's desk. His eyes are glazed, but his jaw is firm. COUGAR Thinking of my wife and kid. A determined movement. Hand to chest. 34A. OMITTED Something metal hits it, skids across the polished surface and clangs up against the coffee mug: gold wings. 35. PASSAGEWAY Cougar comes out of Stinger's room, bumps into Goose, and Maverick. He turns the other way. GOOSE Cougar! He stops, turns to them. There is nothing to say. Goose hands him his snapshot. Cougar looks at his wife and kid for a moment, then looks up at them. He turns away. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16. MAVERICK Cougar? STINGER (O.S.) Maverick, Goose...Come in here. 36. STINGER'S OFFICE - DOORWAY Maverick appears, followed by Goose. They stand at attention. MAVERICK Sir? The Skipper says nothing. Maverick sees the wings on the desk. He enters, walks over, stares down at them. He picks them up. GOOSE Don't worry. I'll talk to him. STINGER Don't. MAVERICK He's a good pilot. STINGER I talked a man back once. Three months later, we lost him. It's his decision. Only he knows. GOOSE He's the best you have. He's going Top Gun! STINGER Was. MAVERICK What? STINGER Was going. (Turns to Maverick.) Now you are. MAVERICK Me? Maverick stares at the wings, lost in conflicting emotions. STINGER Well, he's going (indicating Goose) and he needs someone to fly the plane. GOOSE Skipper, you can't do this! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17. STINGER I didn't do it, he did it himself. Something about a wife and kid. The fact is, he's lost it. He knows it. I know it. You were up there, you know it, too. GOOSE Give him a break, Skipper. It was raining snakes up there. He'll be alright, soon as all the gorillas go home... The Skipper stares at Goose, non-plussed for a moment. STINGER I know some RIOS are a little wiggy...but you abuse the priviledge! I don't believe I'm going to have to put the two of you in the same cockpit...but there it is! It may be good for the Navy. It might be good for you, but most of all, it's good for me. It'll get you out of my sight. GOOSE But, Skipper, Cougar's been picked for Top Gun...He's the best of the best! STINGER Well, you'll just have to make do with him (indicates Maverick). Goose and Maverick exchange looks. GOOSE Mav's a great flyer but.... STINGER He's a hell of a flyer. In fact, he's so damn good he might have been picked for Top Gun himself. Except for one thing. (SCREAMS) He just can't seem to follow orders! Stinger moves slightly, to stand now, directly in front of Maverick and speak eye to eye at four inches. STINGER (CONT'D) You just did an incredibly brave thing! What you should have done was land your plane. You don't own that plane, the taxpayers do. I should ream you out for it. But it just doesn't work with you. You're a hell (MORE) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18. STINGER (CONT'D) of a flyer. You are maybe ...too good. You never really stepped in it yet. So this is your chance. I'm gonna send you up against the best. They are better than you. Maybe they'll knock that shine off your eagle and you'll see, finally, where discipline and teamwork fit it. Maverick hasn't really heard anything but TOPGUN. He snaps out of it. MAVERICK Sir? STINGER That is all. Tell me about the MiG some other time... MAVERICK Yes sir! He snaps off a salute and does an about face. STINGER Maverick.. He turns back. MAVERICK Yes sir.. STINGER The wings.. He looks down at the wings in his hands, slowing walks over places them gently on the Skipper's desk. STINGER (CONT'D) Gentlemen! MAVERICK/GOOSE Sir? His facade cracks just slightly. STINGER Good luck. 22 INT. PASSAGEWAY Maverick and Goose push through a gauntlet of aircrews. They have become notorious. Guys grab at them...questions...the MiGs?..What happened up there? How close did they get? What did the MiGs do? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19. One word is heard over and over..."TopGun". Goose is left behind in the crowd. Maverick pushes through. He walks fast...faster. Up ladders, around turns, down ladders, through passageways. Faster. He breaks into a trot, then a canter, squeezing past enlisted men, parts lockers, then he breaks into a run... 23 EXT - CARRIER - NIGHT AND STORM A hatch slams open on the side of the Carrier. He's out on a catwalk, instantly soaked, running on rain slicked stairs cantilevered high over the breaking seas. He plunges forward to the bow of the ship, stands on the very peak. He is yelling something. He stands there as the bow plunges terrifyingly into the trough. The water rises like a green mountain, up, up to break just a few feet below him, showering him with spray. The noise is incredible. Come around on his face. It is maddened. He raises his fist and punches the night. The foaming slope of the wave rushes up, changing color as it DISSOLVES TO: Desert Sand whipping by... 39. MOJAVE DESERT - 1 WEEK LATER A big bike, a real big bike, a turbo...rockets across the desert. Fast. Real fast. Aviator shades low above the handlebars --Maverick. Goose hangs on in back. It cranks faster, pulls closer...ENGINE SCREAMING. It cranks up a notch, it's going to explode. It can't go faster, but it does. It SCREAMS HIGHER. It ROARS under, by and away, leaving dust... A. THE BIKE - STILL Silence. Just the HISS AND POP OF METAL COOLING. Maverick sits on it, staring out past us. Goose looks over Maverick's shoulder. We see why. Feet come into the frame. Then the uniform: California Highway Patrol. 40. COUNTRY ROAD - NEAR SAN DIEGO 40A. ANGLE ON MAVERICK. CHP enters the frame, the usual hypercivil arrogance tinged with awed disbelief. The usual questions are spaced for effect as if he might be talking to some other form of life. Maverick is off the bike, standing at attention. Goose follows more slowly. CHP Son. Do you know why I stopped you? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20. Maverick has some good idea how to deal with authority. MAVERICK Yes sir. I do sir The CHP adjusts his own aviator shades. CHP Well... What is it? MAVERICK (more than sincere) Sir. You are going to give me a warning, Sir! CHP - A touch of a smile, quickly surpressed. CHP License and registration. Maverick hands them over with his Navy ID. CHP scans them, hesitates a moment over the last, looks up with a touch more respect. CHP (CONT'D) Lieutenant, do you know how fast you were going? MAVERICK Yes sir. I do, Sir. CHP Well? MAVERICK Sir. I was going Mach point one five. CHP nods sagely. CHP One SIXTH the speed of sound! MAVERICK Yes sir. CHP (a guess) Lieutenant... What do you... usually fly? MAVERICK F-14's sir. CHP (new respect) Tomcats? