Spencer Tracy earned a second Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of Father Flanagan, the inspirational founder of Boys Town, a haven for troubled youth on the outskirts of Omaha, Nebraska. Flanagan was spurred to action by the execution of a prison inmate whose life paralleled many of the boys that Flanagan has come to know in his own home town. With a shoestring budget, and the aid of practical but good hearted businessman Dave Morris (Henry Hull),Flanagan begins the task of building a home and a legacy for hundreds of troubled young men.

Flanagan soon meets Whitey Marsh (Mickey Rooney),a street wise punk who is about to follow in the footsteps of his criminal brother; but it was big brother Joe (Edward Norris) who asks Flanagan to befriend Whitey. At first, Whitey wants none of it, but there always seems to be something holding Whitey back, whether the thought of a good meal, the effort to make an impression on the other boys, or just the friendship of another young boy Pee Wee (Bobs Watson) who looks up to Whitey. Rooney gives an incredibly fine performance here, portraying a wide range of character and emotions. His near breakdown when Pee Wee is injured and the thought that he was responsible is enough to cause a tear jerk reaction.

The film does get a bit simplistic at times, and some of the situations seem contrived to keep the story moving. But it's anchored by a sense of faith and hope in Father Flanagan's crusade to make the world just a little bit better for one boy at a time. In that, the film has a timeless appeal, and resonates as strongly today as it must have in the late 1930's.

Oh what a silly and contrived film,...but somehow it still works. Yes the film features Spencer Tracy as a priest yet again. Mickey Rooney plays a know-it-all jerk that you just KNOW will redeem himself in the end. And, Yes, you kind of figure that Pee Wee is going to buy the farm since he idolizes the dumb jerk played by Rooney. So with all this schmaltz, how does this STILL end up being a decent film? Well, it gets the "full MGM treatment"--excellent direction, music and acting all combined to pull at your heart and make even curmudgeons smile--just a little. Give it a try, but if you ARE a curmudgeon (like me),see it alone--you'd hate for it to get out that you can enjoy this sappy fare. But you will enjoy it!

Father Flanagan (Spencer Tracy) visits a condemned convict who he helped before. Upon hearing his story, Flanagan decides to start Boys Town to give boys kindness and stability. He has a way of convincing local businessman Dave Morris to help and even newspaperman John Hargraves who disagrees with him. He brings in disruptive juvenile delinquent Whitey Marsh (Mickey Rooney) for the sake of his older brother Joe. Spenser Tracy is terrific in this although I think Rooney overacts a lot of the time. It's a very compelling melodrama. I do think the plot goes off on a tangent in the last act. I rather it doesn't do that.