Before I talk specifics about this movie, I need to point out that it really isn't fair to give this movie a score of 10 (like some have) since it is essentially the same film that William Haines did many times before. Also, how much you like this film will depend on if you've seen other Haines films. Haines made a career out of often playing the exact same plot and exact same character in a variety of settings--something that would never fly today, but in his day was very popular. Having seen films like BROWN OF HARVARD and THE SMART SET, I quickly recognized WESTPOINT as essentially the same film! These aren't the only ones he made like this either and each went like this:
A talented but very cocky guy alienates everyone around him with his boorish ways. He also meets and soon alienates a pretty girl with his cocky and selfish manner. Eventually, when almost everyone hates him, he learns humility and saves the day. When the film ends, he gets the girl, is the "big man" and has learned to be part of a team.
So already WESTPOINT has a huge strike against it because it's so unoriginal and the best example of the word "formulaic" I have ever seen. You can't get any more identical than the plots in these films--not similar, but identical!!
Here, not surprisingly, he meets and alienates himself from young Joan Crawford. In addition, he's a super-talented athlete and is the big star of the team--but he's also such a jerk that he eventually is without friends and is hated by all. At this point, he gets his act together and it's all "happily ever after".
As far as the quality of the film goes, the direction and most of the acting is great. However, surprisingly, Haines is even more hateful and obnoxious than in his other films and all the jokes he tells and way he acts at the beginning of the film made me hate his guts. Sorry, but that was just my gut reaction. A nice film--too bad it's been done...many times.
