The Worst Film Ever

Powerful

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

"Follow Me Boys" is a sweet, meandering film about an incredibly nice guy who left the world a better place. When the story begins, Lem (Fred McMurray) is tired of traveling the country with the band and on a lark, decides to quit and take up residence in a small town. Soon after he arrived, the town council has a meeting and Lem attends. He's concerned because there are a lot of kids in town but little for them to do. So, he volunteers to become the scoutmaster for the boys. The rest of the film concerns his impact he had on the boys as well as the community.For the most part, I loved this sentimental Disney film. The only part I didn't care for, and which was completely unnecessary, was the war games portion. It's interesting...but it just doesn't fit with the tone of the rest of the story. Overall, a nice little film that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Just as he did with his "Spin and Marty" and "Hardy Boys" series, Walt Disney gives us a wholesome but not overly sentimental portrait of small town (or rural, in the case of "Spin and Marty") America in this movie.Lem is an itinerant jazz musician traveling from show to show with other musicians during the Depression. He hasn't been paid by his producer, and decides to abandon the tour and take a job as a clerk in a small town general store.He meets a girl who works at a nearby bank. After some initial mishaps and misunderstandings, the two of them show up at a civic function where the mayor declares that the town's boys need something to keep them out of trouble.Lem volunteers to start a boy scout troop. The town's kids are enthusiastic, with one exception -- a boy who stays away from the other kids because his father is a drunk and he feels he must take care of him rather than play "silly games." There is a confrontation between this boy and the other kids, and Lem tries to persuade the boy to join the scouts.I won't tell any more about the plot, because that would spoil the experience of seeing this movie. I will just say that almost everything in this movie is perfect -- the writing, music, cinematography, acting and sets.Lem is a wonderful role model and teacher for the kids, and the charm of small-town America shines through. There are moments that will bring a tear to your eye, but the overall tone of this movie is one of exuberance and joy.It is a delight to see a movie that celebrates good character development in this day and age of cynicism, sensationalism and a general lack of moral standards. This is especially true for movies involving children, because a society that does not raise its children well does not deserve to survive -- and probably won't.Please keep in mind that I am no prude or religious right-winger, or anything of that sort. But I do believe in decency, good taste, good character and good manners. And this movie confirms the importance of those values.

This is one if not the best story of non animation, and brings out the truth and love around a neighborhood in which we had in the world more. Especially with violence and hateful things that happen in this world. Helping others to accept others, and take others in and build characters, as well as communities. Giving others a chance to build ones ideals and life around others. With morals like the ones shown in this movie, give me a look back on life as I knew it in the early 1950's. One in which Kurt Russell and other youth learning to know each other, and strengthen others in the ways that one is wanted if they are living a great and wonderful world to enjoy a childhood. Please remember the title as not just for boys, but, is for all ages, to come.

I as well have been waiting years for this movie to come out. My father took us to see it as children several years ago (no doubt a re-lease at the time since I am only 36 now.. much younger then Kurt Russell) I faintly remembered bits and pieces of it, and every scene I remembered took place in the first 80 minutes... the last "Stretched Out" 40 minutes was completely forgettable and after watching it again for the first time tonight in probably 32 years I can see why I forgot that part entirely. Maybe in the theaters it had all the children put to sleep. Either with Court Hearings, Legal Jargin or simpling getting older and not knowing how to end it. The first 80 minutes of the film is good enough to compete with ANY Live Action Disney film of the time, from "That Darn Cat" to "The Apple Dumpling Gang", it's wholesome and sweet and reminds you of everything that was once good about your life and that time period.. then out of nowhere the writers decide to "Advance" time for some reason and they take FORTY minutes to show how some of these great characters get old, retire or DIE. What could've been done in 5 minutes completely takes all the air out of the movie.. Kurt Russel's final scene takes place at around 80 minutes into it, and after that it's like trying to know new kids and a new troop and so on and so on. Granted, as an EagleScout myself, that's what a BoyScout Master goes through in their lives... one troop after another, with new faces, but for storytelling purposes and an audience getting to know the characters, this is a shot to the gut, like someone switched the DVD's on you and you're watching an entirely new film.Like I said, for the first 80 minutes of this, it was enough to be called a Classic with the Likes of "Swiss Family Robinson" and the "Love Bug" and they could've EASILLY wrapped up the "later years" in a 5-minute segment to leave you with a smile on your face instead of confusion or disappointment in thinking "well that was.... okay I guess." It could've been Perfect... It could've been a classic.