''Follow Me, Boys!'' is a 1966 American

comedy-drama Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...

film produced by

Walt Disney Productions The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...

. It is an adaptation of the 1954 novel ''God and My Country'' by

MacKinlay Kantor MacKinlay Kantor (February 4, 1904 – October 11, 1977), born Benjamin McKinlay Kantor, was an American journalist, novelist and screenwriter. He wrote more than 30 novels, several set during the American Civil War, and was awarded the ...

and was the final film released by Walt Disney Productions in

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...

's lifetime, with Disney dying exactly two weeks after the film's premiere. The film stars

Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...

, Vera Miles,

Lillian Gish Lillian Diana Gish (October 14, 1893 – February 27, 1993) was an American actress best known for her work in movies of the silent era. Her film-acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912, in silent film shorts, to 1987. Gish was dubbed the "F ...

, Charles Ruggles and

Kurt Russell Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951) is an American actor. He began his career as a child actor before transitioning to leading roles as an adult in various genres such as action adventures, science-fiction, westerns, romance films, co ...

, and is co-produced by Walt Disney and

Winston Hibler Winston Murray Hunt Hibler (October 8, 1910 – August 8, 1976) was an American screenwriter, film producer, director and narrator associated with Walt Disney Studios. Biography and career Hibler was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Octob ...

, directed by

Norman Tokar Norman Tokar (November 25, 1919 – April 6, 1979) was an American film director, director, actor and occasionally writer and producer of serial television and feature films, who directed many of the early episodes of ''Leave it to Beaver'', and ...

and written by

Louis Pelletier Louis Pelletier (March 7, 1906 – February 11, 2000) was an American writer of radio dramas and screenplays for motion pictures and television. Pelletier was born in New York City, New York. He graduated from Dartmouth College. He co-wrote the ...

. It is one of the few films featuring the

Boy Scouts of America Scouting America is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest List of youth organizations, youth organizations in the United States, with over 1 million youth, including nearly 200,000 female participants. Founded as the Boy Sco ...

and is Disney's

paean A paean () is a song or lyric poem expressing triumph or thanksgiving. In classical antiquity, it is usually performed by a chorus, but some examples seem intended for an individual voice ( monody). It comes from the Greek (also or ), "song ...

to the Boy Scouts. The title song "Follow Me, Boys!" was written by studio favorites Robert and Richard Sherman. After the film's production, the

considered using the song as their

anthem An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to sho ...

, but efforts toward the end were dropped. The ''

Boys' Life ''Scout Life'' (formerly ''Boys' Life'') is the monthly magazine of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Its target readers are children between the ages of 6 and 18. The magazine‘s headquarters are in Irving, Texas. ''Scout Life'' is published ...

'' magazine included a teaser article of the film. ''Follow Me, Boys!'' was the first of ten Disney films in which Russell appeared over the next ten years. A DVD version was released on February 3, 2004 by Walt Disney Home Entertainment, although it is in 4:3

pan and scan Pan and scan is a film editing technique used to modify widescreen images for display on a fullscreen screen. It involves cropping the sides of the original widescreen image and panning across it when the shot's focus changes. This cropping c ...

format, not the original 1.66:1 wide screen aspect ratio.

Plot

In 1930, Lemuel "Lem" Siddons, a saxophonist in a traveling band, dreams of becoming a lawyer. When the band's bus reaches the small town of Hickory, Lem suddenly decides to leave the band and settle down, finding a job as a clerk in the general store owned by John Everett Hughes. At the town civic meeting, Lem again notices Vida Downey, a

bank teller A bank teller (often abbreviated to simply teller) is an employee of a bank whose responsibilities include the handling of customer cash and negotiable instruments. In some places, this employee is known as a cashier or customer representative. T ...

whom Lem had seen on his first day in town, and eventually attempts to woo away from her boyfriend Ralph Hastings. Lem notices Vida crosses off the YMCA and the 4-H from her list of three possible organizations to keep the town's boys off the streets, leaving only the Boy Scouts, and he decides to suggest and volunteer to become Scoutmaster of the newly formed Troop 1. Some time later, Lem becomes an all-around natural leader with the Scout troop, even putting a plan to become a lawyer aside as he helps the town's boys mature into men. Meanwhile, the town's troublemaker boy, Edward "Whitey" White Jr., refuses to join the troop. One night, while Lem and Vida are on a date, they catch Whitey stealing from Hughes' store after it is closed for the night. Startled, Whitey falls and sprains his ankle, which Lem bandages using the techniques provided in the

Boy Scout Handbook ''Scouts BSA Handbook'' is the official handbook of Scouts BSA, published by Scouting America. It is a descendant publication of Baden-Powell's original handbook, ''Scouting for Boys'', which has been the basis for Scout handbooks in many coun ...

