Top Gun (1986)
Tom Cruise: Maverick
Photos
Quotes
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Charlie : Excuse me, Lieutenant. Is there something wrong?
Maverick : Yes ma'am, the data on the MiG is inaccurate.
Charlie : How's that, Lieutenant?
Maverick : Well, I just happened to see a MiG-28...
Goose : We!
Maverick : ...do a... Sorry, Goose. *We* happened to see a MiG-28 do a 4G negative dive.
Charlie : Where did you see this?
Maverick : Uh, that's classified.
Charlie : It's what?
Maverick : It's classified. I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.
Charlie : Lieutenant, I have Top Secret clearance. The Pentagon sees to it that I know more than you.
Maverick : Well, ma'am, it doesn't seem so in this case, now, does it?
Charlie : So, Lieutenant, where exactly were you?
Maverick : Well, we...
Goose : Thank you.
Maverick : Started up on a 6, when he pulled from the clouds, and then I moved in above him.
Charlie : Well, if you were directly above him, how could you see him?
Maverick : Because I was inverted.
Iceman : [coughs] Bullshit.
Goose : No, he was, man. It was a really great move. He was inverted.
Charlie : You were in a 4G inverted dive with a MiG-28?
Maverick : Yes, ma'am.
Charlie : At what range?
Maverick : About two meters?
Goose : Well, it's actually about one and a half, I think. It was one and a half. I've got a great Polaroid of it, and he's right there, must be one and a half.
Maverick : Was a nice picture.
Goose : Thanks.
Charlie : Eh, Lieutenant, what were you doing there?
Goose : Communicating.
Maverick : Communicating. Keeping up foreign relations. I was, you know, giving him the bird.
Goose : You know, the finger.
[holds up his middle finger to demonstrate]
Charlie : Yes, I know the finger, Goose.
Goose : I'm sorry. I hate it when it does that. I'm sorry. Excuse me.
Charlie : So you're the one?
Maverick : Yes, ma'am.
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Maverick : Tower, this is Ghost Rider requesting a flyby.
Air Boss Johnson : Negative, Ghost Rider, the pattern is full.
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Charlie : [Maverick and Goose have just successfully serenaded Charlie with their rendition of "You've Lost That Loving Feeling."] I love that song! I've never seen that approach. How long have you two been doing this act?
Maverick : Oh, I don't know, since uh...
Charlie : Puberty?
Maverick : Right, puberty.
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Stinger : For five weeks, you're gonna fly against the best fighter pilots in the world. You were number two, Cougar was number one. Cougar lost it, turned in his wings. You guys are number one. But you remember one thing. You screw up just this much, you'll be flying a cargo plane full of rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong.
Maverick : Yes, sir!
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Charlie : Listen, can I ask you a personal question?
Maverick : That depends.
Charlie : Are you a good pilot?
Maverick : I can hold my own.
Charlie : Great, then I won't have to worry about you making your living as a singer.
Maverick : I'm going to need a beer to put these flames out. Yo! Great Mav, real slick.
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Goose : Hey, hey, Slider. Thought you wanted to be a pilot, man what happened?
Slider : Goose, you're such a dickhead. Whose butt did you kiss to get in here anyway?
Goose : The list is long, but distinguished.
Slider : Yeah, well so is my Johnson.
Goose : So you're flying with Iceman, huh?
Slider : It's Mr. Iceman to you.
Iceman : Hey, Mother Goose, how's it going?
Goose : Good, Tom. This is Pete Mitchell. Tom Kazansky.
Iceman : Congratulations on Top Gun.
Maverick : Thank you.
Iceman : Sorry to hear about Cougar. He and I were like brothers in flight school. He was a good man.
Maverick : Still is a good man.
Iceman : Yeah, that's what I meant.
Iceman : You need any help?
Maverick : With what?
Iceman : You figured it out yet?
Maverick : What's that?
Iceman : Who's the best pilot.
Maverick : You know, I think I can figure that one out on my own.
Iceman : I heard that about you. You like to work alone.
Slider : Mav, you must've sold under a lucky star, huh? I mean, first the MiG, and then you guys slide into Cougar's spot.
Goose : We didn't slide into Cougar's spot. It was ours, okay?
