In 1944, World War 2 was still raging all across the world, and the outcome was still in doubt. Patriotism was at an all time high, and censorship (not to mention internment camps) was everywhere. It was in this context that Preston Sturges made Hail the Conquering Hero, a movie that satirized patriotism and political corruption. The bravery of Sturges is almost as amazing as the brilliant execution.

Hail the Conquering Hero follows Woodrow Lafayette Pershing Truesmith (Eddie Bracken), a former Marine who missed out on his chance to live up to his father's heroic military name when he was discharged due to a hayfever condition. Too embarrassed to come home, he had some buddies send letters to his mother and girlfriend back home so they would know he was okay. When Woodrow meets a group of Marines that just got back from Guadalcanal, they hatch a scheme where they tell his mom he was a war hero. This allows Woodrow to return home and see his family again. But he's not prepared for the fanfare that awaits him when gets home.

The film contrasts the treatment the soldiers get in the big city and later in the small town. When the Guadalcanal soldiers attempt to buy a round of drinks, the snooty waiter refuses their military heirloom. Back home in the small town, the soldiers are showered with praise and celebration. The Mayor and the local businessmen all line up. A band plays tributes to the small town hero. Woodrow's girlfriend, now engaged to the Mayor's son, frets about his arrival and decides to hold off on telling him the news.

However, the support that Woodrow gets is notably hollow. Sturges gives us a glimpse of all the business names and campaign signs that flood the crowd upon his arrival. The townspeople are less concerned with showing their support for the heroic soldiers and more concerned with getting re-elected and increasing their bottom line. The politicians who enlist him to run for Mayor haven't even asked him about his positions before pushing him forward as their nominee. They just want to win. Woodrow's girlfriend now feels guilty, but not because she got engaged to another man. She now realizes she gave up on a war hero, and will probably be the butt of town jokes for a while.

There is a splendid scene in which Woodrow gives a political speech, where he tries to come clean about the deception. Hilariously, the townspeople absolutely love his completely empty speech. After all, he's a hero. Every attempt he makes to tell the truth makes him sound humble, and the crowds love him even more. Bracken's exasperation is priceless as the people keep misunderstanding what he's saying.

Hail the Conquering Hero recalls a time when people were proud to be part of a war. Woodrow wanted to fight for his country so bad that when the Marines rejected him, he tried both the Army and Navy. Set in 1944 during a popular war, the film contrasts nicely with our present situation in Iraq. It's doubtful that anyone would be worried about embarrassing their family today. In fact, he might be celebrated for getting out of there.

The hollow patriotism still exists today, and several poignant moments of this film bring back reminders of that. When a respected politician (who had lost in his several chances to be Mayor) tries to convince Woodrow to run, he runs through a list of things that people in the town haven’t done to help out the war effort, such as buying bonds. Sturges is saying it’s one thing to say you support the troops and another to actually do something about it. This is a message that is as timely today as it was in 1944.

Bracken delivers an over the top silly performance that at first seems not to fit with the rest of the movie, but it seems Sturges is using his silly antics to capture the attention of the audience that would otherwise be bored by a tedious dramatic morality play. When it is necessary, Bracken is able to give the character enough weight for Sturges to make his point. The rest of the cast is a terrific ensemble. Especially notable is William Demarest playing the gruff Marine veteran with gusto and Esther Howard in a very small role as the Mayor’s wife, who supports Woodrow more than her own husband.

Hail the Conquering Hero is a hilarious film with biting political commentary. Sturges went out on a limb by criticizing the very hero worship that was going on during World War 2. It’s one thing for a filmmaker to make that point during our current war, but for Sturges to do it in the middle of a war that the public supported is courageous. It’s even more remarkable that he made it entertaining. One of the most difficult things in a satire is to come up with a solid ending that still captures the critical nature of the film. Here, Sturges gives us an incomplete, but satisfying ending that manages to be realistic and uplifting at the same time.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD