MovieChat Forums > Taps (1981) Discussion > Bogus rumor surrounding Tom Cruise

Bogus rumor surrounding Tom Cruise


I've heard from multiple sources that Tom Cruise asked for a cameo in Young Guns because he had never been in a filmed gunfight or killed in a movie. For awhile even IMDb posted this until I sent them a correction. ANYONE who has seen Taps knows that the rumor is a total lie. Tom Cruise DID have a cameo, but SEVEN YEARS before Young Guns he was in Taps where his character was gunned down in retaliation for him unloading multiple rounds on the national guard.

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and shouting the words "It's beautiful man! Beautiful!"

What a moment.

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Speaking of which: The last time I saw this movie was on HBO shortly after it came out (so about 24 years ago). I seem to remember Tim Hutton jumping through the air and tackling Tom Cruise and the room then getting shot to hell. The two bodyies lay on the floor. I don't remember if the died for sure or if there was a funeral service or if it was left to the imagination if they are dead or not.

Can anyone remember?

Thanks

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[deleted]

It can be argued that the entire film was the fantasy that Moreland was having during the ceremony.

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interesting

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Yes, that is very interesting. I never looked at it that way.

Backup will come if needed.....

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Wow, that's pretty deep. I never imagined that, but it's entirely possible. Thanks for giving me some conversation the next time I watch the flick.

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[deleted]

That is an interesting theory. Even more interesting is that part of Moreland's fantasy involved thinking about Tom Cruise and Sean Penn showering together with two pubescent boys.

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Lorenzo D.

Yes, a very terrific ending and how I'd love to take a fully loaded
50 caliber machine gun and shoot out the windows and office of my
previous employer's district manager while shouting the very same
words: "it's beautiful man!" I wouldn't actually shoot the useless
loser himself though I'd have a real blast while destroying his
office, yeah baby!! You're dead Mr. Useless in Burbank! HA, HA, HA!

Lorenzo Sunny Florida

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Lorenzo D. Terrific scene and dialogue at the end of Taps
and how much I loved that particular scene!


Lorenzo Sunny Florida

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Does Dave Shawn actually die? We see everyone trooping out with Alex Dwyer holding Cadet-Major Moreland's riddled corpse, but I don't see anyone carrying Shawn's.

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Yes, both Moreland and Shawn were killed by the national guardsmen and
you are correct when you saw Dwyer carrying out Moreland's corpse.
However Shawn's body was not carried out by anyone on screen. What
just happened to his remains is left to the viewer's imagination!
"Taps" is still one of my favorite movies from the '80's.

LorenzoSunnyFlorida

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One thing's sure about Shawn's corpse - it's far from beautiful, man! ;)

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I'd like to think that Shawn's shattered dead body was left there to rot, and deservedly so.

However, he was probably carried out later. We just didn't see it.

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True! That rumor is surely FALSE for Taps was his 1st movie that had a firefight. I know that scene well, watched it several times and still gets me every time I see it. Everyone cannot surely handle the truth! And I would always quote that line from him. And I'm ready to utter these same words, especially when in a military academy threatened with closure.. and will die saying them.

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