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21. MAVERICK Yes sir! A long pause. Respect in the cop's eyes. He taps the Navy ID on the handlebars...staring at this sincere young man. CHP Lieutenant... Is there... a Russian attack? MAVERICK No sir! But you have to be ready. The cop nods and stares at him. 24 EXT. MIRAMAR NAVAL AIR STATION - LATER 41A. OMIT The bike is BLURPING... barely going fast enough to stay upright. Maverick cool in shades and campaign cap dorks past the hanger with the sign: FIGHTERTOWN, USA. He pulls ahead. In back of him, escorting with flashers...the CHP. They pull up at the gate. Maverick and Goose salute the guard, hands over their ID. The CHP gets out of his car, leans against the door. CHP Lieutenant. Maverick turns to him. MAVERICK Yes, Sergeant? CHP Remember one thing. MAVERICK Sir? CHP Outside of this gate... I...am Top Gun. MAVERICK Yes sir! He salutes. The CHP returns a snappy one. He gets back in his car and turns away. Maverick receives his ID and clearance. As he passes through, a couple of pilots in flight suits (ICE AND HOLLYWOOD) stare at him. The taller, dark, cool one speaks in a dry voice, meant to be overheard. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22. ICE Uh oh, police escort. This one must be a real killer. The second pilot grins big at them. Maverick turns slightly stares over his shades at them as he passes. Goose grins back the challenge. 42. AERIAL COMBAT - VIETNAM ERA - F4'S, MIG 17'S - STOCK The Doors on the soundtrack. Jets swoop, missiles fire, a plane explodes. Gun camera views of MiGs, SAMS, flak, bombing runs... VIPER (V.O.) During the Korean War, the Navy kill ratio was twelve-to-one. We shot down twelve of their jets for every one of ours. In Vietnam, this ratio fell to three-to-one. Our pilots depended on missles. They lost their dogfighting skills. F-14's fighting with F-5's. Music becomes current. VIPER (V.O.) (CONT'D) Top Gun was created to teach ACM. Air Combat Maneuvering...Dogfighting. Richthofen, Guynemer, Rickenbacker, Galland, Rudel, Bong would envy us. We do just what they did, but we do it beyond the speed of sound. 43. INT. DAY - TOP GUN ORIENTATION ROOM. VIPER - A tough-looking, confident leader in a blue flight suit, stands before a video-tape monitor. Behind him, on the monitor, the dogfighting continues. VIPER (CONT'D) By the end of Vietnam we upped our kill ratio to thirteen to one. He turns on the lights. We see his audience in F.G. VIPER (CONT'D) You're here 'cause you're the top one per cent of all naval aviators. THE CLASS Sixteen young men - eight flight crews - sit at attention. They are trim, fit and confident - high school heroes, college jocks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23. VIPER (V.O.) You're the elite, the best of the best. We're gonna make you better, because you're job is damned important. ANOTHER ANGLE - THE MEN The camera moves among them. Hold on one of the men; the one who greeted Maverick at the gate, Ice. VIPER (V.O.) (CONT'D) With the tensions in the world today, the potential for confron- tation is greater than ever, and carrier pilots will be the first ones there. Air combat excellence is vital. Ice is not looking at the speaker, but, rather, in our direction. HOLLYWOOD, a blond, good-looking pilot, whispers something to him, and gestures. Ice is getting the lowdown on someone. The camera moves and we see who that someone is, as Maverick enters the frame. VIPER (CONT'D) ...Someone once asked me if training men for air combat made the world less safe--flying loaded guns... an accidental confrontation and so forth... Maverick feels the stare of the other man and glances in his direction. Their eyes meet. Ice smiles coldly. ANGLE - VIPER VIPER (Con't) My answer is: the dangerous thing is being unprepared. You want trouble, that's what you get when things don't work out, when you can't do what you say you can. When you don't know what you can do. And when your opponents aren't sure either. We are not policy. We don't make policy. Elected officials ...civilians, do that. We are the instrument of policy. The tip of the spear. So we had best be sharp. Maverick has turned to look at Ice. Ice glances back in his direction. Maverick looks at the back of the room where guys in blue flight suits stand. They are the instructors. They look relaxed, poised, mean. Goose is looking up front...Where Viper has stopped. Goose nudges Maverick. GOOSE (whispers) What are you doing? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24. MAVERICK Nothing...That's McGown...that's Singer, isn't it? GOOSE Turn around, pay attention. What are you doing? MAVERICK (musing to himself) ...Just wondering...(turns back) ...who is the best. He's shocked to find Viper staring right at him, with a killer grin on his face. He's feels caught like a naughty schoolboy. VIPER Really... (smiles) Ya know. We'd like to know who's best too. That's why we've got that plaque on the wall... with the Top Top Gun crew from each class. You think maybe your name's gonna be on it? Maverick knows he's in trouble, considers the social alternatives, then tells him the truth. MAVERICK Yes sir. A couple of ooo's and aahh's from the guys. The instructors stare the challenge at him. He slides lower in his seat. VIPER Considering the company you're in, that's a pretty arrogant attitude. MAVERICK (somewhat chastised) Yes sir. VIPER I like that in a fighter pilot. (couple of laughs from the guys) It's okay to be confident. You have to think you're King Kong to want to try to land on carriers. Just keep in mind the other component of success...teamwork. Viper gathers his notes, the lecture is over. MAVERICK Yes sir. Viper turns back for one more thought. