It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

I adored this film and came close to giving it a 10--it's THAT good. But I am not a reviewer who gives out 10s willy-nilly and so I'll content myself with a 9 and a strong recommendation that you watch it.Eddie Bracken is marvelous as a poor schnook who wants to serve his country and make his family proud during WWII. However, he's rejected and cannot serve. Instead of telling everyone and disappointing them, he decides to pretend to be overseas. It's a dumb plan but one that gets absolutely crazy as the film progresses. The film picks up as Bracken is on his way home. A group of soldiers (headed by William Demarest) hear his story and feel sorry for him--so much so that they decide to help him pretend to be a returning hero and stick with him during much of the film. Again and again, the story gets wilder and wilder and the community ends up making a huge fuss over Bracken--now what is he to do?! Exquisitely written, acted and directed--this is a very fun film from start to finish.

It is the middle of World War II and American towns are gripped by patriotic fervor. In Preston Sturgis's "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek," which appeared the same year as this, Betty Hutton was what was called "a Victory girl" who gave a departing serviceman a good-bye present that left unanticipated consequences. In Sturgis's "Hail the Conquering Hero," small-town nobody Eddie Bracken is quickly discharged from the U. S. Marine Corps because he has hay fever. Ashamed to go home, he gets a job in the city and writes letter to his Mom bragging about the battles he's been in. After all, Mom has already lost family members in combat and doesn't need a disappointment.Finally he decides to visit home. He buys a uniform and campaign ribbons to make his epistolary lies more believable. But on the train he runs into half a dozen tough Marines who have been on Guadalcanal. They're led by William Demarest. Taking pity of Bracken's mother, they get him in shape and escort him to his house.He's unexpectedly welcomed as a brave warrior. Bands play, crowds cheer, his beautiful girl friend (Ella Raines) begins to glow with a renewed admiration. His mother sobs with relief and pride. The townsmen plan to put up a statue. A parade marches down the street.Bracken is overwhelmed, having thought he'd slip in and out, but his Marine buddies prop him up and tell Homeric tales of his bravery. The town pays off his mother's mortgage and supports him for Mayor against a hilarious and corrupt blow hard. Some of the funniest moments involve Al Bridge trying to make a public statement or dictate a letter and being constantly interrupted.Frank Capra made a number of movies in a similar vein -- the gullibility of the public when faced with a phony or with big-time crookedness -- but there was always a sentimental climax in which honesty was finally rewarded. Honesty is rewarded here, too, but in a rough-house, grab-ass, ironic way. Nobody will weep when Woodrow Lafayette Pershing Truesmith makes his confession.Eddie Bracken is good at this sort of thing -- stuttering, shaking with fear, being shoved around by a horde of admirers, tearing his hair out with shame. Ella Raines is so conventionally beautiful that she's reason enough to stay home. The Marines are up to snuff. In fact, one of the more moving moments is when Bracken has developed a scheme to wiggle out of town and desert his adoring mother. One of the men loses his temper, Bracken hysterically socks him, and the Marine wipes his mouth and says contemptuously, "Go hurt a girl. That's all you're good for." The fact that the Marine can't act makes the scene more touching.The director came and went through Hollywood like a rocket. His career last for some years but he never equaled his output over a brief period in the early forties. Too bad. This is pretty good.

Woodrow is alone in a bar with only his miserable self for company. When he sees some Marines enter the bar with no money he buys them a couple of rounds of drinks. He is motivated to do so, he tells them, because he only lasted a month in the Marines before being discharged due to hayfever; although he cannot go home because he has told his mother that he is overseas and fighting in the war. The marines decide to help him out by returning home with him, pretending that Woodrow has returned home due to injury, thus protecting his mother's feelings. However their plan runs away from them when the whole town is out to greet them and lies are piled on top of lies.It was the five stars allotted it in the Radio Times that drew my eye to this film and the general consensus of opinion among viewers seems to back up that this is a brilliant classic. I would love to agree and maintain the status quo because it would mean fewer abusive private messages about me "sucking", however for my money this film was not brilliant, although it was certainly good. The plot sees Woodrow's lie spiralling out of control as various groups in the town act in ways he did not predict, whether it be him becoming the pride of the town or the politicians who see capital in his achievements and so on. Ultimately the film takes us to a heart-warming conclusion of values and community in the Capra sense of things. In doing this it provides a roundly amusing story that leads to a happy ending and at this level I enjoyed it and found it flowed very easily.The problem I had with it was how it is held up as a great piece of satire and I really don't think it is. This is not a failing in my perception because the film does have this edge where it holds up for ridicule the attitudes of the different groups to a war hero. This aspect is so-so I'm afraid because it is not set up to be sharp, judgemental or anything other than gentle digging. Maybe this was all the subject could stand up to in the way of criticism at the time but looking back it is as fierce as a kitten toying with wool.The delivery now appears to tend more towards the comic content, which is enough to carry the film if not enough to justify the "classic" label. Sturges has a good feel for the comedy in the characters and dialogue and he does really well in bringing this out. The cast had me waiting for a second because they seemed quite basic in their turns, quickly though I had been won over by the tight focus of their performances on the comedy within their characters and they did well for what was required. Bracken in particular plays Woodrow right for the comedy and it is not really his fault that he doesn't have that much chemistry with Raines. She is likewise OK apart from this failing. Walburn, Demarest, Conlin and others all play their parts well within the story and certainly there are no clunkers in there.I would like to praise Hail the Conquering Hero as many others have done if for no other reason than avoiding those that think swearing is the same as discussion but I cannot. For what it does well it is an amusing and quite jolly little film with a morally upbeat ending but the satire is soft to the point of being toothless. Enjoyable but not as good as its reputation would suggest.

I watched this movie last night and was wondering about the comment from the one Marine as they're standing at the back of the train at the end. Bracken thanks them profusely by stating he can't believe the Marines could do such a thing as to help him out. One Marine answers him in the last spoken words of the film: "You have no idea." What did he mean? I imagine it to mean the battlefield engagements and combat endeavors that they had undergone, but, yet the line struck me a little out of kilter. Good movie, but, a bit too harried and overdone. Bracken also plays the owner of Wallyworld in National Lampoon's Vacation.