Follow Me, Boys!
Directed by	Norman Tokar
Produced by	Walt Disney Wintson Hibler
Written by	Louis Pelletier
Starring	Fred MacMurray Vera Miles Lillian Gish Charles Ruggles Kurt Russell
Music by	George Bruns Richard M. Sherman Robert B. Sherman
Cinematography	Clifford Stine
Editing by	Robert Stafford
Distributed by	Walt Disney Pictures
Released	December 1, 1966
Running time	131 min.
Language	English
Budget	{{{budget}}}
Preceded by	{{{preceded_by}}}
Followed by	{{{followed_by}}}
IMDb profile

Follow Me, Boys! is a 1966 family movie released through Walt Disney Pictures which is based on the book God and My Country by MacKinlay Kantor. The film starred Fred MacMurray and Vera Miles, was co-produced by Walt Disney and Winston Hibler, directed by Norman Tokar, and written by Louis Pelletier. It is one of the few movies where Boy Scouts are key to the film and is Disney's paean to the Boy Scouts. The film is also known as On My Honor, which was its working title. This is the first of ten Disney films which Kurt Russell would appear in over the next ten years. Walter Elias Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966), was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, and animator. ... Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray, Jr. ... Vera Miles (b. ... Lillian Gish Lillian Diana de Guiche (October 14, 1893 - February 27, 1993), was an American actress known as Lillian Gish. ... Charles Sherman Ruggles (February 8, 1886 - December 23, 1970) was a comic American actor. ... Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951 in Springfield, Massachusetts) is an American actor. ... Burns in the 1950s. ... Robert B. Sherman (born December 19, 1925) and Richard M. Sherman (born June 12, 1928) are Academy Award-winning American songwriters, who specialize in musical film. ... Robert B. Sherman (born December 19, 1925) and Richard M. Sherman (born June 12, 1928) are Academy Award-winning American songwriters, who specialize in musical film. ... Robert Theodore Stafford (born August 8, 1913) is a retired American politician from Vermont. ... Walt Disney Pictures is a United States-based movie studio, and is a division of The Walt Disney Company. ... December 1 is the 335th (in leap years the 336th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link goes to calendar) // Events January January 1 - In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa ousts president David Dacko and takes over the Central African Republic. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link goes to calendar) // Events January January 1 - In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa ousts president David Dacko and takes over the Central African Republic. ... Walt Disney Pictures is a United States-based movie studio, and is a division of The Walt Disney Company. ... MacKinlay Kantor (1904–1977) was an American novelist and screenwriter who won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1956 for his novel Andersonville. ... Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray, Jr. ... Vera Miles (b. ... Walter Elias Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966), was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, and animator. ... The Boy Scouts of America(BSA) is an organization designed for boys between the ages of seven and eighteen, and for both young men and women between the ages of 14 and 21, based in the United States of America, with some presence in other countries. ... Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951 in Springfield, Massachusetts) is an American actor. ...

Plot

After one year too many on the road with a ramshackle jazz band, Lem Siddons (MacMurray) decides to put down roots in Hickory, a small Midwestern town by taking a job in a candy store. With the dual purpose of impressing bank teller Vida Downey (Miles) and instilling values in the local boys and keep them out of trouble; Siddons starts a local Boy Scout troop; which sets him on a lifelong roller-coaster ride as a Scoutmaster to a steady stream of high-spirited youngsters. Siddons soon marries local sweetheart Downey and finds the two loves of his life: Downey and Scouting. Midwest States (United States of America, ND to OH) The Midwest is a common name for a region of the United States of America. ... A Scoutmaster is the adult leader of a Troop in Boy Scouts. ... Scouting is a worldwide youth organization. ...

DVD details

1.33:1 Reformatted Fullscreen
Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono (English)
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Closed Captioned
Release Date: February 3, 2004
Single-sided, dual-layered disc (DVD-9)
DVD-R writing/reading side DVD-R with purple dye, 4. ...

Video and audtio

Picture quality is a bit disappointing. For starters, the film is presented only in Fullscreen. Some of the framing does suggest that it was widescreen for theatrical exhibitions. The film could use some better restoration work: artifacts and scratches turn up, but it isn't quite as bad as some of the other no-frills catalogue releases.

