The Boy with Green Hair (1948)

This parable looks at public reaction when the hair of an American war orphan mysteriously turns green.

Director:

Joseph Losey

Writers:

Betsy Beaton (story), Ben Barzman (screen play),

Stars:

Pat O'Brien, Robert Ryan, Barbara Hale

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Pat O'Brien	...	Gramp Fry
Robert Ryan	...	Dr. Evans
Barbara Hale	...	Miss Brand
Dean Stockwell	...	Peter Fry
Richard Lyon	...	Michael
Walter Catlett	...	The King
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Dr. Knudson
Regis Toomey	...	Mr. Davis
Charles Meredith	...	Mr. Piper
David Clarke	...	Barber
Billy Sheffield	...	Red
Johnny Calkins	...	Danny (as John Calkins)
Teddy Infuhr	...	Timmy
Dwayne Hickman	...	Joey
Eilene Janssen	...	Peggy

Storyline

Peter Frye, typical American boy, is orphaned when his parents are caught in the London Blitz. He is not told of their fate, but shuttled from one selfish relative to the next, ending with "Gramp," a kindly ex-vaudevillean. Peter and Gramp, both fond of "Irish bulls," get along fine; but the morning after Peter finally learns he's an orphan, his hair spontaneously turns green! The absurd over-reactions of stupid people overturn his life as the story becomes a parable.

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Plot Keywords:

hair | boy | parable | psychologist | runaway | 

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Taglines:

Please don't tell why his hair turned green!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Family

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 November 1948 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Junge mit den grünen Haaren

Filming Locations:

McKinley Home for Boys - 13840 Riverside Drive, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Gary Gray was originally cast in the role of Peter Fry, but he contracted chicken pox and was replaced by Dean Stockwell.

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Connections

Featured in Guilty by Suspicion (1991)

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Soundtracks

"NATURE BOY"
Written by Eden Ahbez
Sung behind credits by chorus

User Reviews

Such a Simple Fantasy Tale Got It's Director Blacklisted

The Boy With Green Hair is still a heart warming fantasy that should be required viewing the world over. Problem is that those in the Christian, Moslem, and Secular spheres in this world who could profit by it most will never see it.

Dean Stockwell is a 12 year old pre-pubescent war orphan due to World War II having been passed around from various relations and goes to live with Pat O'Brien. During the course of a school project collecting money for war orphans he wakes up one day and finds his hair turned an evergreen green.

Spirits of some of the dead orphans visit him and tell him he's been chosen to have this mark put on him to show the world that war is a bad thing for everyone, but especially for children. The rest of the film concerns Stockwell and how he deals with a responsibility.

Ironically enough this theme is universal and you wouldn't think that it would cause someone to be blacklisted. But that's what happened to director Joseph Losey. Losey had some leftwing pre World War II associations and he made this film as the lines were hardened for the Cold War. Bad timing on his part.

I've always felt that had their been a slightly more religious undertone to the film nothing would ever have happened. I've always felt that Dean Stockwell's situation was similar to that of a young Jesus. The only story recorded in the Gospels about Jesus after his birth and before he began his ministry was that story concerning him being found in the Temple discussing religious questions with the temple elders. He was as marked at that point as surely as if He had been given Stockwell's green hair.

For the first time Pat O'Brien was given a role befitting his age and he handles it well. His part is as an entertainer, a singing waiter, and he does a bit of song and snappy Irish blarney patter. As his film career waned, O'Brien used some of the material you see here as part of his nightclub act he created.

Barbara Hale does well as the sympathetic school teacher. Robert Ryan is wasted in a part as a social worker who is interviewing you Stockwell at the beginning of the film as Stockwell tells him of the events leading to him being a runaway. Such a fine actor had so little to do here, but look sympathetic.

The Boy With Green Hair also introduced the song Nature Boy that launched Nat King Cole's career as a solo recording artist. It was a mega-hit back in 1948, helped by the fact that a lot of the major record companies were being struck. Cole had signed with the new Capitol label which wasn't unionized at that point and in the vacuum his career was launched.

It's a timeless message The Boy With Green Hair conveys about the horror of war. Everyone should see this.