Boys Town

Play trailer

Boys Town

1938

1h 36m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

22 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

The devout but iron-willed Father Flanagan (Spencer Tracy) 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 (Mickey Rooney), the impulsive and violent younger brother of an imprisoned murderer, might be too much for the good father's tough-love system.

Otis Ferguson

The New Republic

05/08/2024

For all [Spencer Tracy's] homely face and lack of surface charm, he is about the finest figure of a man you’ll meet, and I’m happy that he has finally got a part here to show it off.

Go to Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

03/26/2009

Tracy, showing necessary restraint, makes his portrayal of Flanagan sincere and human.

Go to Full Review

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

01/01/2000

Mickey Rooney is a hard case, but eventually he cracks -- as will you, under the relentless, flat sentimentality of Norman Taurog's direction.

Go to Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

11/08/2024

4/10

Flanagan’s character is admirable (based on a real man with real accomplishments), though Tracy imparts a rather standard performance.

Go to Full Review

Ann Ross

Maclean's Magazine

07/23/2019

It's a genuine human story, dramatically handled and finely acted.

Go to Full Review

TV Guide

02/10/2012

3/4

One of the more overrated films of its era.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Lanfranco C

@Lanfrancobz May 4

Are all Boys good? I hope so...

See more

04/03/2022

Very good. Spencer Tracy is always great!

See more

michael d

@RT16138633 12/26/2021

This is a pretty famous movie, one of those old-fashioned feel-good films that bring a tear or two to the eye of the sensitive individual. It's very dated, yes, but part of that "dated" means mostly nice kids, not brats and more nice role models, instead of extremely-flawed heroes. It seems, as film fans, we normally got one of the extremes thrown at us: overly good or overly bad. This is overly good.....but I'm fine with that. Mickey Rooney really livens the film up with his appearance. He and most of the characters represent an America that is long gone, people and ideas that are way too "corny" for today's audience. Sometimes it's sappy but sometimes it's refreshing to see, too. The "bad" kids in this film seem pretty nice and tame to today's bad kids, believe me. "There are no bad boys," as Father Flanagan put it, and one would wonder if that still applied today. Flanagan is nicely portrayed by Spencer Tracy. The priest is shown to be one who had a real heart for wayward boys. Spencer and Rooney are the obvious stars of this sentimental story but little "Pee Wee," played by Bobs Watson, is the most endearing character in the movie. Corny but a remembrance of a much more innocent America.

See more

Emilio T

@MilloTPue 10/02/2021

Not a bad exercise, but the time has made it predictable and lacking punch.

See more

11/25/2020

A classic and wholesome tale.

See more

steve d

@RT35616104 07/23/2020

Tracy at his best with a powerful story.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Norman Taurog

Director

Spencer Tracy

Father Edward J. Flanagan

Mickey Rooney

Whitey Marsh

Henry Hull

Dave Morris

Leslie Fenton

Dan Farrow

Addison Richards

The Judge

The Citadel

90%

72%

The Citadel

Watchlist

David Copperfield

100%

77%

David Copperfield

Watchlist

Random Harvest

83%

89%

Random Harvest

Watchlist

Gabriel Over the White House

71%

55%

Gabriel Over the White House

Watchlist

Grand Hotel

85%

77%

Grand Hotel

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

The devout but iron-willed Father Flanagan (Spencer Tracy) 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 (Mickey Rooney), the impulsive and violent younger brother of an imprisoned murderer, might be too much for the good father's tough-love system.

Director: Norman Taurog
Producer: John W. Considine Jr.
Screenwriter: Eleanore Griffin, John Meehan, Dore Schary
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 8, 1938, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009
Runtime: 1h 36m