Fallen on hard times, a Broadway producer/director (James Cagney) agrees to stage an annual musical show put on by West Point cadets. After some disagreements, the military academy insists Cagney live as a cadet and abide by West Point rules in order to direct the show. Directed by Roy Del Ruth (
THE ALLIGATOR PEOPLE), if the songs (by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne) were more memorable, this rather inane and far fetched plot wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb! Further proof that all was not "golden" in the so called Golden Age of Hollywood. That being said, no one's ever imitated Cagney's unique dancing style (leaning forward with his buttocks pushed out) and Doris Day makes the colorless songs sound better than they are, a testament to her qualities as a singer. Add Virginia Mayo, showing how underrated a dancer she was and Gene Nelson's tapping which compensate for the bellowing of Gordon MacRae. The choreography is by Leroy Prinz. With Jerome Cowan, Roland Winters and Alan Hale Jr.
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