The West Point Story
by Roy Del Ruth
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Doris Day, Gene Nelson, Gordon MacRae, James Cagney, Virginia MayoDirector: Roy Del Ruth
Brand: Warner Brothers
Cinematographer: Sidney Hickox
Editor: Owen Marks
Producer: Louis F. Edelman
Writer: Charles Hoffman
Writer: Irving Wallace
Writer: John Monks Jr.
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 1.0; English (Subtitled)
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 107 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-04-24
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Movie Reviews of The West Point Story
Movie Review: Long and short, hot and cold, fun and boring
Summary: 4 Stars
What do you get when you mix a passionate stage director, an army boy with a heck of a voice, and a pretty young movie actress? You get West Point Story, a film that emphasizes the value of hard work, honor, and commitment.
Elwin Bixby, "Bix" (James Cagney), a major Broadway stage production director, is in trouble at the beginning of the movie. His addiction to gambling on race horses is causing him to lose money and his "girl"/assistant, Eve Dillon (Virginia Mayo) threatens to get a different job. In order to preserve his good name and keep his girl, Bix accepts a deal that a former collaborator, Hal Courtland (Gene Nelson) proposes. Bix is to go to West Point Military Academy where Tom Fletcher (Gordon MacRae), Hal's nephew, is training to be a soldier. Because Tom is a phenomenal singer and great actor, Hal wants Bix to convince Tom to go into show business for a career by putting on a musical at the academy and give Tom a taste of what theater is really like (and hopefully convince him to go into the business). The catch? Bix gets a share of the profit made from Tom's first real Broadway show (which Hal would produce) and Hal doesn't offer Eve a job in Las Vegas.
At first, Bix secretly decides to convince Tom to go into show business but to act in a show that Bix would produce, not Hal. Bix then goes about doing everything he can to convince Tom that show business is for him--he even goes so far as to hook Tom up with Jan Wilson (Doris Day), a young, pretty Hollywood movie actress whom Bix helped rise to stardom, and put Jan in the play as the leading lady opposite Tom. But when things stop going according to plan, Bix finds himself in a bind as he decides what do to about Tom, as well as put on a show.
The soldiers-in-training at West Point Academy value honor and duty above all else, as well as commitment to their schooling and training. When Bix bends some rules, the boys stay fast in their beliefs and do not allow themselves to be swayed by the director. They also stick up for Bix when he breaks a rule at the Academy. In fact, friendship is a strong element in this film--several people go out of their way to do something important for a friend. The members of the cast recognize their appreciation for Bix and what he has done for them in a light-hearted by touching recognition.
As far as objectionable content goes, there isn't much to be concerned about. Bix punches a few people. He also bets on horse races, although it is implied that he breaks the habit for Eve. Bix puts his hand near Eve's chest and says, "Stick out your chest, touch my hand!" after observing a military general say the same thing to a slacking trainee. Men play the parts of girls in the show, except that Jan plays the part of the princess.
West Point Story isn't the best musical out there, but it isn't the worst, either. There are some funny moments and some touching ones. Unfortunately, like most other old films, this movie advocates that "love at first sight" between a pretty girl and a handsome boy is as close to love as you can get. The songs aren't fantastic, but Doris Day does shine in the few that she sings. Friendship is portrayed as an important thing in life in this film, as is hard work, commitment, honor, duty, and honesty.
Summary of The West Point Story
Academy Award winner James Cagney puts on his dancing shoes again for The West Point Story, a spirited comedy packed with star-power and tunes by vetran songwriters Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn.Eight years after Yankee Doodle Dandy, the gracefully aging James Cagney found some extra spring in his step for his role in The West Point Story, a snappy musical that finds Jimmy singin' and dancin' at the prestigious military academy. Elwin "Bix" Bixby (Cagney) is a big-city nightclub owner with a long history on Broadway, but he's down on his luck, and accepts an assignment to stage the annual cadets' musical at West Point, thinking he might be able to turn the show into a Broadway hit. To his hot-tempered chagrin he discovers a rag-tag cast of rank amateurs (among them Alan Hale Jr., long before he became "The Skipper" on Gilligan's Island), and it's his job to whip the cadets into shape in time for their big premiere. In an attempt to lure his talented lead performer (Gordon MacRae) to Broadway, Bix recruits a sweet-natured Hollywood star (Doris Day) and plots a backstage matchmaking scheme, but eventually he realizes the kid's true devotion to military service, and devotes himself to staging the best musical West Point has ever presented. This all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza seems a bit corny and dated now, but veteran director Roy Del Ruth keeps West Point Story on an even keel, letting Cagney strut his stuff like an old pro, with Virginia Mayo keeping pace as Cagney's on-and-off love interest. Catchy tunes by the legendary songwriting team of Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn make this a must-see for musical fans, and the score (by Ray Heindorf) was nominated for an Academy Award.
Available separately or as part of the James Cagney Signature Collection, The West Side Story comes with a variety of Warner Bros.' "Night at the Movies 1950" short subjects, including a vintage newsreel of President Truman vowing to eradicate the Communist threat; the Oscar-winning "Sports Parade" short Granddad of Races (about Italy's most popular horse race); the classic cartoon "His Bitter Half" and a pair of 1950 movie trailers, for The West Point Story and the Doris Day/Gordon MacRae musical comedy Tea for Two. --Jeff Shannon
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