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25. VIPER Gentlemen, this is about combat. Remember, there are no points for second place. Dismissed. Viper walks out. Maverick finds Goose looking at him, quizzically. Others mill around the plaque. A big, friendly bear of a RIO speaks. WOLFMAN A plaque? HOLLYWOOD It's not the plaque. The winner can get assigned here as instructor. He gets to fight every day. They move closer to examine the names on the plaque. 44. EXT. "O" CLUB - NIGHT. Fast cars in the driveway, fast music blares into the night. It's Wednesday; Animal Night. Maverick, Goose Hollywood and Wolfman walk to the entrance. 25 INT. WOXOF BAR Loud music, low ceiling, plaques of the squadrons line the walls. A dancer gyrates on stage, largely ignored by pilots talking with their hands. Every pretty girl in San Diego seems to be here. It's a noisy, rowdy place--a "steam releaser" for people under pressure. Nevertheless, there is a control to it all, there are none of the usual bar types, just pilots and Naval Officers. The Ghost Riders enter. The place is on fire: a mob of dancers, flashing lights, blaring HARD ROCK MUSIC. Beer flows. Pilots talk flying and hustle girls. NEARBY - AN A7 pilot stands by the bar. He knows Goose and speaks loudly for his benefit.. A7 PILOT You know the Fighter Pilots motto? It's better to be dead than to look bad. They grin broadly. Goose replies as they brush past. GOOSE I don't know, Frank, anybody gets off on bombing the shit out of dirt has got to be queer. Goose exchanges friendly punches with the attack pilots. Maverick's introductions and friendly barbs are drowned by the music. Maverick is a bit reserved. He doesn't move among ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26. the crowd as naturally as Goose does. Hollywood and Wolfman drift away, searching for quarry. Goose orders beer. He nods toward a TALL YOUNG MAN across the room. GOOSE (CONT'D) Keller, Black Lion Squadron. I knew him at Pensacola. He's damn good. MAVERICK Is there anybody in the Navy you don't know? GOOSE Gotta keep track of the competition. Goose suddenly reaches out and grabs a guy moving past. GOOSE (CONT'D) Slider -- they let you into Top Gun? If you're among the best in the Navy, I tremble for the security of this country. SLIDER Why Goose, whose butt did you kiss to get here? GOOSE The list is long, but distinguished. SLIDER So's my Johnson. GOOSE This is Maverick. Smiles good-naturedly, shakes hands with Mav. SLIDER So I've heard. GOOSE Who's your pilot? SLIDER Tom Kazansky. GOOSE (very impressed) No shit. The Iceman.... SLIDER Mister to you. GOOSE You think you can stay up with us. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 27. SLIDER I think, yeah, we'll show you a thing or two. GOOSE This is Evan Mitchell, he steers the thing. SLIDER So I heard. Steers it pretty close. Sorry to hear about Cougar. He was a good man. MAVERICK Still is.. SLIDER Yeah. That's what I meant. Suddenly, behind them, a flame shoots up. Someone ducks his head and swallows it. The pilot sets an empty glass on the bar. SLIDER (CONT'D) What was that? GOOSE Flaming Hooker. Sort of an institution around here. Or maybe this is the institution, I forget which. It's the house drink. It'll warm the cockles of your heart ... and other things depending on where you spill it. He motions to the barmaid and she moves over, sets them up. GOOSE holds a demitasse glass. The barmaid pours Drambuie. They look at Goose apprehensively. Goose looks at nearby flyers in Camo fatigues. GOOSE (CONT'D) You can't show fear in front of Marines...They're like Doberman's they'll go for your throat, it's instinctive. He takes out match and lights it. Maverick holds his arm. MAVERICK You ever done this before? GOOSE What, been drunk? Sure! Plenty! He downs it all in one gulp, slaps the glass on the bar, still aflame. He stands there, blinking. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 28. SLIDER How was it? GOOSE Could use a dash more jet fuel. The others are duly impressed. Maverick's gaze falls on Ice watching from the end of the bar - Slider takes one, Maverick takes one too, downs it in a gulp. Sundown, taking up the challenge, motions for one. The barmaid pours it. GOOSE (CONT'D) Careful, don't make an ash of yourself... He tries to drink the flaming concoction. He tries to go for a sip, but it's too close to his face, he tries to tilt the flame away, but that doesn't work. Finally he goes for the gulp. He burns his lip and misses. He sets his hair on fire. It goes up in a WHOOOSH!! SUNDOWN Yeow! GOOSE Mayday! Down in flames! He throws a beer in Sundown's face, quenching the fire. Sundown blinks through the beer. SUNDOWN Thanks, I needed that. HOLLYWOOD You guys are not only crazy, you're dangerous! Ice comes up from the end of the bar. He motions the Barmaid for another; it comes. Goose lights it. He gulps it down, cool as hell. ICE (Disdainfully) Frat boys. He walks away. Slider goes after him. MAVERICK Who is that guy? HOLLYWOOD That's Kazanski. GOOSE No shit! That why they call him Ice? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 29. HOLLYWOOD Nope. It's the way he flies - Ice cold. No mistakes. Wears you down. After enough time, you just get bored and frustrated, you do something stupid, and he's got you. Maverick moves in Ice's direction. He passes Wolfman dancing with a girl with bright purple fingernails. ANGLE - DANCEFLOOR. GIRL Why do you all have such funny names? WOLFMAN You gotta have a call sign that's just your own...never changes...you have to recognize it immediately. Then, if someone shouts "Wolf, break left!"..you react right away. GIRL Why do they call you Wolf? WOLDFMAN (smiles) Oh, I don't know. Goose comes up with his arm around a girl. GOOSE Hey Mav, this is Sally. She doesn't believe a word I say. Tell her I'm married, will you? MAVERICK Yeah, he's married--but then again, he,s not dead. Sally laughs and tries to pull Goose back toward the dance floor. Something in Maverick's eyes makes him hang back with his partner. ANGLE - THE DANCE FLOOR - DANCERS GIRL Could I get a call sign? WOLFMAN Well, I don't know. That depends. GIRL On what? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 30. WOLFMAN Well, it doesn't just happen, you gotta do something famous. GIRL Like what? WOLFMAN Oh...I'll think of something. Maverick smiles at this, but seems on edge... He watches a few pretty girls enter and eye the pilots in their flight suits, then turns and walks up to Ice, who sits, drinking with Slider. Maverick walks over to him. Ice notices Slider's attention going to Maverick. He turns and grins at him. ICEMAN Figured it out yet? MAVERICK Figured out what? ICEMAN Who is the best. MAVERICK Nope. ICEMAN Need a hint? MAVERICK I think I can work it out on my own. ICEMAN You like to work alone. I've heard that about you. MAVERICK I've heard of you, too. You were in 124 with Bargamian. ICEMAN And you were with Cougar. He was my roommate in flight school. MAVERICK He's a good man.