. Impressed by Lem's work, Whitey secretly steals the book, which Lem allows, because he sees his past self reflected in Whitey. One night, Lem invites Whitey's father, Edward Sr., to attend parents' night at the Boy Scouts' meeting place located on the lake property of Hetty Seibert, the owner of the bank and Ralph's aunt. Edward arrives drunk and embarrasses Whitey, causing him to quit the troop. However, Edward dies later that very night of

alcohol poisoning Alcohol intoxication, commonly described in higher doses as drunkenness or inebriation, and known in overdose as alcohol poisoning, is the behavior and physical effects caused by recent consumption of alcohol. The technical term ''intoxication ...

, leaving Lem and Vida to adopt Whitey. Years later, in 1944, Lem is out with his troop when he is accidentally captured by the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

, who are playing a war game in the area. Lem is taken for a spy due to his Scouting equipment and is unable to prove he is a Scoutmaster after the military captain asks Lem to tie a sheepshank, the only knot Lem never learned. Across the lake, Troop 1 fires their morning cannon, accidentally signaling the military to (wargames-style) attack the boys. The scouts take shelter in a staged base and successfully capture a tank with explosive squibs, meant to resemble

land mine A land mine, or landmine, is an explosive weapon often concealed under or camouflaged on the ground, and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets as they pass over or near it. Land mines are divided into two types: anti-tank mines, wh ...

s, thus freeing Lem from the captivity of the embarrassed military. Back at the lake, Lem and the troop discover that Ralph is taking Hetty to court over the lake property, claiming that she is mentally unstable and needs a conservator (called a guardian in the film) to manage her financial affairs. Lem, who never passed the bar, is nonetheless allowed, as an interested party, to ask Hetty some questions at the hearing under oath. His questions of her on the stand reveal that the property was once the location of her family cottage before it burned down in September 1918, two days after she learned that her sons were killed in France. Hetty states that she allowed the troop to meet there, as the boys reminded her of her late sons at play. She also shows that she clearly understands what Ralph is trying to do and the financial trick he's planning on using the property for (as a tax haven). Ultimately, Hetty wins the case and the troop is allowed to keep the property. On September 1, 1945, Lem and Vida celebrate Hughes' birthday by listening to

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequen ...

announce the end of the war over the radio. Whitey, who became a captain in the army, returns to Hickory to introduce Lem and Vida to his wife, Nora, an army nurse. In 1950, Hughes passes away, leaving the store to both Lem and Vida. Meanwhile, due to Lem's health, the Scout committee forces Lem to retire as Scoutmaster. In appreciation for his two decades of service, the entire town gives Lem a surprise celebration on October 2, 1950, with both current and former members of Troop 1 in attendance for the dedication of Hetty's property as Camp Siddons to honor Lem.

Cast

– Lemuel "Lem" Siddons * Vera Miles – Vida Downey *

– Hetty Seibert *

Charlie Ruggles Charles Sherman Ruggles (February 8, 1886 – December 23, 1970) was an American comic character actor. In a career spanning six decades, Ruggles appeared in close to 100 feature films, often in mild-mannered and comic roles. He was also the e ...

– John Everett Hughes *

Sean McClory Séan Joseph McClory (8 March 1924 – 10 December 2003) was an Irish actor whose career spanned six decades and included well over 100 films and television series. He was sometimes billed as Shawn McGlory or Sean McGlory. Early years Mc ...

– Edward White Sr. *

– Edward "Whitey" White Jr. *

Donald May Donald Adam May (February 22, 1929 – January 28, 2022) was an American actor who was known for his roles in ''Colt .45 (TV series), Colt .45'' (1957–1960) and ''The Edge of Night''. Early years May was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son o ...

– Edward "Whitey" White Jr. as an adult * Luana Patten – Nora White *

Elliott Reid Edgeworth Blair "Elliott" Reid (January 16, 1920 – June 21, 2013) was an American actor. Early life Reid was born in Manhattan, the son of artist Christine Challenger Reid and banker Blair Reid. He attended the Professional Children's Sc ...

