Product Description

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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24603 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2007-04-24
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 107 minutes

Features

• 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.Running Time: 107 min. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: MUSICALS Rating: NR Age: 085391136996 UPC: 085391136996 Manufacturer No: 113699

Amazon.com
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

Customer Reviews

Fun musical with lots of singing and dancing
Set at West Point, this musical centers on Elwin Bixby's (James Cagney) misadventures as he tries to stage a show at the academy while trying to lure the young talented soldier Tom Fletcher (Gordon MacRae) away from army life and into showbusiness. Convinced that Tom's voice has star potential, Bixby uses pretty movie star Jan Wilson (Doris Day) as bait to try and charm Tom out of army life. But plans backfire when Jan falls under the spell of the handsome soldier.
Tons of singing and dancing by Gordon MacRae, Doris Day, Gene Nelson, James Cagney, and Virginia Mayo.

Very entertaining film
I feel like this movie is getting a bad rap by some of the reviewers who have this mixed up with an actual West Point recruitment video. Well, this movie is a musical, and a rather enjoyable one at that. Even though the plot is silly and a little far-fetched, it's still a lot of fun to watch. If you can go along with the story and forget about its credibility in real life, then you should have no problem. The cast is excellent and they do a good job moving the story along. James Cagney is wonderful and I couldn't keep my eyes off him for a second. Sometimes I would rewind certain parts to watch them all over again. This film was funny and the musical numbers were a joy to watch, like "By the Kissing Rock" and my favorite, "B 'Postrophe, K No 'Postrophe, L-Y-N". I say if you're still not sure about this film, just get it to watch the Brooklyn number at the end -- the dancing was superb! Bottom line, I think this was a fun movie. If you like lots of dancing, James Cagney, and Doris Day -- you got it made.

A dancing athlete!
This is a rather cornball comedy for fans of Cagney-the-dancer.

Cagney is to be watched because he exudes sheer joy. It's a shame he didn't dance more in his films, but this flick preserves a fine display of hoofing talent.

"West Point Story" is one of only a few movies showing his celebrated footwork [the others being "Footlight Parade" (1934), "Something to Sing About" (1937), "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (1941) and "Seven Little Foys" (1957). Minor, but effective, dance scenes are staged in "Public Enemy" (1931) and "The Strawberry Blonde" (1940).]

Packed with stars (Doris Day, Gordon McCrae, Virginia Mayo, and Alan Hale Jr.), it focuses on a down-on-his-luck, pugnacious Broadway director (Cagney as Elwin Bixby) who winds up at West Point staging a show.

The plot is corny and slight, but Cagney makes it worthwhile. His character's temper tantrums are riotous as he jumps up and down in well-choreographed fits.

The score by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn is nice, with an exception of a goofy number called "The Military Polka."

But folks! It is the dancing you must see, especially the dance number "Brooklyn" ("B-apostrophe, K-no apostostrophe, L-Y-N!". Cagney -- in his tonally uncertain voice -- talks it with great effect. A rousing bluesly dance number ensues with a revealingly clad Virginia Mayo as a "fabulous wench from some other cent-ury."

Cag is outfitted in Cuban heels and a zoot suit, and is his sexiest with Mayo, as they strut and sidle in this number portraying a cocky Brooklynite's claim to have met the perfect dame. ("I said, 'Are you going my way/As we stroll down King's Highway?' /She whispered, 'C'est la mour'/ and I asked her 'Are you sure?' ... Yes this happened to me.") "Brooklyn" is Cagney's best dance scene ever, along with the "Give My Regards to Broadway" number in "Yankee Doodle Dandy."

You can forgive the rest of the film after seeing Cagney dance -- four scenes in all. It's equally amazing to see that this 51 year old could kick up his heels with seeming effortlessness. He was a dancing athlete, and is worth watching here.