ICEMAN The best.------------------------------------------------------------------ 31. SLIDER You must have soloed under a lucky star. First the MiG, then you slide into Cougar's place. GOOSE It's not Cougar's place. It's ours. ICE What do you think it was? Was it that MiG contact that did it? GOOSE Did what? ICE Got you here. GOOSE We're here because we're the best flyers in the wing. Not because of some MiG encounter. SLIDER What luck! Guys fly their whole career without seeing a MiG up close...You're famous. ICE You mean notorious. Something in the way he says it. It's not quite a joke, more an insult. Maverick's about to take the whole conversation too far when something...someone catches his eye. She catches quite a few eyes in this room. She is very pretty and she's walking in on the arm of a Commander. Maverick turns back, but the moment has passed. Ice dismisses him with a nod and weak smile. Goose pulls him away. MAVERICK What do these guys think, I made Cougar quit? GOOSE Pay no attention to it. They're just trying to rattle you. It's all psychological. Sit down..and drink. He deposits Maverick at a chair by a table where other pilots cluster watching and listening to Bugs shoot down his wristwatch. Maverick broods... BUGS We were just really diving down and by then we were right over downtown Haiphong. (MORE) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 32. BUGS (CONT'D) It was some great shit. Jack says, "What are you doing?" "What, what am I doing, Jack?" He says, "What are you doing?" I said, "I'm rolling in, Jack." "Bugs, we're at thirty-two hundred feet. Oh shit, we were like zooom... So we scraped down at hundred feet right over--downtown Hanoi! Oh shit, goddamn it! And blowing down the river. And so once we were there we let down to about fifty feet just going down the river and Jack says... "Bugs... don't ever do that again!" "Okay, right, Jack, I'll never do that again!" Maverick pays little or no attention. He broods and drinks. Suddenly, Hollywood nudges him, he turns. MAVERICK What, what is it? HOLLYWOOD Target passing. Check your six. MAVERICK Never mind mine. Check hers. They turn. Long legs, great ass, beautiful. HOLLYWOOD Her six is a ten! Uh oh, a turn to engage. HIS POV - ACROSS A CROWDED ROOM Maverick sees a stranger, and somehow he knows, he knows even then. Wolfman turns, sees her walking too. WOLFMAN Bogey...9 o'clock level. SUNDOWN Nine thirty. Bogey? You presume that hostile? HOLLYWOOD Well, we should contact and check it out. She has turned toward them. She passes by. They start to make a move for her. But just then she finds her date at the bar; a distinguished man with Captain's stripes. Their smiles freeze and they slide back in their chairs. Maverick can't stop looking at her...After a while, the intensity of his gaze draws her attention. She feels him. She is nodding and ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 33. smiling to her date, but her eyes scan the room like radar. A warning tone goes off in his brain dolu dolu dolu as they lock on him. He feels that thrill of excitement and fear you get when you know you're targeted in someone's scope. Her eyes hold on him for a long moment...long enough, and then sweep by the rest of the room. She turns her attention back to the Captain and laughs at something he says. Over in a corner, Goose chats up a couple of San Diego girls. GOOSE The family unit -- that's the most important thing. It's the only thing you can count on. I'm married --did I tell you that? FIRST GIRL Four times. We don't believe you. GOOSE I've been married since I was eighteen. Why don't you believe me? SECOND GIRL Because you don't look married. FIRST GIRL You're not even wearing a ring. GOOSE (big smile) I take it off when I'm chasing women. It's the only honorable thing to do. ANGLE - MAVERICK He's half listening to Bugs rattle on. His eyes are drawn back to the woman. He tries not to stare. She seems to know a lot of people in the club. He looks away. Hollywood is chatting up a girl with a sincerity that cannot be taught. His line is just as polished as his appearance. HOLLYWOOD You don't think about death up there, but you think a lot about the danger. One mistake and you're a smoking hole in the ground. GIRL I never knew it was so dangerous. HOLLYWOOD Oh yeah, it makes everything down here more meaningful. You feel a (MORE) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 34. HOLLYWOOD (CONT'D) certain intensity of life, and you want to grab onto every moment. Maverick looks up at the bar again. A shock. She (Charlie) is staring right at him, intensely, as her date whispers something in her ear. She notices him, staring back, quickly looks away, embarrassed. She says something to the man. He nods and turns away as someone else grabs his attention. The woman, now wouldn't look this way for anything. She picks up her purse from the bar and walks through the crowd and out of the room. Impulsively, Maverick's up, he follows. 26 INT. HALLWAY - OUTSIDE THE BAR He breaks out, looks around, doesn't see her. Someone disappears around a corner. He moves after. CORNER - A door slams shut. Impulsively, before he realizes what he is doing, he's through it. 47. WOMEN'S ROOM. A feminine GASP! He should have looked at the sign on the door. The realization of where he is hits him too late. She is standing by the mirror, with her make-up out, looking back at him. He's not quite sure what to do. A hasty retreat would be appropriate, if embarrassing. Ah, what the hell, he is a fighter pilot! He just walks right over to her...no idea what he will say. She's got her lipstick out, twisting it. She looks over at him with an amused smile. CHARLIE Long cruise, was it? She leans over the sink, puts on lipstick, sees his eyes cover her. CHARLIE (CONT'D) Anything I can do to help, Lieutenant? MAVERICK Lots of things. She laughs. He is sort of attractive, but there are other girls in the room, she doesn't want to be too encouraging...She tries not to grin at his embarrassment. CHARLIE I'll bet! MAVERICK Uhhh...Anything I can do for you? She laughs again, doesn't know what it is...could be chemical, but she's instinctively attracted. