History Film / HailTheConqueringHero

[[MeaningfulName Woodrow Truesmith]] (Creator/EddieBracken), the son of a Marine war hero from WWI, is a devotee of the Marines, and had enlisted in the hopes of living up to his family's name. Unfortunately, because of his chronic hay fever, he was discharged after a month. Ashamed of this, and unwilling to go back home and face his disgrace, he instead lied and wrote his mother that he had been sent overseas (getting a friend to mail letters from overseas), told his girlfriend Libby (Ella Raines) [[BlatantLies he had met someone else]] (so [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy she could feel free to marry someone else]]), and took a job at a San Diego shipyard.

One night, Woodrow is sitting in a bar when a group of Marines, led by Sergeant Heppelfinger (William Demarest), come in and try to buy drinks with what little money they have (Heppelfinger tries to trade "war treasures", but the owner is having none of it). Seeing their plight, Woodrow buys them all drinks and sandwiches, and in gratitude, they join him. Woodrow, in turn, tells them his story, and they're all sympathetic - except for Bugsy (Freddie Steele), the most "troubled" of the Marines (he was shot, and hasn't fully recovered), and who doesn't like the idea of lying to their mother. So he makes a phone call to Woodrow's mother, telling her he's been wounded (Heppelfinger later changes it to a fever) and is on his way home. Woodrow is horrified, but Heppelfinger, who as it turns out served with Woodrow's late father, tells him not to worry, they'll take him home, and pretty soon, it'll all blow over.

[[MeaningfulName Woodrow Truesmith]] (Eddie Bracken), the son of a Marine war hero from WWI, is a devotee of the Marines, and had enlisted in the hopes of living up to his family's name. Unfortunately, because of his chronic hay fever, he was discharged after a month. Ashamed of this, and unwilling to go back home and face his disgrace, he instead lied and wrote his mother that he had been sent overseas (getting a friend to mail letters from overseas), told his girlfriend Libby (Ella Raines) [[BlatantLies he had met someone else]] (so [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy she could feel free to marry someone else]]), and took a job at a San Diego shipyard.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

-->''You wouldn't like to buy the'' flag ''they buried [General Yamamoto] in, would you? I could let you have it very reasonable. I have it in several sizes. [=MacArthur's=] suspenders! The first bullet that landed in Pearl Harbor! You can take your pick. A piece of a Japanese submarine: if you look at it this way, it becomes a German submarine, and this way, it's a piece of a shell that just missed Montgomery. Here we have the seat of Rommel's pants, and last but not least we have a button from Hitler's coat -- although'' that ''one I don't personally believe."''

* WellDoneSonGuy: A sad posthumous example--the main reason why Woodrow is so wracked with guilt over washing out of the Marines due to hay fever is that his father was a Marine who was killed at [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarI Belleau Wood]].

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Nothing in an innuendo sense, but considering the fact Sturges was making a movie questioning the nature of heroism and who we make our heroes during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, it's surprising he got away with it.

-->'''Bugsy:''' What's the matter?
-->'''Woodrow:''' Oh, I don't know. I guess I had a nightmare.
-->'''Bugsy:''' You're lucky.
-->'''Woodrow:''' Huh?
-->'''Bugsy:''' You're lucky you don't have them all the time...like some guys.

''Hail the Conquering Hero'' is a 1944 ScrewballComedy by Creator/PrestonSturges, set during WorldWarII.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Nothing in an innuendo sense, but considering the fact Sturges was making a movie questioning the nature of heroism and who we make our heroes during WorldWarII, it's surprising he got away with it.

One night, Woodrow is sitting in a bar when a group of Marines, led by Sergeant Heppelfinger (William Demarest), come into the bar, and try to buy drinks with what little money they have (Heppelfinger tries to trade "war treasures", but the owner is having none of it). Seeing their plight, Woodrow buys them all drinks and sandwiches, and in gratitude, they join him. Woodrow, in turn, tells them his story, and they're all sympathetic - except for Bugsy (Freddie Steele), the most "troubled" of the Marines (he was shot, and hasn't fully recovered), and who doesn't like the idea of lying to their mother. So he makes a phone call to Woodrow's mother, telling her he's been wounded (Heppelfinger later changes it to a fever) and is on his way home. Woodrow is horrified, but Heppelfinger, who as it turns out served with Woodrow's late father, tells him not to worry, they'll take him home, and pretty soon, it'll all blow over.

