gavin6942 Against all odds Father Flanagan (Spencer Tracy) starts "Boys' Town" after hearing a convict's story. Whitey Marsh (Mickey Rooney) comes there, but frequently tries to run away.Although the story is largely fictional, it is based upon a real man and a real place. Boys Town is a community outside of Omaha, Nebraska that was really founded by Father Flanagan. The film was a commercial success, and won Spencer Tracy an Oscar.I think the movie in general is good, and I'm glad it earned Tracy an award and brought more attention to the real Boys Town. However, I feel that Mickey Rooney was just awful in this film and overly exaggerated and hammy. He comes across more like a cheap James Cagney knockoff.

utgard14 Wonderful movie based on a real man named Father Flanagan, played by Spencer Tracy, who works to help keep troubled boys from a life of crime. He establishes a place called Boys Town in rural Nebraska as an alternative to reformatories. One boy in particular, played by Mickey Rooney, is a little hooligan and Father Flanagan has to fight hard to save him.Tracy gives a wonderfully understated and likable performance. Rooney is excellent as well, though I see his more emotional scenes divide modern audiences. I thought he was great though. Henry Hull is good as Tracy's friend and Boys Town's primary benefactor. Leslie Fenton has a small but important part at the beginning of the film as a convict on death row. Probably the best performance I've ever seen from him. Bobs Watson will give you diabetes with his turn as little Pee Wee. It's a great film. The kind they don't make anymore, obviously. Inspirational, wholesome, and heartwarming.

cordaro9418 Spencer Tracy won his second consecutive Academy Award for this turn as Father Flanaghan, the architect and operator of Boys Town.Following up 'Captains Courageous', Tracy cemented himself as an actor's actor.Surrounded by an outstanding supporting cast, and pitching a great script, this film definitely makes the 'Best' list and with little question.Well paced and with excellent delivery, 'Boys Town' is definitely one to watch if you really consider yourself a film buff.Bring popcorn.

dbborroughs Nominally the founding of Boys Town by Father Flanagan and his push to prove that there are no bad boys.Its as syrupy and sweet as they come. I doubt very much that the film is very close to what happened since everything in Spencer Tracy's hands is bound to be okay. I have no idea why but I was moved to mistiness a couple of times. Of course there is never any doubt that Boys Town will grow and thrive and of course Mickey Rooney's bad boy with a heart of gold is much too good to be true and is bound to do the right thing in the end. Still its a grand little film of the sort they don't make any more (and would be laughed off the screen if they did). Absolutely worth a look see when it reappears on TV or as a rental.(my only real problem is that Spencer Tracy won his second Oscar in a row for his portrait of Father Flanagan, either they really liked him or the other nominees weren't very good since the role is truly unremarkable, well played, but nothing special.)