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 35. CHARLIE Yeah. Hold this. It might be safer. She hands him a makeup mirror. Starts redoing her lipstick. He just stares at her...She looks up at him, than back to her warpaint. Finally, when it comes, it is cool and amused. CHARLIE (CONT'D) Now I know why all the girls come here. They know how horny you guys get. But this...is ridiculous. MAVERICK It's not that. Mock anger. She's toying with him. CHARLIE It isn't? MAVERICK Well, it is. It is that, too. CHARLIE That's a big comfort to me. MAVERICK I could be, too. CHARLIE How so? MAVERICK Save you from a big mistake with that other guy. CHARLIE And on to a bigger one with you? MAVERICK Yeah, most likely. CHARLIE Was there ever a girl who didn't like fighter pilots? MAVERICK I heard of one once. She laughs again, shakes her head...another cowboy! She gently takes the compact out of his hands, snaps it closed. CHARLIE I'm really flattered, Lieutenant, but I don't go out with pilots. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 36. MAVERICK Then what are you doing here? Three pretty blondes enter and look at Maverick quizzically but not without interest. CHARLIE I think the question is...what are you? She tries to keep a straight face as she walks out of the room. The other girls look at him expectantly. A beat. He just stands there, then realizes he's holding her lipstick. MAVERICK Hi. I'm here to talk about a new concept in cosmetics... 47A. WOXOF BAR. She returns, spots the Captain, motioning to her. Maverick enters, goes to the other end of the bar. He orders a drink. It comes. He drinks it, pays for it, moves off toward the door. Someone backs into his path, he moves quickly and bumps into someone else; her. CHARLIE Sorry. She sees it's him. MAVERICK My fault. Should have watched where I was going. Her hand goes to his collar. She adjusts his insignia. She smiles. CHARLIE Where's your wing man? Who's watching your six? MAVERICK Uh, nobody, I guess. One final adjustment. CHARLIE Too bad. She breaks the spell abruptly, turns away. CHARLIE (CONT'D) See you around. Maverick finds his voice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 37. MAVERICK Can I walk you out? She turns back to him, a smile. CHARLIE I'm with someone. 27 EXT. "O" CLUB - LATER THAT NIGHT 28 P.O.V. - From a car in the parking lot, we see Charlie and the Captain leave the club. They walk directly toward us and stop. She turns, says something polite...a peck on the cheek. He turns away. A dome light briefly illuminates the interior of the car as a door opens. It rocks slightly as someone gets in. Charlie turns back and walks over, taking her keys out. She opens the door to the car and gets in. 29 A. EXT. CAR - NIGHT She starts the car and pulls away. Suddenly, a figure sits up in the back. MAVERICK I thought he'd never leave. CHARLIE Yeow! Startled, she nearly drives off the road. She turns to him, startled. CHARLIE (CONT'D) You! What are you doing here? MAVERICK Everybody's got to be somewhere. CHARLIE What if Captain Dawson had come with me? MAVERICK It would have been really embarrassing! CHARLIE How did you know this was my car? MAVERICK Simple deduction. It's fast. It's pretty. Sleek and stylish...It's your color...matches your lipstick. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 38. CHARLIE That's all! MAVERICK And I asked someone. CHARLIE You think you're pretty smart. MAVERICK I think I'm in love. 30 EXT. GUARD GATE She pulls up at the guard gate, a MARINE CORPORAL is on duty. He sees the pretty girl pull up and stop, leans over helpfully. MARINE Can I help you, Ma'am? She smiles even more sweetly. CHARLIE I don't know, Corporal. Can you do anything about this lunatic? The car door swings open. Maverick gets out. The car roars away. He stands in the glare of the spotlight...rocking on his heels, looking across at the guard, who snaps to attention and stares holes in his chest. 50. INT. TOP GUN - NEXT MORNING. Two guys in flight suits run down stairs past stencils of MiG kills on walls, then down corridor. FLEX Not so fast...my head. They skid to stop outside a door. 31 INT. HANGAR Ground crews work on planes in B.G. Jester in middle of lecture. Door bursts open. Sundown and Flex skid to a halt when they see whole class looking at them. JESTER Who are you? SUNDOWN I'm Sundown. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 39. JESTER Yeah, right. You're late. Viper breaks in, indicating Flex. VIPER And who are you? FLEX FLEX VIPER (CONT'D) Flex...? You don't look like Flex to me. You call that muscle? Doesn't look like muscle. Looks like...Pork. They laugh. Even Sundown has to laugh, scratching his chest. VIPER (CONT'D) What're you laughing at? You're Fungus. Stops scratching. SUNDOWN/FUNGUS Fungus! PORK Don't make an issue of it, it'll stick. FUNGUS (UNHAPPILY) It'll stick anyway. Viper turns away... VIPER Now to continue. In this class we will be dealing with F-5's and A4's, as our MiG simulators. Technically the F-5 does not have the thrust to weight ratio of the MiG-21--it also does not bleed energy below 300 knots like the MiG-21 does. The A4 does not turn as well as the MiG-17 but has significantly better visibility. Maverick looks back to his notes. SFX footsteps...door opening. Viper looks up to back of room door. VIPER (CONT'D) Hi, Charlie. Good, our TAGREF's here. Charlie's the most qualified to get into P subs and curves, and VN diagrams. