An Annapolis Story 1955
Directed by
Sam Peckinpah
Made by
Allied Artists Pictures
An Annapolis Story Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for An Annapolis Story (1955). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Older brother Jim Scott, Kevin McCarthy, and younger Tony Scott, John Derek, enroll as midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. Jim looks after the impulsive Tony and helps him pass a difficult test so he can play football in the big Army-Navy game. However, Tony cannot follow the coach’s directions and is benched.
After the game, Jim introduces his longtime girlfriend Peggy Lord, Diana Lynn, and a rivalry soon develops over her affections.
With the Korean War looming, Jim and Tony are assigned to the same aircraft carrier during training. Jim continues to look out for Tony, even risking his own life.
During a maneuver at sea involving a helicopter and naval jets, Tony’s aircraft plummets off the deck in an aborted takeoff and he is knocked unconscious. Jim dives from a helicopter into the sea to rescue his brother.
When Tony is sent to the Naval Academy hospital to recuperate, he resumes courting Peggy and asks her to marry him. Peggy turns him down and is torn between the two brothers because Jim had already asked her to marry him, and she had put him off until after the Korean War is over.
After graduation, the two brothers are no longer close. As they begin advance training as jet pilots at Pensacola Naval Station, Tony attempts to patch up the relationship, but Jim rebuffs him.
Assigned to an aircraft carrier overseas, Tony and Jim are on leave in Tokyo, where Tony meets Peggy, who tells him that it is Jim whom she really loves. He finally accepts the situation, and when he has the chance to make amends, Tony rescues Jim during a dangerous mission while courageously fighting off an enemy fighter during the rescue attempt. Checking on his wounded brother, he sees Peggy is there already and that Jim and Peggy will be happy together.
An Annapolis Story Timeline
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Brothers enroll at the Naval Academy
Tony and Jim Scott enroll as midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, beginning their complex brotherly dynamic. Jim takes the guardian role, helping Tony navigate the rigors of training so he can play football in the big Army-Navy game.
Tony struggles and is benched
Tony struggles to follow the coach's instructions and is benched after the pivotal Army-Navy game. Jim mentors him and tries to keep him focused, but Tony's impulsiveness keeps creating trouble.
Peggy Lord enters the picture
After the game, Jim introduces his longtime girlfriend Peggy Lord to Tony, and a rivalry forms over Peggy's affections. The love triangle begins to pull the brothers in opposite directions.
Korean War looms; same carrier assignment
With the Korean War looming, Jim and Tony are assigned to the same aircraft carrier during training. Jim looks out for Tony and even risks his own life to keep him safe.
Abortive takeoff and crash
During a deck maneuver involving a helicopter and naval jets, Tony's aircraft plummets off the deck in an aborted takeoff and he is knocked unconscious. The incident shatters the ease of their training and sets up Jim's rescue role.
Jim rescues Tony
Jim dives from a helicopter into the sea to rescue his brother, risking his life to pull Tony from the water. The brothers' bond is tested as Tony clings to survival and Jim shows unwavering brotherly protection.
Tony recovers and courts Peggy again
Tony is sent to the Naval Academy hospital to recuperate and resumes courting Peggy. He asks Peggy to marry him, but she turns him down, torn between the two brothers because Jim had already asked her to marry.
Graduation and growing distance
After graduation, the brothers drift apart. They begin advanced training as jet pilots at the Pensacola Naval Station, and Tony tries to mend their relationship, but Jim rebuffs him.
Tokyo revelation
Assigned to an aircraft carrier overseas, Tony and Jim are on leave in Tokyo. There, Peggy tells him that it is Jim whom she really loves, clarifying the love triangle.
Acceptance and moving on
Tony accepts the situation, realizing Peggy's heart lies with Jim. He begins to focus on his own career and moving forward.
Final rescue and reconciliation
During a dangerous mission, Tony rescues Jim while courageously fighting off an enemy fighter to save him. Checking on his wounded brother, he finds Peggy already there, confirming that Jim and Peggy will be happy together.
