Women at West Point

As a movie, I agree with the previous review that it is a predictable plot.

I was a cadet at West Point from 1978 to 1982. I was there during filming of the movie. That was also the tail end of the academy's transition from an all-male institution. In simple incorrect English, that ain't how it was.

I attended the 'first cut' showing of the movie that was shown to the cast and crew as well as some cadets. To attempt to list the numerous inaccuracies would be futile. I remember sitting in the theatre with my roommate commenting on the many uniform mistakes including an actor walking through a door in one uniform and appear in the room on the other side of the door in another uniform. Then the director (or someone) thanked people in the audience for their work. He thanked the head custom person. It was rather embarrassing that the person was sitting next to us.

Some of these errors were fixed in subsequent editing, but the overall picture is still an unrealistic view of life at West Point. Plebes do not hold conversations in hallways. Upper classmen do not get embarrassed by bras in drawers. The whole 'vibe' is wrong.

Consider this just a movie (and not a very good one at that). Do not consider it a history or a picture of West Point.

BTW, they also filmed "MacArthur" while I was there.

This film is quite believable in many ways. As a USMA graduate of 1977, I experienced firsthand the challenges encountered by women that entered as plebes (freshmen) during my "firstie" (senior) year. That there could be love stories among women and men cadets is no fantasy, these romances can, did, and continue to exist. It is a very well-done film that generally is in line with USMA in the late 1970s. Keep in mind that at the time the film was made, (circa 1978 or 1979), women had only been at USMA for 2 years or less. The Academy was still learning how best to integrate women and to position them for success. Although it is true that most of the existing cadets and graduates were generally anti-women with respect to integrating West Point, everyone fell in line in short order and pulled together to make the integration a success. West Point women have performed admirably in the military and in civilian life. Kudos many years ago to the late LTG Sid Berry, the presiding Superintendent back when the first women class entered in July 1976, who pioneered the adoption and adaptation of the academy to make the transition a lasting success.

I've seen this movie and thought it was alright. I don't believe it is one of my most favorite films but the casting was good and the plot was OK. There were unbelievable parts to it, sure, but this was not designed to be a comprehensive history of the military academy at West Point. That being said the look back to the lat seventies when women were allowed into the military academies are interesting for those of us who may not have been around to experience it for ourselves. Since the first time that I watched this movie (in my late teens) I have enjoyed it because it showed a side of life that many of us will never get to experience so even if some of it is not believable it does work.