Due to a misunderstanding, a sickly soldier unfit for duty returns to his small hometown as a decorated war hero.
Preston Sturges was a Broadway playwright who moved to Hollywood and worked in the studio system as a screenwriter before securing a near-unprecedented deal to direct his own scripts, opening a door for other aspiring writers. That debut feature, The Great McGinty, won Sturges an Academy Award for Original Screenplay.
The five-year period beginning with McGinty saw Sturges release a total of 8 films (including the classic Sullivan's Travels), most of them hits. While they fit neatly into the popular genre of fast-talking, slapstick "screwball" comedies, Sturges' writing showed a playful approach to and mastery of language, as well as a scathing critique of various institutions including the government, law enforcement, marriage, industry, the press, and the military. His 1944 film Hail The Conquering Hero, poking fun at the latter during the height of America's patriotism during World War II, was a bold move off-limits to most artists.
Sturges worked with the same supporting cast from picture to picture, most notably the short-tempered William Demarest, featured again here. Starring in the film is Eddie Bracken, fresh off his last film with the director, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek.
The end of his contract and interference from the studio caused Sturges to leave the Paramount lot as the producer attempted to recut the film. The success of Miracle allowed Sturges to return to do his own rewrites and reshoots on Hero. Like its predecessor, it somehow managed to get past the censors despite its controversial subject.
Critical response was enthusiastic, praising the film's intelligence. Sturges was nominated at the Academy Awards for both of his screenplays that year, with Bracken and co-star Franklin Pangborn sharing Best Actor honors from the National Board of Review. The film is now regarded as one of Sturges' finest works, and the director considered it the closest to flawless among his works.
Running time is approx. 100 minutes.
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