West Point: The Complete Series

I remember not only watching but anticipating the next, weekly episode of this series, when I was a tween/young teen. Watching them, again, from the perspective of an old guy, I now find the vast majority of the plots not only simple but naive but, for their time, they were realistic and acceptable. A few of the plots were even downright corny, especially towards the end of the series. I wanted to view all 39 episodes, before I posted a critique of this set. All of the episodes are in black and white. The video quality was, surprisingly, very good, considering the era in which the originals were produced. There were some nominal, dark sections, in one or two of the episodes but they were insignificant. The audio is where I found the greatest problems. In most, the audio quality was clear and consistent but, in about a half dozen of the episodes, the audio would literally bounce, between clean/crisp and low/muddled. For me, this series was nostalgic, in two ways. First, having seen all of the episodes, as a teenager, it brought back memories. Second, when I was in the Army, I was stationed at West Point, as staff, in the late 1960s~early 70s. That perspective gave me additional insights, into the reality of the episodes, as well as the reality of the place. If you were born in the 1940 or 50s, you will almost be guaranteed to enjoy this collection. If you were born later, you might find the thinking processes enlightening.

First let me admit my bias. This was made while I was a cadet at West Point. There are some minor flufs in uniforms and language, but it is reasonably true to life and highly entertaining. I laughed my head off at Chuck Conners as a hard nosed but crafty Tactical officer, and was touched by the old fashioned patriotism expressed by the actors who were more or less submerged in the Corps of Cadets. That intimacy led to some funny things. As an upper classman, I saw a Plebe with his scarf improperly worn, walking where Plebes were not suposed to go. I halted him and began a forceful correction, until he said, "But I am an actor!" The scenes of the Corps of Cadets on parade have a martial beauty unequalled by any show. The quality is very good, as you would expect from acotrs who went on to starring roles, and the stories point up the power and might of the Academy's motto; Duty, Honor, Country

Filmed frequently on location long before the United States Military Academy was significantly expanded and transformed into a coeducational liberal arts college, the series extends to viewers an invitation to go back in time and step through West Point's gray sallyports into cadet barracks, classrooms, gymnasium, dining hall and other cadet facilities that had been off limits to the many thousands who visited throughout the year. Though the stories may sometimes seem schmaltzy, the writing, in general, is actually quite good - - the immortal Gene Roddenberry wrote a number of them - - and the producers' attention to detail will be pleasantly apparent, especially to those who value technical accuracy. Such details include 'brown boys', 'the sinks', b-robes, 'sammy', The Days, The Minutes, plebe poop, slide rules, dragging 'pro', Weapons Room, hop cards, instructional, intramural & varsity athletics, Flirtation Walk, studying after Taps, 'spinning the spurs', Saturday reviews, the Hellcats, writs, turn-outs, walking the area, amnesty, Trophy Point, Michie Stadium, Camp Buckner and Lake Popolopen, slide for life, the reveille gun, etc. They're all to be seen (or seen again) plus much, much more. Only on occasion will eagle-eyed observers detect an inaccuracy. A special treat for those who purchase the series will be the opportunity to view future stars displaying their early acting chops, including Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen, Martin Milner, Robert Vaughn, Chuck Connors, Richard Jaeckel, Leonard Nimoy, Larry Hagman, Dick Sargent, James Dobson and others. All in all, a nostalgic, American period piece between the Korean War and Vietnam, when America relied chiefly on West Point to produce men of honor for the high purpose of leading American soldiers at every level on every American battlefield.

good series , lots of famous actors before they became famous. Can't wait for the other series 'Men of Annapolis' to come out.

As a former cadet at Canada's Royal Military College, I enjoyed this series very much. I watched all 39 episodes within the space of one week. Being made in the 1950's, the dialogue is highly sanitized, but many of the plotlines are quire creative. I highly recommend this series.