Top Sergeant
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Christy Cabanne
Leo Carrillo
Andy Devine
Don Terry
Elyse Knox
Don Porter
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
At Camp Amhurst, Company A, 18th Engineers, lead by Sgt. Dick "Rusty" Manson, is sent out on field maneuvers. When a series of mines fails to explode, Rusty is sent to find out what the problem is. Rather than listening for their orders, corporals Frenchy Devereaux and Andy Jarrett enjoy their detail listening to a football game. Back at headquarters, Rusty chastises his brother Jack for participating in the shenanigans of the older Frenchy and Andy. He also chastises Frenchy and Andy, who have been "busted" to privates for the eighth time, and warns them that, with the current world situation, it is their responsibility to train the new recruits for what may lie ahead. Later, while the platoon is in transport, it is run off the road by three gangsters who have just robbed the local Brownsville bank. Along with the police, Rusty, Frenchy and Andy manage to kill two of the thieves, but Jack is killed by the third when he disobeys his brother's orders and goes after the gangster alone. Rusty asks his commander, Col. Gray, for a leave of absence in order to find his brother's murderer, but the officer reminds the sergeant that he has a greater responsibility to the Army. The subject of a massive manhunt, Al Bennett, Jack's killer, enlists in the Army, and becomes one of Rusty's new recruits. He then receives an urgent telegram from his fellow gangster, Tony Gribaldi, and despite the recall of all passes, Al meets with Tony at MacDougall's Café. Tony tells of his plan to turn the small café into a nightclub, with Al acting as his partner and chief advertiser at the army camp. Helen Gray, the colonel's daughter, tries to sneak Al back into camp, but he is caught at the main gate by Rusty, which leads to a fight between Helen and the sergeant. With Al's help, the opening of the nightclub is a big success. Rusty tries to make Helen leave the nightclub, and when Al objects, the two soldiers start a barroom brawl. Rusty, Frenchy and Andy are disciplined for their actions, but after Helen confesses to her father that she was the cause of the fight, the three soldiers are fully reinstated. Later, a twenty dollar bill from the bank robbery is passed by an unknown soldier to Todd, a local jeweler. Al overhears Rusty tell Frenchy and Andy about the break in the case, so he murders the jeweler. Because Al had given Helen a piece of jewelry from Todd's store, Rusty accuses the private of the murders, but he has no proof to back his accusations. The company is then sent on two weeks of intensive maneuvers, during which Al intercepts a letter to Rusty from the Brownsville bank, stating that bank teller Ansel Jacobs can definitely identify the bank robbers. Using his explosives expertise, Al replaces the company's fake explosives, which Frenchy and Andy are to use to "blowup" a bridge which Rusty has been assigned to, with real dynamite. Rusty survives the explosion, but fifteen of the new recruits are killed. Frenchy and Andy are blamed for the incident, and they are brought before a court-martial hearing. They are freed when Jacobs appears at the hearing and identifies Al as one of the bank robbers. The killer escapes, however, when he jumps out the window and steals an Army truck and machine gun. The Army joins the civilian authorities in pursuit of Al, and use a fighter plane to track the fugitive's movements. Rusty, Frenchy and Andy corner Al, and while the corporals draw his fire, Rusty sneaks up behind him. The two men fight, with Al knocking Rusty out, but before Al can kill the sergeant, Frenchy shoots and kills the gangster. Because of his heroic actions, Rusty is offered officer's training school, but he refuses, as he wishes to continue service duty with his two friends.
Director
Christy Cabanne
Cast
Leo Carrillo
Andy Devine
Don Terry
Elyse Knox
Don Porter
Addison Richards
Bradley Page
Gene Garrick
Alan Hale Jr.
Roy Harris
Richard Davies
Emmett Vogan
Ken Christy
Guy Usher
Gus Glassmire
William Gould
Harry Strang
Jan Wiley
Phil Warren
Jack Mulhall
Grace Lenard
George Eldredge
Lew Kelly
Eddie Dew
Gene O'donnell
Clarence Straight
Pat O'malley
Joey Ray
Eddie Coke
Paul Scott
Lee Bennett
Crew
Bernard B. Brown
Milton Carruth
Ben Chapman
R. A. Gausman
Charles Gould
Griffin Jay
Paul Neill
Jack Otterson
Ben Pivar
Larry Rhine
Richard H. Riedel
George Robinson
Jaik Rosenstein
H. J. Salter
Maxwell Shane
Vera West
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this film was Showdown. According to Hollywood Reporter, the title change was made because Universal was afraid that audiences might think that the film was a gangster drama. The film opens with a short prologue by actor Andy Devine, in which he dedicates the film to the veterans of World War I who are now training the Army of the future. The film makes extensive use of actual military footage of American soldiers in training.
