I have fond memories from my childhood of this live action Disney movie about a small town Scoutmaster and his impact on the boys of his Scout troop so when I saw it for sale on Ebay at less than half the price it was selling for at our local Scout Shop, I couldn't resist. After going on to become an Eagle Scout and a Scoutmaster of a new troop myself, I was curious if the film would live up to my expectations. I am happy to say that it did. Today, as the Boy Scouts of America celebrates its hundredth anniversary, I am back in Scouting with my own son and this film has an even more personal meaning. Filmed in 1966, it was one of the last films that Walt Disney personally directed before his death in 1967. The movie features two of Disney's biggest stars, Fred MacMurray as Scoutmaster Lem Siddons and Kurt Russell as Whitey, the troubled boy that Lem takes under his wing. The film opens in 1930 when aspiring lawyer, Lem Siddons, decides to give up life on the road as a musician and settle down in a small Midwestern town named Hickory. In order to get the boys of the town off the street and to impress a beautiful bank employee named Vida (Vera Miles),Lem starts a Boy Scout troop and becomes its first Scoutmaster. The film follows Lem as he whips the boys into shape and weds Vida. Lem and Vida become surrogate parents to all of the boys in the troop and even adopt the troubled Whitey. Over the next 20 years, Lem touches the lives of hundreds of boys, instilling within them the values of Scouting and helping them learn the skills necessary to succeed in Scouting and in life. While life in America has changed a great deal since those days, the Scouts of today can easily identify with the Scouts in Lem's troop. The uniforms and the equipment may have changed, but there are far more similarities than differences between the Scouting program of today and the program back in the "good old days". Boys still go hiking and camping and canoeing. They still learn about teamwork and develop their leadership skills. They still aspire to the values of the Scout Oath and the Scout Law. The fact that this DVD is sold along side the Scout Handbooks in Scout Shops across the country speaks volumes about what the Boy Scouts of America think about this film.Read full review
In my opinion Fred McMurray never did a bad movie, some are funny some are not. Follow Me Boys is not a funny movie even though it is listed as a comedy. Follow Me Boys is a heart warming cozy movie that makes you feel good. This movie is certainly family friendly and has a great moral lesson for adults and youth alike. The movie starts out with Lem Siddons (Fred) becoming dissatisfied with a a gypsy life style as a musician going town to town with a band, deep in his heart he longs to settle down in a small town and establish some roots and get married. Lem's (Fred) dream soon becomes a reality as he and the band stop over in a small town where he spots a young woman named Vida Downey (Vera Miles) and stays behind. Very soon Lem finds himself volunteering at a town meeting to step up as scoutmaster for the towns rambunctious group of young boys and the remainder of the movie centers around the boys growing up in the boy Scouts and Lems marriage to Vida ( yes they get married). The movie is a very very very long 133 minutes and at times the movie fails to keep my interest but its still a great movie to add to your Fred McMurray collection. The picture quality is not the best having some minor defects but this is due to the age of the tape the movie was transfered from. I give Follow Me Boys a strong 7+ out of a perfect 10. I suspect that once this movie is no longer being produced the price will sky rocket as they usually do so better get your copy now while its affordable.Read full review
I saw this many years ago as a child, probably on Wide World of Disney or on a UHF channel on a Saturday afternoon. I can't remember the venue, but I always remembered the movie itself. Now that I have my own little guy in Cub Scouts, I sought it out. It is still the charming movie I remember and has enough comedy to keep a 6yo boy entertained. Fred McMurray is always great as the prototypical Father Figure and a tween Kurt Russell stands out as the featured child actor. It's really fun to enjoy a movie made in the 50s that is a nostalgia piece about the 30s. It's a great movie to watch with your little guy, much like A Christmas Story would be.
This was a wonderful movie that illustrates how one person can have a far-reaching influence on young boys. Fred McMurray's played the role of a scout master who gave countless hours of time and effort to help young boys scouts learn not only scouting skills but also personal attributes of service, honesty, and dedication to a cause. There was no foul language, no violence, no "adult situations", etc. It was just a good, clean, fun movie to watch.
This is by far the best movie about Boy Scouting ever made. The Boy Scouts of America has made some significant changes to its programs for youth in recent months. This movie depicts a bygone era, one that I experienced as a boy. Although the movie is fictional, it brings back a lot of boyhood memories of my years as a Boy Scout.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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