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 40. Maverick turns to see the TAGREF walk forward. Maverick stares at her as she passes without acknowledging him. He is surprised, embarrassed. VIPER (CONT'D) Charlotte Blackwood--code name Charlie-- not your ordinary TAGREF. Charlie has her Ph.D. in astrophysics--she's a civilian contractor so you don't salute her...or anything else. Is that clear? She walks to the front and starts her presentation. She talks about something very technical, arcane. MiG tactics, technology. As the briefing rattles on, Maverick reacts to her. Goose glances over at him. He, too, recognizes the girl. He looks at his partner. Maverick feels his stare. CHARLIE Hello, I think I have some new data for you...Now a MiG 21 has a problem with the inverted flight tanks. It won't do a Negative G push over. Even below one G, they risk a flame out. Operationally, they will do a zero to one G only. A snicker from the audience. She hesitates momentarily, goes on. CHARLIE (CONT'D) The latest intelligence shows that the most they will do in operation is one....is there something wrong, Lieutenant. MAVERICK I don't think you're altogether right...about the MiG, that is. She stops--some of the pilots look at him. Viper glares. CHARLIE I beg your pardon. MAVERICK No, I beg yours. But I don't think you're right on that. CHARLIE Why not? MAVERICK I saw one. CHARLIE You saw a MiG 21? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 41. MAVERICK I saw a MiG do a 4 G negative dive. CHARLIE (She doesn't believe him) Where did you see that? MAVERICK It's classified. Nervous buzz in the room. Viper goes rigid. Charlie can't believe it. CHARLIE It's what? MAVERICK It's classified. Like Hollywood says, I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you. Pork stifles a laugh, the others chuckle. Viper is embarrassed. VIPER Maverick!!! She stops Viper with a glance. CHARLIE It's all right. She can handle it. She is very cool, not overbearing. She says it calmly. She doesn't want to embarrass him any more than he is, but she has to get the facts straight. CHARLIE (CONT'D) Lieutenant, I have a top secret clearance. The Pentagon sees to it that I know more than you. MAVERICK Not in this case. CHARLIE (Flatly.) You saw a MiG push negative 4G? MAVERICK Yes, ma'am. CHARLIE Where were you? MAVERICK On his six. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 42. Little stifled laughs. CHARLIE He was in a 4G Negative dive and you were on his six? MAVERICK Yes, ma'am, At first. Then I was directly above him. She stares at him for a moment, then she has him. She goes for the kill. CHARLIE If you were directly above him, how did you see him? MAVERICK I was inverted. A real buzz in the room. Ice laughs audibly. CHARLIE You were in a 4G inverted dive with a MiG 21? (She can't believe it.) At what range ? MAVERICK Two. CHARLIE Two miles. MAVERICK Two meters. Chuckles, barely suppressed. Goose pipes up to deflect attention. GOOSE One and a half, actually. I got a polaroid. CHARLIE (Flatly.) Lieutenant... MAVERICK Ma'am? CHARLIE What were you doing there? MAVERICK Giving him the bird. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 43. Open laughter. She thinks it's at her. She grows red. CHARLIE The what? MAVERICK You know. The finger. He shows her, but she can handle this. CHARLIE So you're the reason those SALT talks failed. The room breaks into laughter. At him. Now he grows red. Goose puts his hand on Maverick's arm, shakes his head as if to say: "Let it go, pal, she got you". She looks at Viper. He doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. He knows there's something here he doesn't control. VIPER Lieutenant! GOOSE It's just like he says, sir. VIPER (He snaps) I don't care! 51A. CORRIDOR - OUTSIDE LECTURE HALL She walks away. He runs up and stops her. MAVERICK Why didn't you tell me you were a TAGREF? She studies him coolly for a moment, like a specimen. CHARLIE It never came up. MAVERICK You let me make a fool of myself. CHARLIE You seemed determined to do that anyway.. Why didn't you tell me you were a famous MiG insulter? MAVERICK Would it have made a difference? CHARLIE No. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 44. MAVERICK What would? CHARLIE You know, I'm assigned to this school. I see sixteen new hotshots every eight weeks. Your attention is flattering, but not really productive. Why don't you keep your mind on flying. She reaches over and aligns his collar insignia. CHARLIE (CONT'D) Why can't you keep this straight? She smiles at him and walks away. Maverick turns, sees the others sizing him up. Most of them grin. Maverick moves down the corridor past the CO's Office. Viper leans against the doorsill. He lights a pipe, laconically eyes Maverick. His tone gives away nothing, like an ELINT probe eliciting a response. VIPER Maverick... Where'd you get that call sign? MAVERICK Ahhh... Runs in the family, sir. VIPER You're father was Marvin Mitchell.. MAVERICK Yes sir. VIPER A good man. Good flyer. Viper turns away. MAVERICK Yes sir. Thank you sir. Maverick watches him for a beat, he's been tested, but he's not sure how or why. He turns to catch up with Goose and the others. 32 EXT. SKY - LATER At twenty-eight thousand feet, the two planes circle each other, going in opposite directions. As they jockey for position, they snap past each other like ends of bullwhips. The earth spins, the horizon appears and disappears. With each hard turn, Maverick and Goose can be heard "grunting" to keep blood in their brains, to keep from passing out. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 45. The fight is hard, physical, and exhausting. The extreme G forces--6.5--flatten them against their seats, causing their heads to weigh over one hundred pounds. Maverick strains to turn his head and track the other jet as it streaks past at Mach One. MAVERICK I've lost him -- where is he? GOOSE On your six -- coming hard. Four hundred. Losing airspeed! He's on your six and closing fast! Hard left! HARD LEFT! Maverick jerks the stick left, and the F-14 takes an astonishing turn. Jester ROARS past into a wide arc. GOOSE (CONT'D) Great move. Great MAVERICK He should've had me. GOOSE Take it down. Let's bug out of here. Call for a draw. MAVERICK No way. I'll nail him this time. Going vertical. THE PLANE EXPLODES INTO AFTERBURNER - rocketing toward space. Jester is left in direct line with the sun, and his canopy is sprayed with a blinding glare. Going ballistic is dangerous. The plane flys like a bullet, obeying the laws