– Ralph Hastings * John Zaremba – Ralph Hastings's lawyer * Ken Murray – Melody Murphy *

Parley Baer Parley Edward Baer (August 5, 1914 – November 22, 2002) was an American actor in radio and later in television and film. Despite dozens of appearances in television series and theatrical films, he remains best known as the original "Chester" ...

– Mayor Hi Plommer * Steve Franken – P.O.W. lieutenant * William Reynolds – Hoodoo Henderson (adult) *

Madge Blake Madge Blake (née Cummings; May 31, 1899 – February 19, 1969) was an American character actress best remembered for her role as Larry Mondello's mother, Margaret Mondello, on the CBS/ ABC sitcom ''Leave It to Beaver'', as Flora MacMichael o ...

– Cora Anderson *

Richard Bakalyan Richard Bakalyan (January 29, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor who started his career playing juvenile delinquents in his first several films. Early life Richard Bakalyan was born on January 29, 1931, in Watertown, Massachuset ...

– Army war-game officer * Jimmy Murphy – P.O.W. Soldier * Adam Williams – P.O.W. sergeant ;The Boys of Troop 1: * David Bailey – Duke * Billy Booth – Leo * Ronnie Dapo – Virgil "Tiger" Higgins *

Ricky Kelman Rickey William Kelman (born July 6, 1949) is a former actor. He had supporting roles in two single-season sitcoms, ''The Dennis O'Keefe Show'' (1959-1960) on CBS and '' Our Man Higgins'' (1962-1963) on ABC. Major roles On ''The Dennis O'Keef ...

– Frankie Martin * Dean Moray – Hoodoo Henderson (child) * Duane Chase – Joe

Production

It was Ruggles' final film role. He continued working on television until 1968. Duane Chase, who played "Kurt" in ''

The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, '' The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. ...

'' (1965), appears uncredited as one of the Boy Scouts. After this film, he left acting and thereafter only made professional appearances as himself at reunions with other ''Sound of Music'' cast members.Duane Chase filmography
at IMDb

proved to be very popular in films produced by

. This was the first of seven films he made for the studio from the late 1960s through the mid 1970s.Kurt Russell filmography
at IMDb

Reception

The film earned $5,350,000 in North American rentals (the cut of ticket sales sent to the studio) in 1967.

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though some ...

of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' panned the film as "such a clutter of sentimental blubberings about the brotherhood of the Boy Scouts and indiscriminate ladling of cornball folksy comedy that it taxes the loyalty and patience of even a one-time ardent member of the Beaver Patrol ... What is most painful and embarrassing is the picture this film gives of the American small town as a haven for television-type comedians having themselves a fine time with a routine of rancid clichés." ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' was positive, stating that the film "catches the spirit of rural America in the '30s with moving charm, blending comedy, drama and romance in buildup toward an emotionally charged climax. 'Follow Me, Boys' is Disney at his best in this type of family entertainment." Philip K. Scheuer of the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' wrote that the film was "like a movie that might have been made 30 years ago. In thinking, approach, technique and every other way it could pass for a revival of the dear dead days beyond recall, and I sat there unbelieving that this many cliches could not only have been remembered but actually presented as something new." Richard L. Coe of ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' stated, "'Follow Me, Boys' follows the formula, yet you will find it touching and heartening." Clifford Terry of the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...

'' wrote, "Admittedly, there probably are enough chuckles and sniffles to satisfy the most rabid Disney devotees, but stretched out for more than two hours, the film seems almost as long as the 20 years it covers. Decidedly, far more imaginative and amusing products have been fashioned by the talent in Walt's workshop."

Versions

The film ran 131 minutes originally. In 1976, the film was re-released to theaters in a heavily shortened version running 107 minutes. When the film first came to video in the United States in 1984, it ran 120 minutes. The 2004 DVD release is the complete 131-minute original theatrical cut.

References

External links

* * * * *
DVD review of ''Follow Me, Boys!''

New York Times review of ''Follow Me, Boys!''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Follow Me, Boys! 1966 films 1966 children's films Films about the Boy Scouts of America 1966 comedy-drama films Walt Disney Pictures films Films about orphans Films based on American novels Films directed by Norman Tokar Films produced by Walt Disney Films set in the 1930s Films set in the 1940s American comedy-drama films Films scored by George Bruns Films based on works by MacKinlay Kantor 1960s English-language films 1960s American films English-language comedy-drama films