← Back to films
Hail the Conquering Hero

Hail the Conquering Hero

7,1 /10 (77 Votes)
1944 EN 101 min

Overview

Having been discharged from the Marines for a hayfever condition before ever seeing action, Woodrow Lafayette Pershing Truesmith delays the return to his hometown, feeling that he is a failure. While in a moment of melancholy, he meets up with a group of Marines who befriend him and encourage him to return home to his mother by fabricating a story that he was wounded in battle with honorable discharge.

Powered by JustWatch via TMDB

Release date

09/08/1944

Votes

77

Popularity

0.8

MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!

Genres

Status

Released

Language

EN

Runtime

101 min

Eddie Bracken

Eddie Bracken

Woodrow Truesmith

Ella Raines

Ella Raines

Libby

Raymond Walburn

Raymond Walburn

Mayor Everett J. Noble

William Demarest

William Demarest

Sgt. Heppelfinger

Franklin Pangborn

Franklin Pangborn

Reception Committee Chairman

Elizabeth Patterson

Elizabeth Patterson

Martha - Libby's Aunt

Georgia Caine

Georgia Caine

Mrs. Truesmith

Al Bridge

Al Bridge

Political Boss

Freddie Steele

Freddie Steele

Bugsy

Bill Edwards

Bill Edwards

Forrest Noble

Harry Hayden

Harry Hayden

Doc Bissell

Jimmy Conlin

Jimmy Conlin

Judge Dennis

No photo

Jimmie Dundee

Cpl. Candida

Chester Conklin

Chester Conklin

Western Union Man (uncredited)

Eddie Hall

Eddie Hall

Man Swigging Beer at the Bar (uncredited)

Tom McGuire

Tom McGuire

Town Councilman (uncredited)

Frank Moran

Frank Moran

Town Painter (uncredited)

Dewey Robinson

Dewey Robinson

Train Conductor (uncredited)

Robert Warwick

Robert Warwick

Marine Colonel (uncredited)

Miriam Nelson

Miriam Nelson

Tap Dancer (uncredited)

Esther Howard

Esther Howard

Mrs. Everett J. Noble (uncredited)

Bess Flowers

Bess Flowers

Woman at Train Station (uncredited)

Torben Meyer

Torben Meyer

Mr. Schultz (uncredited)

Arthur Hoyt

Arthur Hoyt

Rev. Upperman (uncredited)

No photo

George Anderson

Bartender (uncredited)

Nora Cecil

Nora Cecil

Train Ticket Clerk (uncredited)

No photo

Pauline Drake

Telephone Operator (uncredited)

Dot Farley

Dot Farley

Mamie's Mother (uncredited)

Jim Farley

Jim Farley

Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)

Franklyn Farnum

Franklyn Farnum

Town Councilman (uncredited)

No photo

Maxine Fife

Daughter of Colonel (uncredited)

Julie Gibson

Julie Gibson

Singer (uncredited)

No photo

Kenneth Gibson

Town Councilman (uncredited)

No photo

Stephen Gregory

Pfc. Bill Swenson (uncredited)

Mildred Harris

Mildred Harris

Wife of Marine Colonel (uncredited)

No photo

Len Hendry

Pfc. Juke Gillette (uncredited)

No photo

Earl Hunsaker

One of the Guardsmen (uncredited)

No photo

Henry Iblings

One of the Guardsmen (uncredited)

No photo

Tiny Jones

Townswoman (uncredited)

No photo

Dudley Kuzelle

One of the Guardsmen (uncredited)

Philo McCullough

Philo McCullough

Town Councilman (uncredited)

George Melford

George Melford

Sheriff (uncredited)

Charles R. Moore

Charles R. Moore

The Porter (uncredited)

No photo

Marjean Neville

Mamie (uncredited)

Jack Norton

Jack Norton

Second Bandleader (uncredited)

Harry 'Snub' Pollard

Harry 'Snub' Pollard

Townsman (uncredited)

Paul Porcasi

Paul Porcasi

Cafe Owner (uncredited)

Victor Potel

Victor Potel

Progressive Bandleader (uncredited)

No photo

Merrill Rodin

Alfie (uncredited)

No photo

John Sinclair

American Legion Bandleader (uncredited)

No photo

Hal Taggart

Townsman (uncredited)

Original Soundtrack

Loading soundtrack videos…

CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

2026-02-09

⭐ 7

The US Marine Corps reckons excessive sniffing could compromise operational readiness, so it has discharged chronic hayfever sufferer “Truesmith” (Eddie Bracken). He’s no coward, and feeling somewhat ashamed buys some serving soldiers a few drinks in a bar. They take pity on their down-at-heart friend and concoct a wheeze that will enable him to go home to his widowed mother (Georgia Caine) with his head held high. The train arrives into town and off he gets, bedecked in medals and instantly hailed a hero, straight into the middle of their mayoral election campaign. Some of the townsfolk are f…

Read full review →