Boys Town (film)

Boys Town is an American film director Norman Taurog drama from the year 1938. Spencer Tracy embodies the priest Edward J. Flanagan, who founded a home for homeless boys in the U.S. state of Nebraska. Mickey Rooney plays a teenager who undergoes an astonishing transformation.

Action

The film tells the story of the priest Edward Flanagan, the 1917 in Nebraska builds a home for neglected boys. From the original small home created Flanagan's Boys Town. Flanagan's work is constantly faced financial ruin and in the criticism of the public. However, the priest is of the opinion that no one is born bad, but out of the social circumstances on the straight and narrow. The city boy he leads with loving, iron hand and leads the boys to self-management and self-responsibility. Regularly choose the boy a " mayor who cares about their concerns. In this dream world for orphaned boys comes the young Whitey Marsh. Whitey will of his brother, the gangster Joe Marsh, forced to go into the city boy. Joe goes to prison, and he does not want his little brother strikes a similar life as he did. But Whitey is completely different than the boys of the town. He is arrogant and overbearing and keeps the other boys for effeminate and stupid. He is quickly becoming the outsider. Only the little Pee Wee holds to him. As again pending a mayoral election, Whitey Marsh compete against the incumbent mayor to vote. Whitey is building a campaign troops, inspired to professional election campaigns and with pomp and a lot of noise makes empty promises. The third candidate is the shy and slightly handicapped Tony Ponessa. Tony wants nothing more than the preservation of the city and has the common good as opposed to his fellow competitors in sight. The dispute between Whitey and the incumbent mayor escalated, however. Ultimately, to a boxing match against Whitey and Whitey is subject to settling disputes. He feels humiliated and wants to leave the city. Only Pee Wee wants to stop him, and follows him to the street. There, he is approached by a car. Whitey is now dying of sorrow and feels guilty for the accident. He returns to the bedside of the little boy.

As Whitey later learns some time that his brother Joe has broken out of prison, he sets out to meet him. Joe is of course pursued by the police and Whitey in the crossfire. The involvement Whitey as a member of Boys Town in the escape of a violent criminal brings the young city in public again into disrepute. But Joe puts his life for his little brother on the line, so that when he has a better life ahead of him, and Father Flanagan can pick up the injured Whitey in a church and bring back to the city boy. Whitey seems to have learned his lesson and is now for the election of Tony Ponessa as a mayor.

Background

The film has been likened to Young America, a Fox movie from 1932 in which Spencer Tracy plays the pharmacist in the drugstore breaks a young hooligan. Surprisingly, the soon but on the side of delinquent boys, because such young people would certainly formed by the instruction in educational institutions to criminals.

Edward Joseph Flanagan (1886-1948) was a Catholic priest. He is the founder of perhaps the most celebrated American youth welfare institution, originally under the name of Boys Town ( " Boys town " ), was founded near the city of Omaha in Nebraska. Spencer Tracy, Father Flanagan knew personally, had in relation to this role serious concerns. He expressed this by saying: "I knew Father Flanagan in person, so I had the feeling that no one could represent his warmth, his inspiration and his human feelings on the canvas. But after the first week I had identified myself this way with this roll that I could stop to make me even more worried. "

Spencer Tracy gave his Oscar for the role of Father Flanagan on. But the statue was provided with an additional inscription: ". For Father Edward J. Flanagan, whose great human qualities, friendly simplicity and courage were large enough to transpire through my humble efforts "

Criticism

" A feeling pregnant, but grippingly told story, which was founded in Omaha in Nebraska by Father Flanagan SJ 1917 " Young City ", the first houses four boys, but eventually grows to 200 residents. The film captivates through vivid display, refreshing humor and his exemplary democratic spirit. "

Awards

The writers Griffin and Schary received an Oscar for her screenplay in 1939. Spencer Tracy received a year after his first Oscar for the film Manuel his second Oscar for the portrayal of Father Flanagan. So Tracy was the first actor received the coveted film prize was awarded after another two years. The film was also nominated for Best Picture Oscar and Norman Taurog was nominated for Best Director. Mickey Rooney received a special Oscar for his unique contributions to the screen as a young player.

Continuation

In early 1941, was created under the same director and again with Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney in the lead roles a sequel, Men of Boys Town ( German Title: The guys are ), but only a pale reflection of the first film delivered and neither the critics nor the audience was able to record the desired success.

1938 in film Dore Schary John Meehan (screenwriter) Film score Edward Ward (composer) Bobs Watson Captains Courageous (1937 film)
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