MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!
Having been discharged from the Marines for a hayfever condition before ever seeing action, Woodrow Lafayette Pershing Truesmith delays the return to his hometown, feeling that he is a failure. While in a moment of melancholy, he meets up with a group of Marines who befriend him and encourage him to return home to his mother by fabricating a story that he was wounded in battle with honorable discharge.
Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) is a comedy and war film directed by Preston Sturges, released on August 9, 1944 with a runtime of 1h 41m. It stars Eddie Bracken, Ella Raines, Raymond Walburn and William Demarest. Viewers rate it 7.1 out of 10 across 77 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for Hail the Conquering Hero before you stream it.
Eddie Bracken
as Woodrow Truesmith
Ella Raines
as Libby
Raymond Walburn
as Mayor Everett J. Noble
William Demarest
as Sgt. Heppelfinger
Franklin Pangborn
as Reception Committee Chairman
Elizabeth Patterson
as Martha - Libby's Aunt
Georgia Caine
as Mrs. Truesmith
Al Bridge
as Political Boss
Freddie Steele
as Bugsy
Bill Edwards
as Forrest Noble
Harry Hayden
as Doc Bissell
Jimmy Conlin
as Judge Dennis
Directed by Preston Sturges, written by Preston Sturges, produced by Preston Sturges.
Average viewer score of 7.1/10 from 77 ratings.
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.…
Reviewed on February 9, 2026
1938
1966
1966
1982
1964
2005
1941
1959
1980
1969
2005
1969
1961
1958
1939
2019
1941
2004
2020
1965
1995
1946
Movie
1987
1909
1999
1987
1984
1964
2006
2005
1940
2001
2004
1939
1966
1975
1902
1953
1977
Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) is currently available to rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. No subscription streaming option is listed right now, so availability may change.
The main cast of Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) includes Eddie Bracken, Ella Raines, Raymond Walburn, William Demarest and Franklin Pangborn. The film was directed by Preston Sturges. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Hail the Conquering Hero was released on August 9, 1944 and runs for 1h 41m.
Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) holds an average rating of 7.1 out of 10 from 77 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy comedy and war films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official Hail the Conquering Hero trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
