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Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

One of my all time favorites.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

As a supporter of free enterprise, I agreed with Donald Crisp and wanted to knock Lynn's block off due to the chip on.his shoulder. He lòoked far too old to.have a young sister- I'd have made her his niece living with her grandmother.

Strange little film, this...I can almost imagine how they planned it (à la the conference in The Majestic): "For more emotional appeal, we need a kiddie and a doggie"... "Show how the bad guy becomes bad, then repents, in the face of high drama"... "The good guy must be introduced subtly, but then showing that all good comes from him and his company... a corporate doctor, a private plane that he pilots himself... Up to the life-saving motor (?) in the emergency room"... "And state (proof not needed) that his company treats poison waste well, and would never dump it into a river"... "To make the message sink better, let that gorgeous Miss Monroe say she wouldn't date the journalist, but marry the boss of a four-truck company"...What probably wasn't planned is that when the taxi drives through the vast "MacFarland" plant, the main building is labeled General Motors.Still, I found this film quite interesting, as a historic exhibit. I really enjoyed the bulldozer scenes.On another hand, the message that company profits let the customer profit sounds a little faint in these days of Lehman Bros., Madoff, and what else is in the news :^)

"Jeffrey Lynn plays an ex-politician who blames big business for his failure to get re-elected. To expose big business as an evil monster he joins his uncle's newspaper. When his little sister is caught in a cave-in, the town's largest company comes to her aid and he must now reconsider" his opposition to corporate America. Mr. Lynn (as Blake Washburn) and Marjorie Reynolds (as Janice Hunt) would have been better off playing the parents of the girl - what the heck were they doing before his five years in the Army and two in the State Capitol? Best friendly Alan Hale Jr. (as Slim Haskins) and sagely Donald Crisp (as John MacFarland) serve very workmanlike supporting parts. Mr. Crisp gets to end a speech with director/writer Arthur Pierson's obtuse observation, "When this country was first discovered, there was nothing here." Marilyn Monroe (as Iris Martin) has a relatively small, but pointed, secretarial role. It probably goes without saying that Ms. Monroe's occasional appearances, in close-fitting attire, are the film's highlights.** Home Town Story (5/18/51) Arthur Pierson ~ Jeffrey Lynn, Alan Hale Jr., Marilyn Monroe, Marjorie Reynolds

Home Town Story is a fine little film that gets noticed due to a supporting role played by Marilyn Monroe. It's not Gone With The Wind or The Wizard of Oz, but it definitely has a niche in film history all its own.I own it on DVD and have seen it 8 times! Needless to say, I enjoy watching Home Town Story. It's a movie with a message and it contains an appreciation for aspects of America which are often denigrated in modern movies: integrity, hard work and profits. Yes, I said profits! This movie shows a man with a biased point of view who comes to realize that his political views have indeed compromised his his judgement, his sense of fair mindedness and even his integrity. This 1951 movie is just as relevant today as it was then. The folks who are the loudest critics of Home Town story are like the main character, Blake MacFarland, at the beginning of the movie: overly harsh and critical and even closed minded to any ideology other than their own. The truth that is relevant and brilliant about Home Story is what it exposes about its critics: an unwillingness to consider that any opinion other than their own could have merit until they can no longer refute the truth nor live with their denial of it. Jeffrey Lynn, an actor previously unknown to me, gave a serious portrayal of his character, Blake MacFarland. Marjorie Reynolds was good as his patient fiancee. Alan Hale, Jr. was funny and touching in his role as coworker and true friend of Blake MacFarland. Donald Crisp is right on target in his portrayal of a wise and successful as well as talented business man who was compassionate and humble. Barbara Brown, Melinda Plowman and yes, Marilyn Monroe, are all fine in supporting roles. The director kept the film moving at a brisk pace and the editing is good. The story does not seem dated. Kudos to the director for giving Marilyn Monroe a chance to shine for a few minutes in this film. It's a treat to see the work she did and see her in something different. There is an integrity to her performance, even in the long shots of her working at her desk, that is fascinating to me. There's a reason Home Town Story, a film never released in theaters, is showing up on DVD and on TV. It's the message and the integrity of the film. Marilyn Monroe played minor roles in several movies in the very early 1950's, but none with a solid message like this one, not even All About Eve or The Asphalt Jungle which are indeed superior movies. Home Town Story has a niche all its own in film history. It's a good movie, fun to watch and worth adding to your DVD Collection.