An Annapolis Story Characters
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Tony Scott (John Derek)
Impulsive, football-aspirant midshipman who clashes with authority but possesses courage and resourcefulness. His quest to prove himself fuels rivalry with his older brother and puts him at odds with the coach’s directions. Over the course of the story, he faces personal choices that force him to mature and accept the consequences of his actions.
Jim Scott (Kevin McCarthy)
Older brother and protector, Jim looks out for Tony and embodies responsibility, mentorship, and risk-taking when needed. He balances duty with family loyalties and makes sacrifices to safeguard his brother and keep the team, and Peggy, stable. His evolving relationship with Peggy tests his patience and his sense of honor.
Peggy Lord (Betty Lou Gerson)
Jim’s longtime girlfriend torn between two brothers, Peggy navigates love, loyalty, and heartbreak. She weighs her feelings against the brothers’ rivalry and the realities of wartime separation. Ultimately, she chooses Jim, anchoring the emotional center of the love triangle.
An Annapolis Story Settings
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Time period
early 1950s
The story is set as the Korean War looms, placing the action in the early 1950s and shaping the characters’ sense of duty. The era features post-World War II military growth, rapid jet-age training, and a culture of discipline within the Navy. Personal relationships are tested against the pressures of service and impending conflict. The time period heightens both camaraderie and sacrifice.
Location
Annapolis, Maryland, Pensacola Naval Station, Florida, Tokyo, Japan
Annapolis, Maryland is the cradle of the U.S. Navy’s officer corps and the film’s primary setting as Tony and Jim Scott attend the Naval Academy. Pensacola Naval Station in Florida serves as the aviation training ground where pilots are honed and dangerous missions are rehearsed. Tokyo, Japan appears during a leave where the brothers confront personal loyalties and Peggy’s affections. The locations together frame a coming-of-age, duty-bound narrative against the backdrop of naval aviation.
An Annapolis Story Themes
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Brotherhood
Two brothers navigate rivalry and loyalty within a demanding naval environment. Jim’s protective nature clashes with Tony’s impulsiveness, but their bond endures through dangerous training and shared danger. The devotion to family frames decisions that juggle duty and affection. The bond is tested, yet resilience and solidarity emerge as central through-line.
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Duty vs. Family
The characters must decide between personal happiness and service to country. Jim places brotherly safety and mission readiness above ego, while Tony seeks validation beyond family expectations. The looming war adds pressure, forcing painful choices about love, loyalty, and sacrifice. Duty gradually reshapes the brothers’ relationship and priorities.
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Love Triangle
Peggy’s affections lie between the two brothers, creating tension and heartbreak. She’s torn between Jim’s steady devotion and Tony’s youthful charm, ultimately revealing her true love for Jim. The romance evolves under military discipline and the strain of long separations. The resolution shows growth, forgiveness, and acceptance of a new family dynamic.
An Annapolis Story Spoiler-Free Summary
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In the storied halls of the United States Naval Academy, tradition and ambition collide beneath the salty breeze of the Chesapeake. Amid the rigor of drills, study, and the clang of swords, two brothers find themselves sharing more than a dormitory—Jim Scott and his younger sibling Tony Scott are bound by blood, duty, and the fierce drive to prove themselves as future leaders of the Navy.
Jim carries the weight of responsibility, quietly guiding his impulsive brother through the demanding curriculum and the pressures of team sports that define academy life. Tony, eager to step out of his brother’s shadow, strives to earn his place on the football field and in the eyes of his peers, chasing the same honor that has long motivated the midshipmen before them. Their camaraderie is tempered by the inevitable rivalry that surfaces when personal aspirations intersect.
Enter Peggy Lord, a bright and charming presence who becomes both a beacon of hope and a source of tension for the brothers. As the midshipmen navigate the delicate balance between friendship and competition, Peggy’s affections stir a subtle conflict that tests the limits of loyalty and desire. The looming specter of the Korean War adds an undercurrent of urgency, reminding them that their futures may soon shift from classroom to carrier deck.
Against this backdrop of naval tradition, youthful ambition, and romantic intrigue, the brothers stand at a crossroads where choices made in the academy will echo far beyond its stone walls. The story promises a blend of tender emotion and disciplined resolve, inviting viewers to wonder how bonds of brotherhood endure when love, duty, and the call of the sea converge.
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