Top Gun (1955) in Color — Starring Sterling Hayden & William Bishop

Top Gun (1955) — Buy This Classic in Color

Discover Top Gun, the 1955 American Western film directed by Ray Nazarro and starring Sterling Hayden, now available as a professionally colorized version. Based on the short story “The Fastest Gun” by Steve Fisher, the film concerns an ex-gunslinger who arrives in a small town warning of an impending attack by his old gang. Rick Martin returns home to Casper, Wyoming, where he is unwanted because of his reputation as a gunslinger. He does have a few friends in town, including Marshal Bat Davis and hotel owner Jim O’Hara. As Rick visits his mother’s grave, he notices a marker beside hers with his name on it; there is also an open grave, ready for him. Bat arrives and Rick informs him that an outlaw they have both ridden with in the past, Tom Quentin, and his gang of fifteen men are on the way to take what they want from Casper. Bat tells the town council this and tries to rustle up a posse. Despite Rick wanting to stay and help, the officials insist he leaves town by midnight. This Western combines classic gunslinger drama with themes of redemption and corruption as a former outlaw must save the town that rejected him. Own this classic movie in color as a DRM-free MP4 digital download for just €15.00.

Plot Summary

Rick Martin returns home to Casper, Wyoming, where he is unwanted because of his reputation as a gunslinger. He does have a few friends in town, including Marshal Bat Davis and hotel owner Jim O’Hara. As Rick visits his mother’s grave, he notices a marker beside hers with his name on it; there is also an open grave, ready for him. Bat arrives and Rick informs him that an outlaw they have both ridden with in the past, Tom Quentin, and his gang of fifteen men are on the way to take what they want from Casper. Bat tells the town council this and tries to rustle up a posse. Despite Rick wanting to stay and help, the officials insist he leaves town by midnight.

Rick rides to former sweetheart Laura Mead’s ranch to ask her to marry him and move to California, but she is engaged to a wealthy council member, Canby Judd. Rick learns his mother was cheated out of her ranch by Judd and murdered by him. After a fistfight, Judd hires gunfighter Lem Sutter to ambush Rick, but when Sutter ends up dead, and Judd lies about how it happened, Bat has no choice but to place Rick under arrest. Bat tries to head off Quentin on the trail but is shot. Townspeople now beg Rick for help. He is able to kill Quentin in a fair fight, and Laura kills Judd when he is about to shoot Rick in the back. Rick and Laura pack up and leave for California.

Rick Martin’s return to Casper represents a man seeking redemption and a fresh start, only to find that his past reputation as a gunslinger continues to define him in the eyes of the townspeople. The chilling discovery of his own grave marker beside his mother’s serves as a stark reminder of how the community views him—as a dead man walking, unwelcome and unwanted. Despite this hostility, Rick maintains friendships with a few who remember the man beneath the reputation, particularly Marshal Bat Davis, who understands the complexity of Rick’s character.

The impending threat from Tom Quentin and his gang of fifteen outlaws creates an urgent crisis that forces the town to confront its prejudices. Rick’s knowledge of Quentin’s methods and history provides valuable intelligence, but the town council’s stubborn insistence that Rick leave by midnight reflects their moral blindness—they would rather face a known threat without their best defender than accept help from a man they consider tainted by his past.

Rick’s personal journey intersects with the town’s crisis through his relationship with Laura Mead, his former sweetheart. Her engagement to Canby Judd, a wealthy and influential council member, complicates Rick’s hopes for a fresh start. The revelation that Judd cheated Rick’s mother out of her ranch and murdered her adds a layer of personal vengeance to the unfolding drama. Judd’s hiring of gunfighter Lem Sutter to ambush Rick demonstrates the corruption at the heart of the town’s leadership—those who present themselves as upstanding citizens are actually the true villains.

The sequence of events—Sutter’s death in the ambush, Judd’s lies about what happened, Bat’s duty to arrest Rick despite knowing the truth, Bat’s attempt to intercept Quentin alone, his shooting, and the town’s desperate plea for Rick’s help—demonstrates the consequences of prejudice and corruption. Only when faced with extinction does the town overcome its prejudice and beg Rick to save them, proving that practical necessity can overcome moral stubbornness.

The film’s climax brings together the personal and political threads of the story. Rick’s fair fight with Quentin represents his redemption through action, proving that his skills as a gunslinger can serve justice rather than villainy. Laura’s killing of Judd when he attempts to shoot Rick in the back provides poetic justice—the corrupt council member who destroyed Rick’s family is himself destroyed by the woman whose life he also tried to control. The film’s ending, with Rick and Laura leaving for California, suggests that some wounds cannot be healed within the community that caused them, and that sometimes the only path forward is a fresh start elsewhere.

