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West Point

1928

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Click here to see photos from the film.


 

Warner Archive DVD, 2009MGM. 80 minutes.

US release: 1/2/28 (premiere), 1/8/28 (general).
DVD release: 8/4/09.

 

Print survival status: According to silentera.com, "Print exists." But current rights holder is unknown.

 

Cast: William Haines, Joan Crawford (as "Betty Channing"), William Bakewell, Neil Neely, Ralph Emerson, Edward Richardson, Baury Bradford Richardson, Leon Kellar; Major Raymond G. Moses, Corps of Engineers USA; Major Philip B. Fleming, Corps of Engineers USA.

Credits:  From the story by Raymond L. Schrock. Director: Edward Sedgwick. Camera: Ira H. Morgan. Titles: Joe Farnham. Editor: Frank Sullivan. Costumes: Gilbert Clark.

 

Plot Summary: Reteamed with his favorite director Edward Sedgwick, William Haines once again plays the braggart-who-makes-good in West Point. Upon his arrival at the fabled military academy, Brice Wayne (Haines) alienates everyone with his wise-guy attitude and disregard for the rules. Only heroine Betty Channing (Joan Crawford) sees any good in the boy, but even she gives up on him when his egotistical antics cause the West Point football team to lose a crucial game. Quitting the team in disgrace, Wayne ingests a few heaping helpings of humble pie before he returns to the playing field to lead the Army team to victory in their annual game against Navy. Filmed on location at the West Point campus, the film proved to be another box-office bonanza for William Haines. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

 

Notes: Filmed on location at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

 

American Film Institute page

IMDb page

Silent Era page

TCM article

Wikipedia page

 


 

Critics' Reviews:

Mordaunt Hall in the New York Times (January 2, 1928)

One might search the highways and byways of the United States and never find quite as preposterous a youth as Brice Wayne, the insufferable bounder in a picture glorying in the title "West Point." And if by chance one should happen to light upon such a character it is highly improbable that he would be honored by an appointment to the United States Military Academy.

William Haines, who figured in "Slide, Kelly, Slide" and "Brown of Harvard," acts the part of Wayne in about the same fashion as he attacked the previous r๔les. He makes Wayne more of a clown than a person, for it seems as though this smart young man has never learned anything about social amenities or the niceties of life in his schools. Judging by his actions on the boat, just before his arrival at West Point, Wayne is hardly mentally qualified to become a cadet.

There are, it is true, some impressive scenes of the United States Military Academy, notably those, depicting the dress parade of the budding officers. Edward Sedgwick does some nice work in showing the shadows of the past as the present-day drill is performed. The narrative, however, is a jumbled affair, with an attempt to stir up excitement filmed) and having Wayne make the necessary touchdown and then realize what an objectionable scamp he has been.

There is one incident in this picture that is in especially bad taste. It is where Wayne pretends to be blind and tries to enlist a girl's sympathy. To carry out the effect, Mr. Haines half closes his eyes so that only the whites are visible. It is anything but funny.

A story dealing with the fine young men at the United States Military Academy should be plausible and dignified, and these qualities would not make it any the less entertaining. The present offering is tedious and often annoying.

Joan Crawford is quite charming as Betty Channing, the girl who for some unexplained reason finally learns to love Wayne.

 

Photoplay (1928):

Following closely upon DeMille's Dress Parade, we are compelled to note the similarity between the two pictures. Both make desperate efforts to correctly portray "the spirit of the Corps," and both succeed. Bill Haines' starring vehicle is a comedy drama and treats everything in a humorous vein in the beginning, getting many laughs....Joan Crawford is Bill's sweetheart.

 

 

Film Daily (1928):

Bright and breezy comedy skit involving the cadet maneuvers at West Point and in particular the affairs of a wisecracking "plebe." William Haines the chesty "Mr. Dumbjohn" who gets some of the starch taken out of him before the end. Joan Crawford the girl. William Bakewell in a first-rate bit as hero's buddy.

 


 

Our Reviews:

If you've seen West Point and would like to share your review here, please e-mail me. Include a photo of yourself or avatar and a star-rating (with 5 stars the best), as well as any of your favorite lines from the film.

 

 

Tom C. (June 2021)

Rating: star02_pink_1.gifstar02_pink_1.gifstar02_pink_1.gif-1/2 of 5
 

If you've seen one Billie Haines silent movie, you've seen them all. A gross oversimplification, but folks must have liked the formula, because Haines was a top box office draw at MGM in the late 20s/early 30s until forced to choose between his male lover or his film career. He chose his partner. Eventually, Haines reinvented himself as Interior Decorator to the Stars, thanks in part to his good bud, Joan Cranberry. Oops, I mean Joan Crawford!

Back to the formula: Haines is an arrogant jock who needs --- and eventually gets --- a dose of comeuppance. The only variables seem to be the sport he excels at and the leading lady who helps Haines find his better self. In West Point, Haines is a star football player at the USMA and JC is the daughter of a local innkeeper.

