Follow Me, Boys! Rating: Sorry, this product is not currently available. Cast: Fred MacMurray Vera Miles Kurt Russell Bill Murray Complete Cast (10 total)

Follow Me, Boys! Reviews

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A rip-off presentation of a great film.
Disney, Disney, Disney. "Follow Me, Boys" is a flat-out wonderful film. When first saw it during its mid-'70's re-release, I was absolutely riveted by the story and performances and moved by the Capra-esque ending. I would recommend this film to everyone. But I cannot recommend this version of one of your most beloved films. You see, the pan-and-scan version you have presented on DVD is horrible. The picture is muddy, the picture is cut-off, and the whole picture suffers because of it. The only reason I give it two stars is because you did include a wonderful documentary with reminiscences from "Lem's boys," while your other fullscreen DVDs have not had any special features whatsoever. And contrary to what Disney apologists like some of these reviewers like to think, it DOES matter whether or not a film is in widescreen. It's called ARTISTIC INTEGRITY, something Walt Disney had but the current Eisner-led idiots do not. The actors, technicians, writer and director all deserve better, to say nothing of Walt himself, who happened to produce the darn thing and would have loved widescreen format. Let's face it: there's a reason all of today's top directors--Eastwood, Scorsese, Spielberg, Allen, Stone, Lucas, Jackson,etc.--insist on widescreen transfers of their films. It's the only format that truly respects their work as filmmakers.

I bought this DVD in spite of the format because I love the film so much but I'm sorry I did. In fact, I will no longer buy any video from any company unless it is widescreen. I encourage everyone who loves movies to do likewise.

Call yourself a scouter? Then why haven't you seen it yet?
For every human hobby, there will eventually be made a film. For fighter pilots, there's "Top Gun." For pee-wee hockey players, there's "The Mighty Ducks." For Boy Scouts, there's "Follow Me, Boys!" Of course you can appreciate and enjoy this movie if you're not a scout or scouter, but let's not fool ourselves about the intended audience here.

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This film is the epitome of old-school Boy Scouting. Every traditionalist Scouter pines for the days when the boys didn't have to be back from the campout early for soccer practice. Every new scoutmaster wants to be the square-jawed, campaign hat-wearing, all-American scoutmaster of Norman Rockwell paintings. You'll never pull it off if you haven't seen this film.

In "Follow Me Boys!" Fred Macmurray goes from reluctant scoutmaster to super-scoutmaster, teaching boys to be men, year after year. His boys actually sing. They sing! What traditionalist scoutmaster hasn't given up years ago trying to get the boys to sing around the campfire or on the trail? The Scout program of "Follow me, boys!" is the antidote to the 1980's scouting movement that gave us nasty-colored patches and ball caps. It's the bridge between the scouts of today, and the scouts of 97 years ago.

If you ever want to be a great scouter, see this film, and read up on Baden-Powell. Make sure your boys know what he did at Mafeking. Make sure they know that their uniforms are based on the South African Constabulary. Make sure they stand up straight when they recite the Oath and Law. Get them off the trail occasionally. Get them to sing, loud and proud.

But you'll have to see "Follow me, Boys!" I don't know if it will work on the boys anymore, but it worked on me when I was a Tenderfoot.

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