Cast & Crew

Director: Ray Nazarro

Stars: Sterling Hayden, William Bishop, Karin Booth, James Millican, Regis Toomey, John Dehner, Rod Taylor

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

Top Gun was originally filmed in black and white, with cinematography that captured the stark beauty of Wyoming landscapes and the dusty, sun-drenched atmosphere of classic Western towns. This professionally colorized restoration enhances every scene with frame-by-frame precision, from the cemetery where Rick discovers his own grave marker to the dramatic showdowns in the dusty streets of Casper. The colorized version reveals new visual richness in the film’s settings, where the period-accurate 1950s Western attire, ranch architecture, and Wyoming scenery gain authenticity that transports viewers to the classic era of American Western cinema. Sterling Hayden’s commanding performance as Rick Martin gains additional dimension in color, his portrayal of the troubled gunslinger conveying both the weariness of a man seeking redemption and the lethal efficiency of a man who cannot escape his past. William Bishop’s oily performance as the corrupt Canby Judd and Karin Booth’s resilient Laura Mead benefit from colorization that highlights the moral contrasts between the characters. James Millican’s stalwart Marshal Bat Davis and Regis Toomey’s loyal Jim O’Hara represent the decent citizens caught between prejudice and necessity. The film features Rod Taylor in one of his first American roles, and colorization allows viewers to better appreciate the early work of an actor who would become a major star. Now also available in colour.

Buy Top Gun in color today for just €15.00. Your DRM-free MP4 download is available for instant access.

Historical Significance

Released in 1955, Top Gun represents the mid-1950s era of Western filmmaking, a period when the genre continued to dominate American cinema while evolving to address more complex themes of redemption, corruption, and community morality. Directed by Ray Nazarro, a prolific director who worked extensively in Westerns and B-movies, the film exemplifies the efficient storytelling and tight pacing characteristic of studio-era genre filmmaking. Nazarro’s direction balances the traditional elements of Western storytelling—gunfights, outlaws, and frontier justice—with more nuanced themes about reputation, prejudice, and the possibility of redemption.

The film’s star, Sterling Hayden, brought a unique presence to the Western genre. A tall, imposing actor with a distinctive voice and intensity, Hayden had already established himself in films like The Asphalt Jungle (1950) and Johnny Guitar (1954). His performance in Top Gun adds to his legacy as one of the most interesting actors of his era, a man who brought authenticity and gravitas to even the most straightforward genre material. Hayden’s own life—his service in World War II, his political activities, and his complex relationship with Hollywood—added layers of authenticity to his portrayals of men struggling with their pasts and their moral codes.

The film’s supporting cast includes Rod Taylor in one of his first American roles. Taylor, an Australian actor who would later become a major star in films like The Time Machine (1960) and The Birds (1963), represents the international talent that increasingly found opportunities in Hollywood during the 1950s. His presence in the film demonstrates the industry’s continuing evolution and the global nature of film production even in the mid-century period.

Based on the short story “The Fastest Gun” by Steve Fisher, Top Gun was later remade as Noose for a Gunman (1966) and The Quick Gun (1964), demonstrating the enduring appeal of its basic story structure. The theme of the gunslinger seeking redemption by protecting a town that rejects him resonated with audiences and filmmakers alike, becoming a staple of Western storytelling that would continue to appear in various forms for decades.

The film’s title, Top Gun, has gained ironic historical significance due to the massive popularity of the 1986 film of the same name starring Tom Cruise. While the two films share nothing beyond the title, the existence of this 1955 Western provides an interesting footnote in film history—a reminder that titles can be reused across different eras and genres, sometimes with dramatically different cultural impact. The 1955 Top Gun represents a specific moment in Western cinema history, while the 1986 film became a cultural phenomenon of its own era. Through modern colorization, this classic Western reaches new audiences who can appreciate Sterling Hayden’s performance, its themes of redemption, and its place in the history of American cinema. Now also available en couleur.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 / MKV digital download
• Resolution: HD 720p
• Colorized: Professionally colorized from original black and white
• Audio: English original mono
• Runtime: 73 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — watch on any device
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Who stars in Top Gun (1955)?
A: Sterling Hayden stars as Rick Martin, with William Bishop, Karin Booth, James Millican, Regis Toomey, John Dehner, and Rod Taylor in supporting roles.

Q: Is Top Gun (1955) related to the 1986 film?
A: No, the 1955 Top Gun is a Western film directed by Ray Nazarro, completely unrelated to the 1986 Tom Cruise action film beyond sharing the same title.

Q: What is the plot of Top Gun (1955)?
A: An ex-gunslinger returns to his hometown to warn of an impending attack by his old gang, but the town rejects him until they desperately need his help.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as MP4 and MKV files that play on virtually any device.

Q: Is there DRM on the file?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free so you can watch it on any device without restrictions.

Q: How quickly can I watch after purchase?
A: Your download link is available instantly after payment, so you can start watching within minutes.

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