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The West Point Story Review:
If one is willing to suspend one's disbelief sufficiently, The West Point Story can be a very entertaining little musical trifle. The premise -- that a Broadway producer simply has to build his next big musical around a military cadet with a great voice but no experience and no desire to forego his military career for the stage -- is far-fetched enough; but that a very grown-up James Cagney would agree to become a lowly "pleb" cadet in order to direct the institute's spring show and steal the lad away for Broadway is even harder to accept. Fortunately, West Point has a stellar cast on hand to smooth over the very bumpy spots in the script. Cagney is in great form, clearly having a grand time eating up the scenery and carrying the film, and getting the chance to stop things with the climactic paean to "Brooklyn." Virginia Mayo looks absolutely sensational as his brassy long-time fiancée, Gordon MacRae sounds absolutely sensational as the much-wanted cadet, and Doris Day simply is absolutely sensational as the Hollywood star who falls for MacRae. Add in an impressive cane-and-hats dance number for Gene Nelson and a snappy Jule Styne score with some of Sammy Cahn's better lyrics, and the result is a picture that's quite engaging -- as long as it's singing. Craig Butler, All Movie Guide