Hail the Conquering Hero1944Hail the Conquering Hero
1944
Woodrow Truesmith, discharged from the Marines for hay fever, is ashamed to go home to his mother. Six Marines on leave dress him up as a war hero, and his hometown welcomes him with a parade and a nomination for mayor.
The default: films the whole family can watch together; any scary or intense moments for the littlest viewers are flagged in the Context Notes.
Why it’s here
A young man caught in a lie about heroism finally confesses, and the town honors him more for his honesty. Preston Sturges's gentlest, most patriotic comedy.
Context notes
For parents, before you press play.
Woodrow lies to his mother and the town (pushed by the Marines); the film shows the lie snowballing, and his public confession is the turning point, which is a good talk about honesty. A bar scene and some tipsiness on cooking wine.
Hail the Conquering Hero (1944)
Discussion questions
When the credits end, go around the room. Each person gives the film a score out of ten and says why.
- Why did Woodrow go along with the lie?
- Why did he finally tell the truth?
- What did the Marines learn?
- Was the town right to forgive him?
Content advisory
IMDb parents guide and Dove (all ages) (via WebSearch): mild alcohol (an opening bar scene, tipsiness on cooking wine); no violence or profanity.
Trailer
Best edition
The disc comes first.
Hail the Conquering Hero (1944)
DVD · May 10, 2011
Blu-ray listed on Blu-ray.com (release date unconfirmed)
Edition link coming soon.
Listing on Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)Coming later
Where to stream
Streaming services are not listed yet. When they are, this note stays secondary to the disc.