Boys Town

Overview

This film focuses on Father Edward J. Flanagan, whose philosophy that no boy will grow up bad if given a chance in life culminates in his formation of Boys Town in Omaha, Nebraska. Unable to raise funds through "proper" channels, Flannagan finds that his staunchest supporters are the workaday folks.

Product Details

Release Date:	05/10/2011
UPC:	0883929201921
Original Release:	1938
Rating:	NR
Source:	Warner Home Video
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[B&W]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:33:00
Sales rank:	4,270

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Spencer Tracy	Father Edward Flanagan
Mickey Rooney	Whitey Marsh
Henry Hull	Dave Morris
Leslie Fenton	Dan Farrow
Addison Richards	Judge
Edward Norris	Joe Marsh
Gene Reynolds	Tony Ponessa
Minor Watson	Bishop,Pee Wee
Jonathan Hale	John Hargraves
Martin Spellman	Skinny
Mickey Rentschler	Tommy Anderson
Frankie Thomas	Freddie Fuller
Jimmy Butler	Paul Ferguson
Sidney Miller	Mo Kahn
Robert Emmett Keane	Burton
Victor Kilian	Sheriff
John Hamilton	Warden
Arthur Aylesworth	Tim
John Wray	Bum
Barbara Bedford	Catholic Sister
Orville Caldwell	Warden
Roger Converse	Newspaper Reporter Lane
Donald Haines	Alabama
Edward Ward	Composer
George Humbert	Calateri
Gladden James	Doctor
Tommy Noonan	Red
Jay Novello	Gangster
Kane Richmond	Newspaper Reporter Jackson
Phillip Terry	Newspaper Reporter
William Worthington	Governor
Walter Young	Judge
Al Hill	Apples
John Walsh	Charley Haines

Technical Credits

Dore Schary

Eleanore Griffin

John Meehan

Norman Taurog	Director
Dore Schary	Screenwriter
Eleanore Griffin	Screenwriter
John W. Considine Jr.	Producer
Slavko Vorkapich	Special Effects
John Meehan	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Boys Town features a sympathetic fact-based story and sincere performances from stars Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney, who keep the film's tone just this side of maudlin. Veteran child-star director Norman Taurog ably handles his teenage charges, knowing precisely when to call for a close-up. Boys Town isn't without its moments of tear-jerking sentimentality, but Taurog keeps them at bay so that the story's pace won't falter. Tracy was supposedly so moved on winning his second Best Actor Oscar for the role that he gave the award to the real-life Father Flanagan; in actuality, an MGM publicist orchestrated the gesture. Ironically, the real Father Flanagan had been critical of the film, arguing that it made Boys Town look so prosperous that people would forget that it depended on charitable donations.