The audio is pretty unremarkable. The film is presented in monotone, the format it was created in. However, that Disney preserves its original sound mix is satisfying.

Extras

The "Follow Me, Boys! Gallery" contains 21 frames of promotional stills, lobby cards, and posters from the film's two theatrical releases.

"Looking Back with Lem's Boys" runs 11 minutes and 30 seconds and provides a look at the making of the film and what happened to some of them later in life. Kurt Russell does not appear, unfortunately.

Review

Follow Me, Boys! leaves no cliché unturned: While it can be corny, sentimental and obvious; the film is a delight to watch, especially whenever Fred MacMurray dominates the screen. It is a classic Disney wholesome family film that shows us the good in everyone. The lovingly recreated scenes of 1930s America makes this film shine with heartwarming nostalgia. Some will find the film overly sentimental, yet it is fun to watch and good example of a film in this genre that works. Those who have been involved in Scouting will empathize with many situations.

MacMurray is both commanding and sweet and comes off as an honorable, wise, and knowing man; providing a superb role model to the Scouts. Young Kurt Russell is endearing as Whitey, a local roughneck who joins the troop, and becomes like a son to Lem, in a number of ways.

Cast

Fred MacMurray as Lemuel "Lem" Siddons
Vera Miles as Vida Downey
Lillian Gish as Hetty Seibert
Charlie Ruggles as John Everett Hughes
Elliott Reid as Ralph Hastings
Kurt Russell as Whitey
Luana Patten as Nora White
Ken Murray as Melody Murphy
Donald May as Edward White, Jr.
Parley Baer as Mayor Hi Plommer
Dean Moray as Hoodoo Henderson
William Reynolds as Hoodoo Henderson as a Man
Craig Hill as Leo, as a Man
Tol Avery as Dr. Ferris
Willis B. Bouchey as Judge
John Zaremba as Ralph's Lawyer
Madge Blake as Cora Anderson
Ricky Kelman as Frankie Martin
Hank Brandt as Frankie Martin, as a Man
Richard Bakalyan as Umpire
Tony Regan as Hetty's Lawyer
Robert B. Williams as Artie
Keith Taylor as Beefy Smith
Gregg Shank as Mickey Doyle
Ronnie Dapo as Tiger
Dennis Rush as Jimmy
Kevin Burchett as Eggy
David Bailey as Duke
Warren Hsieh as Quong Lee
Duane Chase as Joe
Sherwood Ball as Scout
Sean McClory as Edward White, Sr.
Steve Franken as P.O.W. Lieutenant
Jimmy Murphy as P.O.W. Soldier
Adam Williams as P.O.W. Sergeant
Carl Reindel as Tank Captain
Tim McIntire as Corporal
John Larroquette as Army soldier in war games
Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray, Jr. ... Vera Miles (b. ... Lillian Gish Lillian Diana de Guiche (October 14, 1893 - February 27, 1993), was an American actress known as Lillian Gish. ... Charles (Charlie) Sherman Ruggles (February 8, 1886 - December 23, 1970) was a comic American actor. ... Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951 in Springfield, Massachusetts) is an American actor. ... Luana Patten (July 6, 1938 - May 1, 1996) was an American actress. ... Parley Baer (August 5, 1915 - November 22, 2002) was an American character actor in film, television, and radio. ... There have been several historical figures named William Reynolds. ... Madge Blake (born 31 May 1899 in Kinsley, Kansas; died 19 February 1969 in Pasadena, California) was an American character actress most famous for her role as Aunt Harriet Cooper on the Batman TV series of the 1960s. ... Cllr Keith Taylor (born 1 August 1953 in Southend, Essex) is a principal speaker of the Green Party of England and Wales since August 2004, along with Dr Caroline Lucas MEP, succeeding the late Dr Mike Woodin. ... Other David Baileys See also: David Bailey, American actor See also: David H. Bailey, mathematician. ... James Murphy is the name of several notable figures, including: James Edward Murphy - Cartoonist James Murphy (footballer) - Association Football player & manager James Murphy (musician) - Member of the band Death Jimmy Murphy - Former racing driver This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share... John Bernard Larroquette (born November 25, 1947 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is a film and television actor. ...

External links

• DVD review of Follow Me, Boys!
• Follow Me, Boys! at IMDb
• New York Times review of Follow Me, Boys!