Crafted with beautiful spirit and smart direction, there's like a million interestingly relevant characters, Hail the Conquering Hero is a pure classic that manages to evoke all matter of emotions, and even a few thoughts, whilst keeping it fast and fresh throughout. "...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." lol!

The writing, the comic timing and all the looks the characters give each other is all so incredible that I just keep laughing. It's not just silly fun either, there's some interesting commentary on social dynamics. This one, a bit lighter on the romance and heavier on personal responsibility than other Sturges films, is a very good exploration of heroism and hero worship, and some nice jabs at politics too. Great stuff and a trademark Sturges ending.

Nothing else by Sturges can compare to the subtlety of The Lady Eve's humor and the depth of its drama. Hail the Conquering Hero has a little bit of each, though, and that's something. It's not a realistic enough depiction of politics to work as a satire, but it is cute and kind of touching without getting too sentimental. Eddie Bracken is kind of a goofier version of Jimmy Stewart here.

One of the great screen comedies. This WW II movie has perhaps the most unabashedly patriotic ending ever filmed, yet it still seems right even in this cynical age. Bracken is funny and moving, and William Demarest gives an unusually restrained performance. And don't forget boxer Freddie Steele as Bugsy, the slightly addled orphan-Marine with the mother-fixation. (I love it when the astonished Woodrow barks at Bugsy "Are you nuts?" and Bugsy pauses for a moment and answers, "Maybe.")