Slider : Yeah, well, some pilots wait their whole career just to see a MiG up close. Guess you guys are lucky and famous, huh?
Iceman : No, you mean notorious. See you later.
Maverick : You can count on it.
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Maverick : Talk to me, Goose.
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Stinger : Maverick, you just did an incredibly brave thing. What you should have done was land your plane! You don't own that plane, the tax payers do! Son, your ego is writing checks your body can't cash. You've been busted, you lost your qualifications as section leader three times, put in hack twice by me, with a history of high speed passes over five air control towers, and one admiral's daughter!
Goose : Penny Benjamin?
[Maverick shrugs]
Stinger : And you asshole, you're lucky to be here!
Goose : Thank you, sir.
Stinger : And let's not bullshit Maverick. Your family name ain't the best in the Navy. You need to be doing it better, and cleaner than the other guy. Now what is it with you?
Maverick : Just want to serve my country, be the best pilot in the Navy, sir.
Stinger : Don't screw around with me Maverick. You're a hell of an instinctive pilot. Maybe too good. I'd like to bust your butt but I can't. I got another problem here. I gotta send somebody from this squadron to Miramar. I gotta do something here, I still can't believe it. I gotta give you your dream shot! I'm gonna send you up against the best. You two characters are going to Top Gun.
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Maverick : Jesus Christ, and you think I'm reckless? When I fly, I'll have you know that my crew and my plane come first.
Charlie : Well, I am going to finish my sentence, Lieutenant. My review of your flight performance was right on.
Maverick : Is that right?
Charlie : That is right, but I held something back. I see some real genius in your flying, Maverick, but I can't say that in there. I was afraid that everyone in the TACTS trailer would see right through me, and I just don't want anyone to know that I've fallen for you.
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Viper : I flew with your old man. VF-51, the Oriskany. You're a lot like he was. Only better... and worse. He was a natural heroic son of a bitch that one.
Maverick : So he did do it right.
Viper : Yeah, he did it right... Is that why you fly the way you do? Trying to prove something? Yeah, your old man did it right. What I'm about to tell you is classified. It could end my career. We were in the worst dogfight I ever dreamed of. There were bogeys like fireflies all over the sky. His F-4 was hit, and he was wounded, but he could've made it back. He stayed in it, saved three planes before he bought it.
Maverick : How come I never heard that before?
Viper : Well, that's not something the State Department tells dependents when the battle occurred over the wrong line on some map.
Maverick : So you were there?
Viper : I was there. What's on your mind?
Maverick : My options, sir.
Viper : Simple. First you've acquired enough points to show up tomorrow and graduate with your Top Gun class, or you can quit. There'd be no disgrace. That spin was hell, it would've shook me up.
Maverick : So you think I should quit?
Viper : I didn't say that. The simple fact is you feel responsible for Goose and you have a confidence problem. Now I'm not gonna sit here and blow sunshine up your ass, Lieutenant. A good pilot is compelled to evaluate what's happened, so he can apply what he's learned. Up there, we gotta push it. That's our job. It's your option, Lieutenant. All yours.
Maverick : Sorry to bother you on a Sunday, sir, but thank you very much for your time.
Viper : No problem. Good luck.
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Viper : How ya doin'?
Maverick : I'm all right.
Viper : Goose is dead.
Maverick : I know.
Viper : You fly jets long enough, something like this happens.
Maverick : He was my R.I.O., my responsibility.
Viper : My squadron, we lost 8 of 18 aircraft. 10 men. First one dies, you die too. But there will be others. You can count it. You gotta let him go. You gotta let him go.
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Maverick : I think I'll go embarrass myself with Goose.
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[after the final dogfight]
Maverick : Mustang, this is Maverick, requesting fly-by.
Air Boss Johnson : Negative, Ghost Rider. The Pattern is full.
Merlin : Uh, excuse me, something I should know about?
Air Boss Johnson : [gets his coffee] Thank you.
[Maverick does a fly-by past the Enterprise, causing the Air Boss to spill his coffee]
Air Boss Johnson : Goddamn that guy.
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Maverick : [to Cougar and Merlin while up in the air] Any of you boys seen an aircraft-carrier around here?
