Woodrow is discharged from the military for hay fever, but fabricates receiving a heroic honorable discharge before returning home.
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Title: Hail the Conquering Hero (1944)
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Edit
Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Eddie Bracken | ... | Woodrow Truesmith | |
| Ella Raines | ... | Libby | |
| Raymond Walburn | ... | Mayor Everett J. Noble | |
| William Demarest | ... | Sgt. Heffelfinger | |
| Franklin Pangborn | ... | Reception Committee Chairman | |
| Elizabeth Patterson | ... | Aunt Martha | |
| Georgia Caine | ... | Mrs. Truesmith | |
| Al Bridge | ... | Political Boss | |
 |
Freddie Steele | ... | Bugsy |
| Bill Edwards | ... | Forrest Noble | |
| Harry Hayden | ... | Doc Bissell | |
| Jimmy Conlin | ... | Judge Dennis | |
| Jimmie Dundee | ... | Cpl. Candida | |
Edit
Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
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Storyline
Having been discharged from the Marines for a hayfever condition before ever seeing action, Woodrow Lafayette Pershing Truesmith (Eddie Bracken) delays the return to his hometown, feeling that he is a failure. While in a moment of melancholy, he meets up with a group of Marines who befriend him and encourage him to return home to his mother by fabricating a story that he was wounded in battle with honorable discharge. They make him wear a uniform complete with medals and is pushed by his new friends into accepting a Hero's welcome when he gets home where he is to be immortalized by a statue that he doesn't want, has songs written about his heroic battle stories, and ends up unwillingly running for mayor. Despite his best efforts to explain the truth, no one will listen. Written by J. Adam Ingle
Plot Keywords:
national film registry | screwball comedy | mayor | mother | u.s. military |Taglines:
Preston Sturges Rides Again See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
September 1944 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Herói de Mentira See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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See more »
(1823) (uncredited)
Music partly composed, and arranged by H.R. Bishop from a Sicilian air
Played by the band at the railroad station
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
As the marines are leaving the Oakridge station, a billboard behind them is advertising The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1943), another film by Preston Sturges. See more »Goofs
Early in the movie, in the nightclub, there's a shot of a man sitting at a table eating a sandwich. After a quick cutaway the man is smoking and the sandwich is on his plate...untouched. See more »Quotes
Sgt. Heppelfinger: [after Woodrow reveals his discharge and leaves the auditorium] I just wanna tell you one thing, see. I've seen a lot of brave men in my life - that's my business. But what that kid just done took real courage.See more »
Soundtracks
There's No Place Like Home (Home, Sweet Home)(1823) (uncredited)
Music partly composed, and arranged by H.R. Bishop from a Sicilian air
Played by the band at the railroad station
See more »
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Sure, I loved "The Palm Beach Story", "Sullivan's Travels", "The Lady Eve", "Miracle of Morgan's Creek", etc., but "Hail the Conquering Hero" holds up best for me. A brilliantly written comedy with very good performances from everyone. I really have nothing else to say except I think it's really pathetic that only 197 people have seen this movie and bothered to vote on it, while the garbage Hollywood serves us today gets thousands of votes. Don't settle for garbage! See THIS movie!