Before the cinema of Spain was revolutionized by the incredible Luis García Berlanga, who would go on to inspire the work of filmmakers like Robert Altman and Christopher Guest, there was Preston Sturges, a director of so many talents, but specifically the gift of being able to throw together a memorable ensemble that were equal parts compelling and chaotic. This is best represented in Hail the Conquering Hero, which many consider to be his greatest film. I am still somewhat cynical to this idea myself, especially since some of his other work tends to be equally as original and inventive, if not more so. However, it is still a masterful film, and an example of why Sturges is inarguably one of the greatest filmmakers of his generation, and somehow whose contributions to cinema, particularly in comedy, were almost entirely unprecedented. Here, he is telling the story of an aimless young man who set off to aid in the war effort, only to find himself being medically excused from participating, but misleading his entire family to believe that he was still fighting, which ends up causing his eventual return to his small hometown to become an enormous celebration as they all aim to hail their homecoming hero, not being aware of his actual activities. Its fertile ground for the director’s usually hilarious and outrageous shenanigans, and serves as the foundation for a really well-constructed, beautifully complex comedy that proves that humour can be found in any situation, granted it is made by someone who knows how to utilize it properly, which is fully embodied by Sturges and his consistent mastery of the comedic form.

If anyone was going to make a film like Hail the Conquering Hero at that particular moment in history, few could have done it better than Sturges, a director who perpetually demanded nothing but the most intricate ideas when it came to putting together films. One of the first notable comedic filmmakers that would direct their own scripts, he embodies an early example of an auteur, which essentially meant he was given free rein to do what he felt was necessary, based almost entirely on the impeccable quality of work that his previous work demonstrated. This film is a critical analysis of the Second World War, produced during the conflict itself. It’s not the first film to be made while the war was still ongoing, but it was one that didn’t buy into the vaguely propagandistic sentiments of many of them, being as scathing to the nature of war and hypocrisy of society as those that would come later. It’s a radically progressive work, one that is far ahead of its time, and as a result likely misunderstood at the time. There is very little room for misplaced patriotism and jingoism-infused storylines in this film, with the film blending well-conceived drama with outrageous humour to create a fascinating combination of ideas and images that work together to create something extraordinarily special, which is not something particularly common during this harrowing period, where making a film that provoked conversation around the merits of war was not only questionable, but an enormous risk, which only someone with both the command of his craft and the strong belief in his vision could hope to have achieved.

A good satire is only as effective as its funniest piece of social commentary, and Hail the Conquering Hero certainly does aim for the highest possible level when it comes to unpacking this story and its comedic potential in contrast to the more sobering themes that it occasionally touches on. Generally, satire is very difficult to make when one is operating from a side that could be seen as contentious to the major issues, since there is always the risk of the work being misinterpreted, especially on the subject of war. However, Sturges is constantly operating at a much higher level than some of his contemporaries, and as a result, his films have a heightened sense of logic and complexity, which is not only groundbreaking for the time, but have aged considerably well. Hail the Conquering Hero is a film that embodies the director’s penchant for pointed, sharp commentary that effectively satirizes the small-town mentalities without being cynical, showing how easily people tend to sanctify anyone who is supposedly a hero, where nothing but a strip of fabric on their lapel and the support of a couple of colleagues can have someone almost beatified in the eyes of those who are naive to believe everything they are told (the director’s Catholic background is quite evident in the almost saint-like treatment the main character receives). However, even at its most scathing, Hail the Conquering Hero is not mean-spirited, focusing its attention on those who are responsible for the war. The story and its satire aren’t combative to the idea of the people fighting this war, and more those who are pulling the strings, making it a satire that has its vitriol aimed at those causing the conflict, rather than the genuine and earnest small-town folk that don’t know any better. It all becomes part of this masterful and intricate exploration of the wartime mentality, which is so excellently conveyed by a director that understood the right balance between satire and sobering commentary.

Regardless of who he is working with, Sturges tends to get the best out of his actors, each one of them being memorable and interesting in their own way, whether they’re major stars or more obscure actors. Hail the Conquering Hero is led by Eddie Bracken, who seemed to have developed a good working relationship with the director based on their collaboration on The Miracle of Morgan Creek earlier that same year, and here occupies the central role of the reluctant young man who returns home and is hailed as a hero, despite his protestations against such a label, which serves as the central conflict of the film, and the source of nearly all of its humour. Bracken is excellent, but he’s not playing a particularly funny character, which is a purposeful decision created in favour of the film’s approach to the story, which essentially makes sure that every other character is eccentric, the humour revolving around the tensions that arise when the two come into contact, and Bracken deserves credit for being able to maintain his composure while being pummelled by an endless parade of bizarre antics from his co-stars, who are hilarious and irreverent precisely because Sturges finds the perfect balance between the two, and manages to establish a consistent and daring tone that emphasizes the power of the ensemble, and gives us the opportunity to see a different side of this story through the exceptional cast, all of whom are absolutely spectacular and manage to perfectly appropriate Sturges’ impeccable vision.

War is devastating, both for those on the battlefields fighting, and those that remained at home, experiencing similar challenges while witnessing the world changing before them. The last hope for many of these people in terms of remaining sane was comedies, with many mindless works being produced by Hollywood to help ease the psychological burden through offering some distraction from reality. Only someone with the endless ambitions of Preston Sturges could make a comedy that took a critical stance on the war, produced during the period itself, and still have it be a resounding success, both at the time and from a contemporary perspective. It may not have the rapid-fire jokes of The Palm Beach Story, or the genuinely heart-wrenching complexity of Sullivan’s Travels, but Sturges is still extracting some absolutely excellent work from a premise that may seem simple at first, but lends itself to a lot more nuance than a cursory glance would suggest. Beautifully made, and wildly funny in both intention and execution, Hail the Conquering Hero is a wonderful film, and the exact kind of representative satire that aims far higher than many more cheaply-produced comedies from this era tended towards. When it comes to looking at the career of someone like Sturges, it almost always helps to have high expectations, since they will undoubtedly not only be met, but surpassed entirely, which is why he is one of the greatest filmmakers in the history of Hollywood.