of physics, not the pilot's touch on control surfaces. The ballistic call warns other aircraft that he is, for the moment, out of control. GOOSE He's blind -- you got him! JESTER NO JOY! NO JOY! WHERE ARE YOU? I'VE LOST SIGHT. GOOSE He's out of energy! You got control? Unload! The F-14 peels over the egg, in a backward dive. It rockets down the outside, gaining energy. Over the ROAR of jets, the SCREAM of the wind, Goose shouts data, but it is muffled, a distant voice in a typhoon. Through the canopy, we see Jester, ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 46. and he hangs in the air like a sparrow in the path of a falcon. PILOT'S POV - HUD in windscreen - a diamond in a box. Maverick lines up the diamond with Jester, and we hear the high pitched tone BEEPING. JESTER WE'RE BELOW THE HARD DECK. FIGHT'S OFF. GOOSE He's right. We're at ten thousand. MAVERICK No way. I got you, sucker. You're going down. Jester maneuvers, but Maverick keeps him in the gunsight. The BEEPING is louder, faster. MAVERICK (CONT'D) In the envelope. FOX TWO MISSILE SHOT. YOU'RE GONE, JESTER, DEAD! GOOSE (stunned) Goddamn! We beat him! There is an edge of anger in Jester's voice. JESTER ROGER FOX TWO. GET YOUR BUTTS ABOVE THE HARD DECK. RETURN TO BASE IMMEDIATELY. They are brought up short for a moment, then the thrill of victory gets the best of them. Goose lets out a war whoop. The F-14 sweeps up, rolls into an Immelman.. MAVERICK We did it! GOOSE Look, Ma, top of the world! 52A. EXT. MIRAMAR - LANDING PATTERN. Maverick's Tomcat breaks hard and high, rolls over on its side, wings perpendicular to the ground. Goose sees the world go sideways. GOOSE (CONT'D) Ahhh...A little high on the left, don't you think? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 47. MAVERICK Right. He aileron rolls another quarter turn. Inverted, they pass right down the runway. Goose looks out and insouciantly watches the world go by at 300 knots, upside down. GOOSE Right. Much better. ...Ahhh...what do you call this? MAVERICK It's a victory roll. GOOSE I wouldn't call it victory. It's more like...self immolation. B. INT. CONTROL TOWER Controllers work. Officers watch the landing activity. One old salt, turns from the coffee machine, a cup of steaming Java microns from his lips. A ROAR. VABOOM! The Tomcat roars over. He yelps as hot coffee flys all over his shirt. 52C. EXT. MAVERICK'S F-14 They complete the roll, bank left, zoom right by the tower, level with the observation window. 52D. F-14'S POV. Controllers look out at the F-14, mouths drop open. E. ANGLE GOOSE He waves jauntily. GOOSE (CONT'D) Hi...Hi there. How ya doing in there? Mav... Ahhh...you know, at one point I did want a Navy career. MAVERICK Come on, relax... GOOSE You see all those guys with gold on their shoulders!!?... Oh, no, I think that was Johnson, Air Boss of the Kitty Hawk! MAVERICK Come on, we beat an instructor. How many times in your life do you get to do a victory roll? GOOSE Just once, if they take your plane away. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 48. They roll out, break over the runway. *** 52F. EXT. FLIGHTLINE. Maverick and Goose walk by parking Tomcats...Ice is unstrapping, Slider is climbing down. Ice looks at Maverick, says one word. ICEMAN Cowboys! Maverick keeps walking...Goose hangs back. SLIDER Nice. Always a good idea to show up your instructors. He nods toward Jester, glaring at them from his A4. Goose indicates the backseat of the Tomcat. GOOSE Hey, see any controls back there? (thinks about team loyalty, reacts to Jester's glare...) And anyway...we beat the Son of a Bitch! He turns and runs to catch up with Maverick. 33 INT. LOCKER ROOM - DAY Pilots half undressed. Maverick and Goose enter the room, carrying their helmets. The students look up at them, and Goose suddenly flashes a thumb's up sign with a grin. The students react with clenched fists, ad libs, high fives, victory punches. WOLFMAN You won?!!! MAVERICK Didn't everybody? "Oooo" -- they all go "ooo" and laugh. WOLFMAN No, we...got our butts kicked. HOLLYWOOD Thirty seconds. That's all it took to blow us out of the sky. WOLFMAN We went like this, he went like that. I say to Hollywood: Where'd he go? Hollywood says: where'd who go? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 49. HOLLYWOOD And he's laughing. Right over the radio, He's laughing at us. Attention turns to the doorway as Ice and Slider enter. Ice gives a brief dramatic pause, then flashes thumbs up and smiles. The students celebrate Ice's win. Ice handles the attention with the easy composure of one who is used to it. Maverick ignores him and begins to peel out of his G-suit. Ice moves toward his locker. *** GOOSE You won. Congratulations. HOLLYWOOD Maverick and Goose won too. Ice talks into his locker. ICE That's not what I heard. GOOSE We won! Ice turns back, stares them down, then turns back into his locker, dismissing them. ICE Below the hard deck doesn't count. You guys are the second team, aren't you? Maverick gets up, moves to him, starts to say something, when Jester, breaks into the room. JESTER Maverick, Goose. Viper's office. Now! 53A. INT. TOPGUN CORRIDOR OUTSIDE CO'S OFFICE. SCREAMING AND YELLING. A lot of screaming and yelling, muffled by the door. 53B. INT. ANTEROOM. Enlisted Yeomen and Chiefs go about their clerical duties in acute embarrassment mixed with curiousity. Behind the CO'S door, someone is screaming his head off. BOOM! The door bursts open. A big, brawling Officer - Johnson, the Air Boss - blasts out, nearly smashing into a female petty officer. She almost spills her coffee. Johnson looks right and left in fury too strong for words. He looks like ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 50. he wants to smash something. They move out of his way, but he justs blasts through the door and disappears down the hall. The enlisted men turn to Viper's office. THEIR POV Jester stands inside stonefaced. Maverick and Goose are rigid. Viper...with excess calm deliberation, softly walks over, grasps the doornob. He glances in this direction. The glance is totally without expression, and even scarier for that. *** 53D. ANGLE ENLISTED (MEN) In a flash, each man finds something totally engrossing in his work, or something terribly