|
 |
Hail the Conquering Hero
|
by Universal Studios
Sales Rank: 706
Price: $14.98
|
|
|
Woodrow comes from a small close-knit town in California. His grandfather owned the land the town was built on and his father was a brave Marine who die for his country. So when Woodrow is kicked out of the Marines after one month for chronic hay fever he's too embarrassed to go home. He works for a year at the shipyards and mails letters home via outgoing soldiers. <br /> <br />One fateful evening some Marines on leave hear his tale and concoct a fake war hero story and escort him home thinking that only his poor worried mother will hear their lies. They even gather up some medals for him. But when they arrive on the train Woodrow's greeted by a cheering crowd and five marching bands all playing different songs at one time. The mayor gives Woodrow the key to the city, the town folk pay off his mother's mortgage, they nominate Woodrow for the upcoming race for mayor, a statue is being erected and they even write a song about him. Woodrow tries over and over to tell everybody the truth, but each time he does the lie only gets bigger and bigger. <br /> <br />Made the same year as Sturges' screwball classic THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK this movie has a number of the same actors (I lost count at 10) and is almost as funny, but for some reason it's kinda slipped through the cracks. Would make a great double feature with THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK. <br /> <br />Why is there not a Preston Sturges DVD box set? <br /> <br />D: Preston Sturges (THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK, THE LADY EVE) <br /> <br />Woodrow Lafayette Pershing Truesmith - Eddie Bracken (THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK, HOME ALONE 2) <br />Libby - Ella Raines (THE SENATOR WAS INDISCREET, BRUTE FORCE) <br />Sgt. Heppelfinger - William Demarest (THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK. IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD)
Viewer Reviews
Top-notch Preston Sturges comedy about patriotism and small-town politics. Eddie Bracken plays the son of a WW I marine hero who has joined up for WW II with high hopes for glory, only to be discharged for hay fever. Embarrassed to go home to his mother and sweetheart (Ella Rains), he meets six marines in a bar one night (led by William Demerest) and before he knows what hit him, he's on his way home a decorated war hero (thanks to the snow job concocted by Demerest). The town goes ga-ga and ends up electing him mayor. He finally straightens things out at the end, but in the meantime we are treated to some of the best Sturges exploding humor on screen. The entire Sturges stock company is on hand, and especially good are Raymond Walburn as the windbag mayor Bracken defeats, Freddie Steele as a mother-loving marine, and, of course, Demerest. Brilliant fare, this is Sturges in peak form.
IT'S A CRYING SHAME THERE'S NO DVD OF THIS YET. COME ON!!
Back To Top
|
Hail the Conquering Hero
Available from Amazon
|
|
NOTICE: All product prices, availability, and specifications
are subject to verification by their respective retailers.
Copyright © 2009, Dominant Systems Corporation
info@HowlingVideo.com
Privacy Policy
Last Modified : 1-8-2009
|