One of the best parts of this movie is the chemistry between Joan and Billie. Especially the opening scene, where he pretends to be a blind man to meet Crawford, and the mildly naughty ditties he plays for her on his ukelele in a later scene. They look and work great together. Much of the time in these scenes, Joan looks like she's trying hard to keep a straight face for the camera. And, what a face it is! Joan is on the cusp of fame and becoming a more accomplished actress, and I think she never looked more lovely than in her final silent films.

Haines' character, Brice, has much success on the football field. And his ego grows out of control as a result. Eventually, he sees himself as bigger than the Corps and is thus ostracized. His roomie, Tex, goes to bat for Brice with the Honor Committee. There is the eventual epiphany for Brice, hastened by an emotional hospital meeting with Tex. Thus, Brice regains the spirit of the Corps just in time to sink the Navy in the big game, and gain the forgiveness of his teammates, and, most importantly, the love of Joan.

I like this movie. It's cute, light entertainment. Haines is his usual smart-alecky and charming self, and JC looks like a million bucks and acts well when called on to do so. There's not much for her, though, as this is a Haines vehicle all the way. William Bakewell, who appears again in the JC filmography as her brother in 1931's Dance, Fools, Dance, turns in a great performance as Tex.

Mammy!! :)


 

Stephanie Jones, site creator.Stephanie Jones (August 2005)

Rating: star02_pink_1.gifstar02_pink_1.gif-1/2 of 5

 

West Point is first and foremost a vehicle for William Haines, then at the peak of his career as a comedic-romantic leading man at MGM. Joan, as Haines' love interest "Betty Channing," disappears from the story for long stretches and is given little to do other than wear the latest collegiate fashions and alternately crack up and/or look annoyed at Haines' character's antics. She's pretty much eye-candy here; the point of her being onhand is to react to Haines and look stylish while doing so; this she does do with eye-catching verve.

 

Despite its entertaining start, the film (shot on location at West Point and with Army officials on board the project as advisers), quickly becomes a propaganda piece for the West Point Army academy and its "Spirit of the Corps" credo. (Though Joan, offscreen, managed to throw a spanner in the official works when, according to TCM, she got a cadet expelled for sneaking off-campus to party with her.)

 

Haines plays cheeky, hot-headed cadet Brice Wayne, who's initially quick with the wisecracks and unwilling to take school traditions and spirit very seriously. Haines' sassy first scenes aboard ship with Joan are the highlight of the picture: His "inspection of the troops" and pretending to be blind to get Betty's attention are cleverly written and slyly, goofily acted.

 

Equally funny hijinx ensue when the ship docks and Brice follows Betty to her mother's hotel: Betty's there with a strait-laced beau and Brice proceeds to stir up the joint with some crazily manic banjo playing and risque songs, punctuated by nonsensical shrieks of "MAMMY!" (In one funny bit, Brice's friend looks on, admiring Brice's success at charming Betty. The friend then picks up a banjo himself and tries to similarly woo another young lady on the porch of the hotel---only, his own outbursts of "MOTHER!" somehow fail to impress. Sidenote: This friend was played somewhat old-fashionedly but with beautifully luminous eyes by William Bakewell, whose later primary claim to fame was in Gone With the Wind---he's the soldier on horseback who warns Scarlett that she better get out of Atlanta because the Yankees are coming.)

 

Haines' initial scenes of training as a cadet are also irreverently amusing: His spoiled rich-boy character asks for a room with a Southern exposure, lazily lolls about when reveille is played, shows up for inspection wearing golf togs and carrying his clubs. Unfortunately, this halfway point of the film is where, for the most part, the fun ends and the more boring "morality tale" begins, to the detriment of the overall story. Brice must, of course, learn to conform to the strict standards of the military school, where wisecracking and spouting off "To Hell with the Corps!" when you're benched during football practice are decidedly frowned upon. (Brice has also transgressed by manhandling Betty; this, too, must be atoned for.)

 

Haines is a very skillful actor---not only a fine physical (and facial) comedian, but also very adept and believable in his more serious scenes. It's just that the second half of the film lays all of the "What it means to be an officer and a gentleman" stuff on pretty thick and predictably, complete with the "Best Friend"'s sickbed exhortations to success as well as a final (here, pretty long and boring) Big Game, in which Brice shows what a hero and team player he can be.

 

While the first half of the film is very entertaining because of Haines' offbeat and clever antics (as well as the acting rapport between Haines and Joan---she's obviously very in tune with what he's doing and genuinely amused by his shenanigans), the second half loses a lot of steam when it starts reining Haines in and focusing instead on the "by-the-book" storytelling and morality lesson.

 

 


 

Movie Posters:

 

Germany.          Sweden.

 

Above:  Germany and Sweden.

Below:  US MGM publicity material.

 

  Unknown country.         

 

Below: France

 French poster.        French movie poster. 63 x 94 inches.

 

 


 

Lobby Cards:

Below:  US lobby cards.

    

        

        

 

 


 

Misc. Images:

 

US newspaper ad.       

 

Above: US newspaper ad, and glass slide.  Below: US herald.

 

Flyer cover.    Flyer centerfold.

 

 

Below:  UK herald.

 

     

 

 

Below: South American herald, and French pressbook.

 

 South American herald.             

 


 

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