Home Town Story
Home Town Story is a 1951 American drama film directed by Arthur Pierson and starring Jeffrey Lynn, Donald Crisp, and Alan Hale, Jr.. The film features Marilyn Monroe in a small, early role. The film was backed by General Motors to promote the virtues of big business.
| Home Town Story | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Arthur Pierson |
| Produced by | Arthur Pierson |
| Written by | Arthur Pierson |
| Starring | Jeffrey Lynn Donald Crisp Alan Hale, Jr. |
| Music by | Louis Forbes Alfred Newman |
| Cinematography | Lucien N. Andriot |
| Edited by | William F. Claxton |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (Produced and financed by Arthur Pierson and Dore Schary for MGM) |
Release date |
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Running time | 61 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $334,000[1] |
Plot summary
Jeffrey Lynn plays a defeated politician who takes over as editor of a small town newspaper in an effort to get himself re-elected. His campaign is intended to be a continuing exposé of the evils of big industry, and his strategy is to publish daily screeds against enormous corporate profits that enrich shareholders. Marilyn Monroe appears in a very small part as Iris Martin, the shapely office secretary.
On a school outing to an abandoned mine, Jeffrey Lynn's little sister is trapped in the collapse of a mine tunnel caused as the result of a disgruntled employee's negligence, and the town's industries come to her rescue. After little sister is rescued and flown in a company plane to the big city, Lynn has a change of heart and recognizes that big corporations are necessary because, "It takes bigness to do big things."
Cast
- Jeffrey Lynn as Blake Washburn
- Donald Crisp as John MacFarland
- Marjorie Reynolds as Janice Hunt
- Alan Hale Jr. as Slim Haskins
- Marilyn Monroe as Iris Martin
- Barbara Brown as Mrs. Washburn
- Melinda Plowman as Katie Washburn
- Renny McEvoy as Leo, the Taxi Driver
- Glenn Tryon as Ken Kenlock
- Byron Foulger as Berny Miles
- Griff Barnett as Uncle Cliff Washburn
- Virginia Campbell as Phoebe Hartman
- Harry Harvey as Andy Butterworth
- Nelson Leigh as Dr. Johnson
- Speck Noblitt as Motorcycle officer
Reception
According to MGM records the film made $243,000 in the US and Canada and $91,000 elsewhere, making a profit of $195,000.[1]
References
- The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
External links
- Home Town Story at IMDb
- Home Town Story at AllMovie
- Home Town Story at the TCM Movie Database
- Home Town Story at Rotten Tomatoes