Figure 1.--Here the Paul Street boys are struggling with each other. Pvt. Nemecsek who wants to be an officer like the other boys is beautifully played by George P. Breakston. He played in several filns durung the 1930s, but this was his best role and performance.

This is a school story based on The Paul Street Boys. This is an autobiographical novel by Ferenc Molnar and set in Budapest. This American version persues the same twin themes, the pain of youth and the wasteful senselessness of war. Anti-war films were poplar in America and Britain in the 1920s and 30s. The popular premse was that war was caused by greedy arms manufacturers. As was soon to become apparent, however, the democracies by largely disarming were making themselves vulnerable to totalitarian powers that were arming to the hilt. Frail Nemecsek is a lonely boy who has trouble making friends. He yearns to be accepted by the other boys in his class. In particular he is attracted to Boka, who has organized a gang of the local boys. By gang we mean the more benign usage of the word popular at mid-century. A group of school boys that hung out together. The boys even have a uniform and flag. Nemecsek sees an opportunity to gain the acceptance and even admiration of the other boys when their flag is stolen by another group of boys. Nemecsek is played by George P. Breakston. Boka is played by Jimmy Butler. Gereb is played by Jackie Searl.

Filmography

This is a school story based on the anti-war novel, The Paul Street Boys. The film was directed by Frank Borzage and released by Columbia Pictures

The Book (1906)

This is an autobiographical novel by Ferenc Moln�r (1878-1952). Moln�r was a war correspndent during World War I. He became a Hungarian dramatist and novelist. He emigrated to the United States (1940). He thus managed to escape the NAZI Holocaust. As a Jew and notable anti-war writer, he would have been a special target. His works were not published during the Communist era, but is today Hungary's best known author. The book is set in Budapest before World War I. The book was published in 1906. A Pal Utcai Fiuk translates of course exactly as "The Boys of Paul Stree"--a street which actually exists in Budapest. The book is much better known in Europe than America, according to one source because of the lack of a good translation. The work is considered an anti-war book. This is certainlly the theme that "No Greater Glory" picked up on. Notably at about the same time, "I ragazzi della via Paal" was released in Italy (1935). It was directed cby Alberto Mondadori and Mario Monicelli and did not pursue the anti-war theme. The anti-war theme may be a simplification of the book, largely due to the impact of World War I on popular thought. Othert themes such as solidarity and self-sacrifice are strongly developed in the book. One difference between "No Greater Glory" and Boys of Paul Street comes to mind, The former was set after the First World War, the latter about 1906. A reader writes, "Ference Molnar wrote "Paul Street" in 1927, I think, and this work reflects his anti-war feelings. Some reviewers read "Paul Street" and praise the values of patriotism (defense of the vacant lot), gallantry in a good cause, and comradeship which the boys display. I'd say that the novel's theme - though not necessarily one that either you or I share - is war's futility." Anither reader writes, "Wars will always be with us, but Ference Molnar seems to ask, 'And what ever comes from them?' More war." Here HBC would not agree. This is certainly the case of World War I. World War I settled nothing, except it blocked a permanetly German controlled Europe--a not inconsequential matter. World War II settled a great deal and a great deal of good came of it. 1) The Allies stoped mass morder perpetrated by the NAZIs and Japanese militarists. 2) All of the Axis powers became democratic and fully integrated into the world community. (Few would have believced that possible in 1940, but is today taken in a matter of facr way). 3) A united Europe was another outcome. 4) Eastern Europe was left a Soviet colony, but in the was liberated. 5) War in Europe was essentially ended, 6) Decolonization began. That is quite a list of positive results. It is tragic that it took such a horendous war to set all of this in motion.

Setting

The book is set in Budapest before World War I. And the movie is also.

Chronology

The book was published in 1906. I am not sure just when the movie is set. The costuming seems more like the post-War era than the pre-War era, but is a little ambiguous.

Cast

Nemecsek is beautifully played by George P. Breakston. Boka is played by Jimmy Butler. Gereb is played by Jackie Searl. Frankie Darro, who played the intimidating Feri Ats (the rival gang leader), is terrific in all his film roles. Donald Haines, one of the Paul Street boys, was an "Our Gang" regular in the early-30s. I hadn't seen George Breakston (Nemecsek) before in any other films. A reader writes, "I read the novel that inspired the film versions (in the University of Texas' rare book collection) more than thirty years ago. George fit the novel's description of Private Nemecsek to a T."

Plot

This American version persues the same twin themes, the pain of youth and the wasteful senselessness of war. The Paul Street Gang formed and trained to combat the rival Red Shirt Gang. the Red Shirts had stolen marbles from the younger and weaker children and terrorized them along the way. Weakness and lack of preparedness invited their brutality. Frail Nemecsek is a small, lonely boy who has trouble making friends. He yearns to be accepted by the other boys in his class. In particular he is attracted to Boka, who has organized a gang of the local boys. By gang we mean the more benign usage of the word popular at mid-century. A group of school boys that hung out together. The boys even have a uniform and flag. Nemecsek sees an opportunity to gain the acceptance and even admiration of the other boys when their flag is stolen by another group of boys.

Costuming

Political Envoronment

The movie was part of the American reaction to World War I. A reader writes, "The First World War era is fascinating, from the Balkan Wars through the early 1920's. The surges of nationalism that broke apart the Austro-Hungarian Empire; the inhuman conditions of the war; and the aftermath that laid the groundwork for the Second World War make this such a riveting era in world history. The British Foreign Secretary, Lord Grey it seems, who said at the beginning of the conflict, "The lights are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them lit again in our lifetimes," spoke volumes about the war. The old world, tottering before the war, disappeared into history when it ended. Vanished were the comfortable illusions about human nature, progress, and about world order. All those were war's victims, as well. Communism Fascism, Freud, Hitler would become familiar. America retreated into isolationism in the 1920's, disillusioned that the war seemed to have caused more problems than it ended. For the United States, of course, retreat was never a realistic option. We had made our grand debut on the world stage, and, while few realized it or admitted it at the time, there was no turning back." Many Americans after the War, however, did want to turn back. Most were convinced that American entry into the War had been a mistake. Anti-war films were poplar in America and Britain in the 1920s and 30s. The popular premse was that war was caused by greedy arms manufacturers. As was soon to become apparent, however, the democracies by largely disarming were making themselves vulnerable to totalitarian powers that were arming to the hilt. The year after this film was released, the United States passed the Neutrality Act (1935). The principal result was that when Hitler launched World War II, the Roosevelt Administration found it difficult to assist the Allies (Britain and France). HBC has discussed the Isolationist America in some detail.

The Boys of Paul Street (Hungary/England, 1967)

The photo and film clip montage of the introduction to "Paul Street", with images and music changing like a kaleidoscope from innocence and tranquiity to harsh reality, suggests the onset of a cataclysm. The Boys' of Paul Stree is a poignant anti-war film. It is a joint British-English production featuring boys from both countries. Although filmed in 1967, it was not released in the United States until 1969. The film is based on a 1927 novel by Hungarian author Ferenc Molnar, A Pal Utcai Fiuk. The book is much better known in Europe than America. The principal charcters are two rival bands of boys. The film is set in Budapest during 1907. A reader writes, "I watched the first thirty minutes of "No Greater Glory" while recording it, and some near the end. It's faithful to the novel and well done. Glad I saw it. version of a film that I see is generally the one I like better or best. The 1969 "Boys of Paul Street" defined the characters for me, I guess. I'd watch either version of the film any day, though."

Created: 5:20 PM 11/23/2009
Last updated: 5:20 PM 11/23/2009