Follow Me Boys

 

History and Review by Michael J. Ruhland

Year Released: 1966
Michael's Movie Grade: B

History

It should come as no surprise that Walt Disney produced a feature length film dedicated to the boy scouts. Walt was not only a proud American, but he proudly supported any institution that helped people (especially children) become better citizens. He felt that the boy scouts did just this. This film was not the first time a piece of Disney media had boy scouts as a theme. In the animated short film, Good Scouts (1938), Donald Duck was a scout master leading Hewey, Dewey, and Louie on a hiking trip. In the comics (starting in 1954) Donald's nephews consulted their Junior Woodchucks Guidebook, which always seemed to have the answer to any question. A sweet and gentle feature film about the boy scouts was just a natural extension of who Walt was and what he believed in. 

This movie's director was Norman Tokar, who was very prolific as a Disney director. His first Disney film was Big Red (1962) and his last was The Cat from Outer Space (1978). Over his course of working at Disney he also directed such films as Savage Sam (1963), A Tiger Walks (1964), Those Calloways (1965), The Ugly Dachshund (1966), The Happiest Millionaire (1967), The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit (1968), Rascal (1969), The Boatniks (1970), Snowball Express (1972), The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975), No Deposit, No Return (1976) and Candleshoe (1977). Like many of the live action Disney directors of this era, outside of Disney he was most prolific on television. Most famously he directed a whopping 93 episodes of the classic sitcom Leave it to Beaver. He also directed 22 episodes of The Donna Reed Show.  Louis Pelletier wrote the screenplay. He had previously written the Disney films Big Red (1962) and Those Calloways (1965). He would later write the Disney films, The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit (1968), Smith! (1969), The Boy from Dead Man's Bayou (1971) and Run Cougar Run (1972). 

The star of this film is Fred MacMurray. MacMurry was already a staple in Disney movies by this time having already been in The Shaggy Dog (1959), The Absent-Minded Professor (1961) and Son of Flubber (1963). His child co-star was none other than Kirk Russell making his film debut. Kirk Russell would soon also become a regular in Disney's live action comedies. This film also saw the return of Launa Pattern to Disney. As a young kid, she became the first actress to have a contract with Disney. Her Disney career started with Song of the South (1946). Follow Me Boys marks her first Disney movie since Johnny Tremain (1957). This marked the last theatrically released movie for actor Charles Ruggles, whose career had spanned almost 100 feature films, beginning in 1929. To name a few movies, his filmography included Trouble in Paradise (1932), Alice in Wonderland (1933), Six of a Kind (1933), Bringing Up Baby (1938), The Invisible Woman (1940), A Stolen Life (1946) and It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947). For Disney he appeared in The Parent Trap (1961), Son of Flubber (1963) and The Ugly Dachshund (1966).

The title for this film was originally going to be On My Honor. However, when The Sherman Brothers wrote a song for this movie entitled Follow Me Boys, the title was changed. 

The film was released in theaters on December 1, 1966. Critics took to a strong dislike of the movie. Philip K. Scheuer of the Los Angeles Times stated, "like a movie that might have been made 30 years ago. In thinking, approach, technique and every other way it could pass for a revival of the dear dead days beyond recall, and I sat there unbelieving that this many cliches could not only have been remembered but actually presented as something new." Clifford Terry of the Chicago Tribune stated, "Admittedly, there probably are enough chuckles and sniffles to satisfy the most rabid Disney devotees, but stretched out for more than two hours, the film seems almost as long as the 20 years it covers. Decidedly, far more imaginative and amusing products have been fashioned by the talent in Walt's workshop." However, the film still was a hit at the box office, grossing around $6 million. The movie would be reissued to theaters in 1976, however that rerelease would have a much shorter run time. The film originally ran 131 minutes. However, this reissue would run only 107 minutes. 

Walt Disney would make his last filmed appearance before a special screening of Follow Me Boys. This introduction can be watched below. 

Review

A thoroughly charming movie.

This film is exactly what people think of when it comes to live action Disney films of this era. It is as wholesome and sweet as can possibly be. However, this film comes off as more charming than saccharine in its sweetness. That is because the sentimentality feels completely genuine and earned. Much of the reason this movie feels so earnest is because of its cast. Kurt Douglas is simply wonderful and natural in his first film role. He can even hold his own with a top-notch adult cast. Fred MacMurray is as wonderful as always, making even the corniest lines feel completely natural and believable. Him and Vera Miles have wonderful chemistry together and are perfectly charming every time they share the screen. Lillian Gish, one of the greatest actresses of all time, has a smaller role here, but is very memorable. Yet the cast isn't the only reason, this film is so charming. The script (while corny) does paint a very charming and lovely picture of small-town America. The way this film looks is equally charming. The outdoor scenes (filmed at the studio's Golden Oak Ranch) are simply beautiful to look at. These beautiful scenes make even the adults watching the film wanting to join the boy scouts. Even the indoor scenes (shot on the Disney Studio lot) have a wonderfully idyllic look to them. This film also benefits with from a delightfully fun and charming musical score by George Bruns and a very catchy title song by the Sherman Brothers (which constantly lives in my head). While there may be sometimes big gaps between laughs, there are some truly very funny moments in this movie, especially towards the beginning. 

The main problem with this film is overlength. For such a simple movie, there is no reason for it to be as long as it is. Because of this, there are times when it can really drag. This is especially true in the war games scene, which is not only too long but never as exciting or fun as the filmmakers seem to think it is. In fact a lot of the later part of this movie could have been cut but a truly heartwarming ending makes up for this. This film also is very predictable, and you almost always figure out what is going to happen before it happens. There are also some lines of dialogue (especially almost anything the bank president says about the boy scouts) that feel much too corny and unlike how anyone would actually talk. 

Despite its flaws, this is a very charming film that is a real delight for Disney fans. 

Film Credits

Director: Norman Tokar.

Screenplay: Louis Pelletier.

Based on the novel God and My Country by MacKinlay Kantor.

Cast: Fred MacMurray (Lemuel Siddons), Vera Miles (Vida Downey), Lillian Gish (Hetty Seibert), Charles Ruggles (John Everett Hughes), Elliott Reid (Ralph Hastings), Kurt Russell (Whitey), Luana Patten (Nora White), Ken Murray (Melody Murphy), Donald May (Edward White, Jr.), Sean McClory (Edward White, Sr.), Steve Franken (P.O.W. Lieutenant), Parley Baer (Mayor),  William Reynolds ( Hoodoo Henderson). 

Producers: Walt Disney, Winston Hibler

Music: George Bruns, Evelyn Kennedy, Walter Sheets.

Cinematographer: Clifford Stine.

Editor: Robert Stafford.

Art Directors: Carroll Clark, Marvin Aubrey Davis. 

Set Decorators: Emile Kuri, Frank R. McKelvy.

Costume Designer: Bill Thomas.
Costumers: Chuck Keehne, Neva Rames.

Makeup Artist: Pat McNalley.

Hair Stylist:  La Rue Matheron.

Assistant Director: Terry Morse Jr.

Sound Artists: Robert O. Cook, Robert Post.

Special Effects Artists: Eustace Lycett.

Matte Paintings: Jim Fetherolf.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Resources Used

The Disney Films by Leonard Maltin
http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Follow%20Me%20Boys
https://www.imdb.com/?ref_=nv_home