important to do elsewhere. Slowly, steadily, Viper swings his door closed.54. INT. VIPER'S OFFICE He moves over to face Maverick. There is a SILENCE like after a train wreck; nothing but the POPPING of sprung metal and the low GASP of escaping steam. Viper speaks quietly, like a funeral director consoling the living. Makes you want to scream. VIPER Well....That about covers the flyby. Jester almost breaks into a grin. VIPER (CONT'D) Now...in addition...you broke two major rules of engagement. And... That's ...not good. Maverick gives no response. Viper continues. VIPER (CONT'D) Lieutenant Candela lost sight of you, and called "no joy". You failed to respond. He stops and looks at Maverick... A beat. Maverick finally nods VIPER (CONT'D) Why? Maverick is exhausted. It's been a long, rough day. His voice is a horse whisper. MAVERICK I had him in view. I was peeling over the egg, into a dive. He saw me when I moved in for the kill. There wasn't any danger... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 51. VIPER (to Goose) Is that how you remember it? GOOSE Yes, sir. By the time we could respond, we were diving right into his view. Viper is not satisfied with the answer, but he moves on. VIPER The hard deck for this hop was ten thousand feet. Jester, at what point did you call off the fight? JESTER Just below ten thousand. VIPER But you continued to fight. Another pause, another grudging nod. VIPER (CONT'D) Why? MAVERICK We weren't below for more than ten seconds. There was no danger. I had the shot. I took it. VIPER The rules of engagement are not flexible. They exist for your safety. You will obey them. Is that clear? Maverick thinks about continuing the discussion, but the thought is momentary. He quickly cuts his losses, gives Viper what he thinks he wants...He is just on the cusp of too sincere. MAVERICK Yes sir, perfectly clear. I guess we were ...I was... just a little over enthusiastic. Viper measures him for a moment, then lets it go. VIPER I guess you were. Dismissed. Maverick and Goose leave the room. Viper looks at Jester, picks up Maverick's fitness report. Doesn't read it, looks back at Jester. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 52. JESTER I don't know what to tell you, Skip. VIPER Tell me one thing. Jester waits. VIPER (CONT'D) ...If you had to go into combat, would you want him with you? Jester turns, walks slowly around the room. The walls are lined with pictures; planes and pilots...history. There are MiG killers, attack squadrons, ground personnel...There's one picture of a Phantom in flight with the backseater mooning the camera. Other pictures show carriers, famous flyers, previous CO's. Finally Jester replys. JESTER Yep. Viper slaps shut the fitness report. JESTER (CONT'D) He's seat of the pants... Completely unpredictable -- nothing by the book. All over the sky. But I don't know, Skip, he's really got something. VIPER Yeah, we get one of these guys every damn class. (laughs) "Maverick!" He throws the report on the desk. JESTER Yup, a wild pony. 34 OMITTED 35 INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT Wind ROAR, jet WHINE. Hollywood and Wolfman are being thrown about as Hollywood fights the stick. WOLFMAN No. No. Look out, you lost it. They depart flight. Tumble. The horizon swings wildly as they go into flat spin. WOLFMAN (CONT'D) We're dead! A face appears at 12,000 feet, right in front of their canopy. Goose's eyes bug at them. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 53. GOOSE Man, you guys gooned it. Your laser butts are scattered across KANSAS. HOLLYWOOD (disgusted with himself) Come on. I died enough for one night. A. EXT. COCKPIT They climb out of the simulator - A cockpit sprung on moveable rams, surrounded by a dome on which video images are projected. As they climb down, Maverick and Goose climb up into the cockpit to take their place. GOOSE Have you guys ever considered career counseling? 36 OMITTED 56B. SIMULATOR CONTROL ROOM - Filled with computers, tape transports and video screen representations of computer generated combat. Now Maverick flies it as Charlie and other techs watch. 56C. COCKPIT Maverick flys the heck out of it. It's real. It lurches and bumps, the NOISES and sights look real. He gets on the tail of a MiG. It breaks, he breaks, then what he does is just too fast to follow. It screams around in a turn. Suddenly, there is a WHUMMP...ALARMS...the lights come on. GOOSE What happened. TECH (V.O. FILTERED) What did you do in there? GOOSE What did you do? You broke it! COMPUTER ANALYSIS ROOM Maverick and Goose enter. The techs cluster around the keyboards trying to reprogram, to figure out what went wrong. CHARLIE You flew it off the template. Nobody ever did that before. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 54. GOOSE That's what she said last night. She stares at Goose until he grins and moves off to give the others his valuable opinions on how to reprogram the computers. CHARLIE What is it about you? He just shrugs at her and smiles. MAVERICK What would you say, too fast...too quick... CHARLIE And far too aggressive. MAVERICK It is combat. Every second counts. CHARLIE The hottest moves in the world aren't gonna help you if you wind up alone. Your wingman's got to be able to follow you. Trust you. Know that he can depend on you. It's more than just fancy flying. MAVERICK Well, what you need...what you have to keep looking for...what you want to get is a wingman who can stay up with you. Who can match you move for move. Then you've got something. I'm sorry. CHARLIE For what? MAVERICK That stuff about the MiG. I was out of line. CHARLIE Apology acknowledged. MAVERICK Is that all? CHARLIE What else do you want? MAVERICK Um. You. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 55. CHARLIE There you go with those moves again. MAVERICK Too aggressive? CHARLIE I don't mix with the boys. I work here. Let's keep it professional. MAVERICK I'm special. CHARLIE (laughs) Yes. I'll give you that! MAVERICK Give me a break, I'm asking you out. CHARLIE I can't. MAVERICK I thought there was something... That night in the club... CHARLIE Lieutenant... MAVERICK Evan... or Maverick. CHARLIE Maverick...you know the rules of engagement. MAVERICK (can't believe it.) The what?