Hail the Conquering Hero

2/9/2026

The US Marine Corps reckons excessive sniffing could compromise operational readiness, so it has discharged chronic hayfever sufferer “Truesmith” (Eddie Bracken). He’s no coward, and feeling somewhat ashamed buys some serving soldiers a few drinks in a bar. They take pity on their down-at-heart friend and concoct a wheeze that will enable him to go home to his widowed mother (Georgia Caine) with his head held high. The train arrives into town and off he gets, bedecked in medals and instantly hailed a hero, straight into the middle of their mayoral election campaign. Some of the townsfolk are fed up with the incumbent “Noble” (Raymond Walburn) whose son “Forrest” (Bill Edwards) is dating “Libby” (Ella Raines) who used to be the gal of our fêted arrival, and so with her taking time off from