Ten Gentlemen from West Point (1942)

Among those who are fighting to have Congress re-establish the military academy at West Point in the beginning of the nineteenth century is a young Washington socialite, Carolyn Bainbridge.... See full summary »

Director:

Henry Hathaway

Writers:

Richard Maibaum, George Seaton (additional dialogue),

Stars:

George Montgomery, Maureen O'Hara, John Sutton

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George Montgomery	...	Joe Dawson
Maureen O'Hara	...	Carolyn Bainbridge
John Sutton	...	Howard Shelton
Laird Cregar	...	Maj. Sam Carter
Shepperd Strudwick	...	Henry Clay (as John Shepperd)
Victor Francen	...	Florimond Massey
Harry Davenport	...	Bane
Ward Bond	...	Sgt. Scully
Douglass Dumbrille	...	Gen. William Henry Harrison
Ralph Byrd	...	Maloney
Joe Brown Jr.	...	Benny Havens
David Bacon	...	Shippen
Esther Dale	...	Mrs. Thompson
Richard Derr	...	Chester
Louis Jean Heydt	...	Jared Danforth

Storyline

Among those who are fighting to have Congress re-establish the military academy at West Point in the beginning of the nineteenth century is a young Washington socialite, Carolyn Bainbridge. Congress resolves to revive the Academy on a one-year trial basis. Major Sam Carter, a martinet who doesn't believe a college can produce real fighting men, is made the Commandant, and determines to make soldiers - or failures - out of the small band of cadets, by enforcing stringent disciplinary action. Among the cadets are Howard Shelton, Carolyn's fiancée, and Dawson, a Kentucky frontiersman. There is bad blood between the two from the start, and matters are worsened when Dawson falls in love with Carolyn. Many of the cadets resign, under the discouraging conditions and grueling punishment that is part of Carter's plan to make the school hard and the exercises difficult, and the number of cadets left is down to ten. Word arrives that the Indian chief Tecumseh has gone on the warpath, and Carter ...

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Plot Keywords:

west point | kicked in the butt | u.s. military academy | number in title

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 June 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

10 Leutnants von West-Point

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The 'Ten Gentlemen' of the title are portrayed by the following actors: 'George Montgomery' (as Dawson), John Sutton (as Shelton), David Bacon (as Shippen), Dick Winslow, Roger Kirby, Stanley Parlan, Gene Rizzi, Max Cole Tom Neal, and John Meredith.

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Quotes

Carolyn Bainbridge: Mr. Scully, How long will the cadets be finish?
Sgt. Scully: Say what going on here
[looking at the picnic]
Mrs. Thompson: Keep your dirty paws off that
Carolyn Bainbridge: We're waiting for the cadets Mr Scully don't you think they drill enough
Sgt. Scully: Oh your waiting for the cadets
Carolyn Bainbridge: Yes you see it Mr. Shelton's birthday and this is little surprise
Sgt. Scully: O'Toole you take these two ladies to the major
Mrs. Thompson: [why they try to take them away] You just try and you get a surprise yourself
Carolyn Bainbridge: Keep your hands off me you going to wish you were never born when I get through ...

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Connections

Referenced in The Pink Panther Story (2003)

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Soundtracks

"Benny Havens, Oh!"
(uncredited)
Music Adapted from "The Wearing of the Green"
Lyrics by Lt. O'Brien
Special Lyrics by Frank Tresselt

User Reviews

Not the first year of West Point as noted above

The above comments should be corrected

The setting of the story is 1808-1811 - several years after the Academy at West point was established in 1802. The story is erroneously perceived to be about the beginning of West Point, but it is concerned with a period when the Congress was considering closing the already existing Academy. There was a move (in the film) by Henry Clay in Congress and fostered by people like Maureen O'Hara's character to keep the school going. Another character alludes to the idea that the school was able to only graduate 1 officer the year before and that the past graduates were not all that could be expected. Worth watching. It is a shame that it was filmed on Hollywood's Western ranch sets rather than the beautiful setting on the Hudson. I guess it would have been too expensive and they would have to shoot around the more modern buildings. A historic fort like Ticonderoga would have been a good setting.