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Viper : In case some of you are wondering who the best is, they are up here on this plaque.
[turns to Maverick]
Viper : Do you think your name will be on that plaque?
Maverick : Yes, sir.
Viper : That's pretty arrogant, considering the company you're in.
Maverick : Yes, sir.
Viper : I like that in a pilot.
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Maverick : That son of a bitch cut me off!
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[Maverick is in a dogfight with a MiG and is down to one missile left]
Merlin : This is it, Maverick!
Maverick : I'm gonna hit the brakes, he'll fly right by.
Merlin : Shit! He's gonna get a lock on us!
Maverick : [the MiG eventually gets a lock onto Maverick] NOW!
[Maverick slams the breaks and the MiG passes by, then Maverick locks onto the MiG]
Maverick : Got a good lock, firing.
[the MiG is then destroyed by the missile]
Maverick : Whoo! Scratch four!
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Radio Operator : Maverick, you're at 3/4 of a mile. Call the ball.
Maverick : Roger. Maverick has the ball.
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Stinger : [to Maverick after the last dogfight] How's it feel to be on the front page of every newspaper in the English-speaking world, even though the other side denies the incident? Congratulations.
Stinger : They gave you your choice of duty, son. Where do you think you want to go?
Maverick : I thought of being an instructor, sir.
Stinger : Top Gun?
Maverick : Yes, sir.
Stinger : God help us.
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Viper : [after the first hop with Jester ends with Maverick shooting down Jester at the hard deck and Maverick doing a fly-by near a tower] Gentlemen... You had a hell of a first day. The hard deck for this hop was 10,000 feet. You knew it, you broke it. You followed Commander Heatherly below after he lost sight of you and called no joy. Why?
Maverick : Sir! I had Commander Heatherly in my sights, he saw me move in for the kill. He then proceeded below the hard deck. We weren't below 10,000 for more than a few seconds. I had the shot, there was no danger, so I took it.
Viper : You took it... AND BROKE A MAJOR RULE OF ENGAGEMENT. Then you broke another one with that, uh, circus stunt fly-by.
[Viper sighs]
Viper : Lieutenant Mitchell... Top Gun rules of engagement exists for your safety and for that of your team. They are not flexible, nor am I. Either obey them, or you're history. Is that clear?
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Maverick : Standby, Viper's coming down.
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Maverick : I'll hit the brakes, he'll fly right by.
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Charlie : [Looking over Maverick's shoulder in the classroom] A rolling reversal would work well in that situation.
Maverick : [Motions with his hands] If I reverse on a hard cross I could immediately go to guns on him.
Charlie : Yeah, but at that speed it's too fast... a little bit too aggressive.
Maverick : Too aggressive.
Charlie : [Smiling, says nothing]
Maverick : Well, I guess when I see something I go right after it!
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Maverick : Jesus, this guy's good!
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Maverick : Too close for missiles, I'm switching to guns.
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Maverick : You're okay, Cougar. Just stay on my wing, I'll take you all the way in. Just stay with me. Easy, Cougar. Just a walk in the park, buddy.
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Maverick : It's a big mystery. He disappeared in an F-4, November 5th, 1965. The stink of it was, he screwed up. No way. My old man was a great fighter pilot. But who the hell knows? It's all classified.
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Maverick : Wooo! Rock 'n' roll! Here's our chance. It's a big one, Goose.
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Maverick : Excuse me, Miss.
Goose : Hey. Hey-hey. Don't worry. I'll take care of this.
Maverick : [singing] You never close your eyes any more, When I kiss your lips
Goose : There's no tenderness Iike before, In your fingertips
Maverick : You're trying hard not to show it
Maverick , Goose : Baby, But, baby, Believe me I know it, You've lost that loving feeling, Whoa, that loving feeling...
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Maverick : Ice, fire or clear!
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Maverick : Goose, I'm losing control. I'm losing control.
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Carole : Maverick, would you go fetch him!
Maverick : I'm gonna go embarrass myself with Goose for a while.
Maverick , Goose : [singing] You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain, Thinking 'bout your love drives a man insane, You broke my will, Oh, what a thrill, Goodness gracious, Great balls of fire!
