Boys Town (film)
Boys Town is a 1938 American biographical drama film based on Father Edward J. Flanagan's work with a group of underprivileged boys in a home/educational complex that he founded and named "Boys Town" in Nebraska. It stars Spencer Tracy as Father Edward J. Flanagan, and Mickey Rooney with Henry Hull, Leslie Fenton, and Gene Reynolds.
| Boys Town | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Norman Taurog |
| Screenplay by | John Meehan Dore Schary |
| Story by | Dore Schary Eleanore Griffin |
| Based on | Life of Father Edward J. Flanagan and "Boys Town" |
| Produced by | John W. Considine Jr. |
| Starring | Spencer Tracy Mickey Rooney |
| Cinematography | Sidney Wagner |
| Edited by | Elmo Veron |
| Music by | Edward Ward |
Production company | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Distributed by | Loew's Inc. |
Release date |
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Running time | 93 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $772,000 |
| Box office | $4,058,000 |
The film was written by Dore Schary, Eleanore Griffin, and John Meehan, and was directed by Norman Taurog. Tracy won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.
Legendary Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio head Louis B. Mayer, who was a Belarusian-Canadian-American Jew known for his respect for the Catholic Church, later called this his favorite film of his long tenure at MGM.
Although the story is largely fictional, it is based upon a real man and a real place. Boys Town is a community outside Omaha, Nebraska. In 1941, MGM made a sequel, Men of Boys Town, with Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney reprising their roles from the earlier film.