Beyond Glory (1948) User Reviews

A Feeling Of Terrible Guilt

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 26 January 2012]

Beyond Glory casts Alan Ladd as a West Point cadet, a former soldier from the late war who carries around a feeling of terrible guilt in that he caused the death of his commanding officer in Tunisia played by Tom Neal. The fact that he was admitted should have told him he was all right by army standards. He's more than all right by the standards of Donna Reed who is Neal's widow and she's relying on nothing more than woman's intuition.

It all comes out in the open after cadet Conrad Janis is dismissed for violating the Academy honor code at Ladd's behest. Janis goes crying to his rich father Harold Vermilyea who then hires a high priced lawyer in George Coulouris to get a court of inquiry going. The whole business regarding Ladd in Tunisia is all about to come out.

Coulouris is a real shark and I'm sure his services didn't come cheap. He's also got a bigger mission in mind, the whole structure of West Point involving the cadet honor code. His opposite number here is George MacReady who usually is competing with Coulouris for the kind of parts that Coulouris has in Beyond Glory. For one of the few times in his career, George MacReady is a good guy and that takes a bit of getting used to.

By the way the explanation for what happened to Ladd and Neal in Tunisia is deceptively simple. I won't reveal it of course, but let us say that frankness and open communication among friends and comrades was definitely required here.

One of the West Point class of 1915 and lately the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, Dwight D. Eisenhower appears in newsreel footage giving a speech to what would have been Ladd's graduating class. You can't a more official imprimatur than that for Beyond Glory. And if that's not enough Audie Murphy makes his screen debut as one of Ladd's fellow cadets.

Beyond Glory with background footage of West Point in the tradition of such other tribute films like Flirtation Walk, The Long Gray Line, and The West Point Story is a well made film. I think today's audiences will like it.

Celebrating the end of war is like dancing on coffins.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 6 September 2023]

Innocent or guilty, it's obvious that the character played by Alan Ladd in this psychological war drama is very troubled, and it's quite a change of pace for him. It's also a very detailed story concerning the life of West Point candidates and the emotional impact of war on those who survive (hence Ladd's very emotional line I utilize as my description), and for much of the film, Ladd seems like someone who doesn't really care much about anything. However, it's much deeper than that and as a result, this film requires major concentration.

Several years before her good time girl role in the Pearl Harbor themed "From Here to Eternity", Donna Reed plays a war widow who steps up to defend Ladd on various charges, claiming that he is not guilty of the death of her husband (Tom Neal), making her quite a noble character. Henry Travers plays Ladd's adopted father who continues to believe in him when Ladd stops believing in himself. It's quite a deep film, culminating with a memorable cameo of future president Dwight D. Eisenhower making a speech at West Point.

Under-appreciated Alan Ladd film.

[vitaleralphlouis · 9/10 · 6 November 2009]

Set in West Point just after World War II, this fine film involves a trial-like hearing in which West Point is accused of certain abuses -- by a bunch of anti-Americans who act like they stepped right out of Congress circa 2009.

The story centers on Alan Ladd, now serving as an instructor, and a battlefield incident whereby he's accused of cowardice. Donna Reed plays a war widow who becomes friends with Ladd, and Audie Murphy has his first screen role in a minor part. The conclusion includes a glimpse of General Dwight Eisenhower.

The entire film is dis-recommended for Liberal cut-n-run's, obviously. Try looking for this one on eBay and cross your fingers.

Beyond Glory? This is a spoiler

[legacyag · 2 April 2002]

In this film a young cadet believes he has been mistreated and has a court for "Rocky" Gilman, Allan Ladd, during the court period it is brought up that during the war Gilman's best friend died possible because Gilman "froze" during combat. The young cadet who brought up the charges, urges his lawyer to pirsue the tactic that Gilman was a coward, which the lawyer does. As the story goes on, it is found that Gilman is not a coward that in fact he blacked out during combat. The ending is good and the plot is excellent. Audie Murphy has his first apperance as a friend.

Different Ladd

[januszlvii · 9/10 · 14 November 2023]

If anyone has watched Alan Ladd ( Rocky Gilman) films you know he is usually a tough guy with a gun and his fists. Here he is a lot more sensitive then usual ( although he is certainly an Alpha Male). Here Ladd has a tremendous amount of guilt because he holds himself responsible for the death of his best friend in WW II. Besides that he is someone who cannot hold another job besides being a soldier. He actually meets and falls in love with his buddy's widow ( Donna Reed), and signs up to go to the US Military Academy at West Point. The problem is Ladd had a problem with a plebe who simply cannot cut it and whose father is a Senator and they and a particularly nasty lawyer dig up the dirt on Ladd and use it to shift blame. Ladd almost loses everything including Reed (he even goes goes AWOL to save the relationship). Spoilers ahead: Reed however brings him back to face his accusers and the truth finally comes out the Ladd is not guilty of the death of his friend ( Ladd was unconscious when he died, which a witness testified to). Thus, he gets peace and graduates West Point and can marry Donna Reed. Again a very different Ladd film and 9/10 stars: