Fresh
Tracy, showing necessary restraint, makes his portrayal of Flanagan sincere and human.
Variety Staff, Variety
Boys Town
"No boy is bad, if given a chance!"
1938 · 1h 36m · Approved
Drama
Directed by
Norman Taurog
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Boys Town
Overview
Devout but iron-willed Father Flanagan leads a community called Boys Town, a different sort of juvenile detention facility where, instead of being treated as underage criminals, the boys are shepherded into making themselves better people. But hard-nosed petty thief and pool shark Whitey Marsh, the impulsive and violent younger brother of an imprisoned murderer, might be too much for the good father's tough-love system.
Director and cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
86%
Tomatometer
Rotten
Mickey Rooney is a hard case, but eventually he cracks -- as will you, under the relentless, flat sentimentality of Norman Taurog's direction.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
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