Actually I did kinda like this movie - Doris was really cute in it (I do like her with short hair) and took over the screen everytime she appeared. Naturally you are all right that there wasn't enough of her in that movie by far!
I love the songs and think they should have included more scenes from rehearsals (with Doris that is) etc. Instead they could have cut out the tribute to the army and I also didn't like the Brooklyn-song.
Watching the scene while dancing to the Military Polka and also in the hotel room when he "recruits" her I couldn't help but compare the duo Day/Cagney in this movie to their relationship in LMOLM. It's so completely different; so full of life and friendship and I enjoyed that - As much as I do like LMOLM with it's grand acting.
Ralph was right in his review about the part - If I may quote:
Forced to decline on the marriage proposal, Jan, in a poignant scene tells Tom why. "Tom, at 15, I was singing in a band, making one night stands, when other girls were going to high school dances. At 17, I had a Hollywood contract. I'm a commodity now, I'm not a woman." Sound familiar? This dialogue could have been lifted out of Doris Day's own bio! This is a tender scene and one that should be included in Day retrospectives. It's some of her best acting.
Also that she gives up her career at the end to become a second lieutenant's wife - Isn't that what Doris always wanted for herself?
For me The West Point Story is a nice movie to relax by - though knowing what the movie is about now I mostly start at around 30 minutes in the movie...