[[MeaningfulName Woodrow Truesmith]] (Eddie Bracken), the son of a Marine war hero from WWI, is a devotee of the Marines, and had enlisted in the hopes of living up to his family's name. Unfortunately, because of his chronic hay fever, he was discharged after a month. Ashamed of this, and unwilling to go back home and face his disgrace, he instead lied and wrote his mother he had been sent overseas (getting a friend to mail letters from overseas), and telling his girlfriend Libby (Ella Raines) [[BlatantLies he had met someone else]], so [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy she could feel free to marry someone else]]. One night, Woodrow is sitting in a bar in San Francisco when a group of Marines, led by Sergeant Heppelfinger (William Demarest), come into the bar, and try to buy drinks with what little money they have (Heppelfinger tries to trade "war treasures", but the owner is having none of it). Seeing their plight, Woodrow buys them all drinks and sandwiches, and in gratitude, they join him. Woodrow, in turn, tells them his story, and they're all sympathetic - except for Bugsy (Freddie Steele), the most "troubled" of the Marines (he was shot, and hasn't fully recovered), and who doesn't like the idea of lying to their mother. So he makes a phone call to Woodrow's mother, telling her he's been wounded (Heppelfinger later changes it to a fever) and is on his way home. Woodrow is horrified, but Heppelfinger, who as it turns out served with Woodrow's late father, tells him not to worry, they'll take him home, and pretty soon, it'll all blow over.

''Hail The Conquering Hero'' is a ScrewballComedy by Creator/PrestonSturges set during WorldWarII.

* MommyIssues: Bugsy. *Big* time.

This film contains examples of:

* DescriptonCut: Sergeant Heppelfinger says Woodrow's return will be no big deal--they'll crowd around him so no one sees his battle slash, he'll take off his uniform when he gets home, and "nobody will be hep to nothing". Cue a cut to the train station, where seemingly the entire town has turned out to welcome Woodrow home.

----

* VerbalTic: Mayor Noble's "I mean to say" whenever he wants to change the subject.

Except it doesn't. When Woodrow and the Marines reach his home, they find a reception committee ready and waiting to honor a war hero (the other Marines have given Truesmith a uniform with medals on it), with a brass band, and the key to the city. Not only that, but the townspeople have taken it upon themselves to pay off the mortgage for Woodrow's mother. Not only that, but a group of townspeople want Woodrow to run for mayor against the current corrupt mayor. Not only that, but Libby, though she's engaged to the current mayor's son, is having second thoughts about that, and her feelings for Woodrow, which never went away, are coming back. Finally, the Marines get into the act, embellishing Woodrow's "heroics" even more, especially Bugsy, who will do *anything* to make sure Woodrow doesn't disappoint his mother...

''Hail The Conquering Hero'' is a ScrewballComedy by PrestonSturges set during WorldWarII.

[[MeaningfulName Woodrow Truesmith]] (Eddie Bracken), the son of a Marine war hero from WWI, is a devotee of the Marines, and had enlisted in the hopes of living up to his family's name. Unfortunately, because of his chronic hay fever, he was discharged after a month. Ashamed of this, and unwilling to go back home and face his disgrace, he instead lied and wrote his mother he had been sent overseas (getting a friend to mail letters from overseas), and telling his girlfriend Libby (Ella Raines) [[BlatantLies he had met someone else]], so [[IJustWantMyBelovedToBeHappy she could feel free to marry someone else]]. One night, Truesmith is sitting in a bar in San Francisco when a group of Marines, led by Sergeant Heppelfinger (William Demarest), come into the bar, and try to buy drinks with what little money they have (Heppelfinger tries to trade "war treasures", but the owner is having none of it). Seeing their plight, Truesmith buys them all drinks and sandwiches, and in gratitude, they join him. Truesmith, in turn, tells them his story, and they're all sympathetic - except for Bugsy (Freddie Steele), the most "troubled" of the Marines (he was shot, and hasn't fully recovered), and who doesn't like the idea of lying to their mother. So he makes a phone call to Truesmith's mother, telling her he's been wounded (Heppelfinger later changes it to a fever) and is on his way home. Truesmith is horrified, but Heppelfinger, who as it turns out served with Truesmith's late father, tells him not to worry, they'll take him home, and pretty soon, it'll all blow over.

Except it doesn't. When Truesmith and the Marines reach his home, they find a reception committee ready and waiting to honor a war hero (the other Marines have given Truesmith a uniform with medals on it), with a brass band, and the key to the city. Not only that, but the townspeople have taken it upon themselves to pay off the mortgage for Truesmith's mother. Not only that, but a group of townspeople want Truesmith to run for mayor against the current corrupt mayor. Not only that, but Libby, though she's engaged to the current mayor's son, is having second thoughts about that, and her feelings for Truesmith, which never went away, are coming back. Finally, the Marines get into the act, embellishing Truesmith's "heroics" even more, especially Bugsy, who will do *anything* to make sure Truesmith doesn't disappoint his mother...

This movie was the final movie Sturges made at Paramount.