Review: Boys Town

Spencer Tracy plays Father Flanagan, who in an attempt to stop kids from turning into the death row inmates he visits in their final moments, decides to set up the title home for wayward young boys. He believes reform schools will only lead to the kids turning to crime and gangs. They need more than such harsh environments, they need a nurturing home. Mickey Rooney plays Whitey Marsh, a wannabe tough young hooligan who will prove to be one of Father Flanagan’s toughest assignments, as Father Flanagan attempts to prove that ‘there’s no such thing as a bad boy’. Henry Hull plays Flanagan’s slightly stuffy and sceptical business partner, whilst Bobs Watson turns up as the cute-as-a-button Pee Wee, a young boy who has a thing for the sweet stuff.

 

This is a nice, harmless, and enjoyable movie from 1938. It’s also a showcase for the talent and frankly unbeatable screen presence of Spencer Tracy, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of real-life Father Flanagan. Directed by Norman Taurog (“Skippy”, “Sooky”, “Blue Hawaii”), obviously the problem kids of 2015-16 are probably a lot more troubled than these juvenile delinquents, but this is basically a family movie when you get right down to it. A pretty good one at that. At under 90 minutes, it’s a tad slight and nearly torpedoed by the most cornball finale you’re likely to ever see in a film. It’s a real eye-roller, and the preceding film deserves a lot better. But honestly, while this is dated, it’s not been rendered useless (the idea that kids aren’t inherently bad and that parental responsibility is key still holds pretty true), though some might cry ‘blackface!’ at one supposedly comic moment.

 

Young Bobs Watson grabs the film and takes it out of the grasp of sturdy Tracy (you’re always in safe hands with him) and hammy but enjoyable Mickey Rooney (well-cast as a little smart-arse who isn’t as smart or tough as he thinks he is). Watson really goes for broke in the best hammy, weepie, near-cloying child actor fashion. He probably deserved an Oscar himself for all the effort (Apparently he turned to serving God as an adult, ironically enough, becoming a minister!). The Oscar-nominated screenplay is by John Meehan (“The Valley of Decision”, “The Painted Veil”) and Dore Schary (“Lonelyhearts”, “It’s a Big Country”), based on an Oscar-winning story by Schary and Eleanore Griffin (“Imitation of Life”, “Third Man on the Mountain”).

 

An easy watch, so long as your tolerance for The Mick and weepie children is pretty high. It’s nice, Oscar-winning Tracy is truly iconic, and Bobs Watson will steal your heart. It’s just a shame about that schmaltzy ending, it could’ve been even better. Absolutely not for the unsentimental.

 

Rating: B-