Boys Town
Spencer Tracy won a second consecutive Best Actor Oscar for his
portrayal of Father Edward J. Flanagan, real-life founder of Boys Town
(the first had been for Captains Courageous). Boys Town was both a tribute to and an illustration of Flanagan’s philosophy that there is no such thing as a bad boy.
Near Omaha, Nebraska, kind-hearted Father Flanagan begins taking in
wayward boys, supporting them with what meager funds he can raise.
Having found his calling, the Father sets out to start a proper home
for his charges, going about it through grassroots fundraising from
folks like pawnbroker Dave Morris.
In the course of his work, Father Flanagan meets an adolescent
tough named Whitey Marsh (played by teen megastar Mickey Rooney),
younger brother of convicted criminal Joe Marsh. The Father takes the
boy in, but Whitey rebels against the system, running away at any
opportunity he can get. Through struggle, tragedy and determination,
Father Flanagan works both to build his dream and to save the life and
future of his most troublesome charge.
The film was an unqualified success and remains a sentimental
favorite of many. When Tracy won his Oscar, he turned it over to the
real Father Flanagan with an inscription that read, "To Father Edward
J. Flanagan, whose great human qualities, kindly simplicity, and
inspiring courage were strong enough to shine through my humble effort.
Spencer Tracy."
Tracy and Rooney reunited for a 1940 sequel, Men of Boys Town, as Father Flanagan continued his noble efforts.
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