A schoolteacher comes to a new town and finds herself caught up in the town's problems and disputes.A schoolteacher comes to a new town and finds herself caught up in the town's problems and disputes.A schoolteacher comes to a new town and finds herself caught up in the town's problems and disputes.
Photos
Frank Shields Sr.
- John 'Jack' Matthews Jr.
- (as Frank Shields)
Fred Kelsey
- Mr. Crowder
- (as Fred A. Kelsey)
Horace B. Carpenter
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Lester Dorr
- Noble Hotel Manager
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Edward Eggleston(uncredited)
- Robert Lee Johnson
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaEdward Pawley's only child, Martin H. Pawley, played one of Mickey Rooney's classmates. This was the only movie in which he ever appeared - he never got interested in the entertainment business, and eventually became an accountant.
- Quotes
Mary Evans: I'm not only a teacher. I'm your friend.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Hollywood Comedy Legends (2011)
Featured review
Wonderful restrained performance by the great Mick
Mickey Rooney was one of the most capable actors Hollywood was lucky enough to have. Ever. But he too often needed a stronger director to hold him back.
Some of his best performances were given during his younger years. He could just walk into a scene and, even without saying a word, steal it all.
Unfortunately, too often he was over the top, as in "Boys Town," where his character's little shadow has been struck by a car on the highway. Mick's character picks up the injured boy and very dramatically shakes the youngster.
Well, if the boy had managed to survive the auto's strike, being handled like that would have killed him.
Bad moves by the director and by Rooney.
In "Hoosier Schoolboy," however, he and director William Nigh create a perfect picture of a strong character thwarted and defensive because of a drunken father who is constantly derided by the rest of the town.
The script is slightly flawed in that certain characters change too quickly. Maybe the barely one-hour running time didn't give the company enough time for all characters to become fully fleshed out.
"Jack," played by the unknown-to-me Frank Shields, of a marvelous voice, seems believable, as written and as played, the spoiled rich kid who grows and matures because of his interest in the new teacher.
Anne Nagel plays the teacher as a strong and caring person and she too is quite believable. (She was always so completely in control of her character, so perfectly at ease in front of a camera, I wonder why she is not better known today.)
In fact, all the performances are as close to perfect as one could want or expect, and the directing, photography, and editing are too. Only that small script problem mars this excellent movie.
These stories of economic conflict coupled with a veteran's mental problems from the war are still relevant. Unfortunately, as long as we have governments and their component politicians and bureaucrats, these kinds of conflicts and problems will probably always be with us. Needlessly.
I foolishly think mostly of Westerns when I think of Monogram, but "Hoosier Schoolboy," other than its pointless generic title, is a superlative example of small-budget drama,
I can't recommend it strongly enough. And it's available for viewing at YouTube. I hope you go watch.
Some of his best performances were given during his younger years. He could just walk into a scene and, even without saying a word, steal it all.
Unfortunately, too often he was over the top, as in "Boys Town," where his character's little shadow has been struck by a car on the highway. Mick's character picks up the injured boy and very dramatically shakes the youngster.
Well, if the boy had managed to survive the auto's strike, being handled like that would have killed him.
Bad moves by the director and by Rooney.
In "Hoosier Schoolboy," however, he and director William Nigh create a perfect picture of a strong character thwarted and defensive because of a drunken father who is constantly derided by the rest of the town.
The script is slightly flawed in that certain characters change too quickly. Maybe the barely one-hour running time didn't give the company enough time for all characters to become fully fleshed out.
"Jack," played by the unknown-to-me Frank Shields, of a marvelous voice, seems believable, as written and as played, the spoiled rich kid who grows and matures because of his interest in the new teacher.
Anne Nagel plays the teacher as a strong and caring person and she too is quite believable. (She was always so completely in control of her character, so perfectly at ease in front of a camera, I wonder why she is not better known today.)
In fact, all the performances are as close to perfect as one could want or expect, and the directing, photography, and editing are too. Only that small script problem mars this excellent movie.
These stories of economic conflict coupled with a veteran's mental problems from the war are still relevant. Unfortunately, as long as we have governments and their component politicians and bureaucrats, these kinds of conflicts and problems will probably always be with us. Needlessly.
I foolishly think mostly of Westerns when I think of Monogram, but "Hoosier Schoolboy," other than its pointless generic title, is a superlative example of small-budget drama,
I can't recommend it strongly enough. And it's available for viewing at YouTube. I hope you go watch.
helpful•30
- morrisonhimself
- Dec 15, 2018
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Forgotten Hero
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 2 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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