Follow Me, Boys! (1966)

Captivating movie !

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

It is kind of hard to beat a cast that includes Fred "My Three Sons" MacMurray; Vera "Psycho" Miles; Lillian "Silent Movie Icon" Gish, and of course Kurt "Big Trouble in Little China" – I'll be your huckleberry – "Tombstone" Russell. This is not the kind of movie I usually gravitate towards, but I always liked Fred MacMurray. Even Fred's portrayal of a smarmy character in, "The Caine Mutiny", was spot-on. This is a story of a guy who settles down in a town armed with a dream to finally become a lawyer. This set-in-stone plan is thankfully sidetracked when he volunteers as a scout master. With every passing year new scouts are added as the older kids move on. At times, it is hard to figure out who is learning more, the students or the teacher. For me this is probably one of my favorite 'coming of age' movies.Time passes and he finds he is much more fulfilled than he could have ever been if he had pursued a life as a lawyer. I really like this movie and I would recommend this to all who doubt good people exist. Trust me - they do – they just need a reason to show themselves.

I think the strength of the film - at least for those of us who grew up during the "Mayberry Days" of our country - is, that - if you were ALSO a Scout during those days, this film IS your story as well.I grew up in the 70's and early 80's in rural NC - not far removed from the inspiration for the fictional Mayberry, in many respects. While Fred MacMurray's name is in the credits, my Scoutmaster could just as easily have played this part. A tall man himself - a Korean War veteran - and a leader by example, he was a man of few words, but like Scoutmaster Lem, they always seemed to be the RIGHT words, and for impressionable boys of that age, that's what matters.In 25 years of service to my troop - 17 of those as Scoutmaster - over 50 boys in my small town made Eagle Scout - including myself and my younger brother. The uniforms are older, and the kids names are a little different, but I recognize my own youth - my own Scouting adventures - in this big screen production. And when Lem finally gets his parade, we can all rejoice over all the Scouting leaders who made us the men we are today.

This film was made by Disney in 1956, not 1966. I don't know how to correct the IMDb. It is an excellent film about how one's dreams may not turn out the way you wish, but yet you can have a very meaningful life along a different path. Lemuel Siddons becomes a Scoutmaster to impress a woman, thinking Scouting is temporary, yet keeps the job for 20 years, from 1930-1950, and has a tremendous positive impact on the lives of dozens of boys and the small town of Hickory. Highly recommended for any in Scouting or if you want to see a film about positive values rather than the trash that is made today. Fred MacMurray is Lem, Vera Miles is the object of his affection, Lillian Gish is an elderly woman who befriends him, and Kurt Russell is a troubled youth he takes under his wing.

Fred McMurray is a saxophone player who is looking to settle down and finds the small town of Hickory to be just the place. To impress Vera Miles, he offers to form and lead a Boy Scout troop, which eventually leads to the title song, which I've had in the back of my mind since seeing this movie in 1966!The movie is a Disney-esque look at small town America and also how one person can make a difference. Kurt Russell is great and the scenes with him defending his father are poignant.This movie is unapologetically corny and wonderful. It has made a lasting impression on me and I recommend it heartily.