City of Boys

After talking with the criminal convicted of the death penalty, Father Flanegan, who said that he could have been different if someone had taken care of him as a child, decides to close his orphanage and take care of children. Arriving at the trial of the boys, he persuades witnesses, one of whom is his friend local businessman Dave, to abandon the claims, and the judge promises to give the boys shelter and care. The boys are released, and Father Flanegan goes to the bishop. At a meeting with the latter, he refuses the offer to stand at the head of the parish and asks for permission to engage in raising the boys. After receiving permission, the priest takes a loan from Dave to rent a house and furnish it with furniture, and establishes a shelter. A year later, the house is full of children, and Father Flanegan persuades Dave to go with him to Omaha , Nebraska , where he shows him a beautiful plot of 200 acres and tells about his plan to buy it and create a real city for the boys. Dave agrees to help if the priest deals with Hargweiz, the editor of an influential newspaper who does not believe in the success of Father Flanegan’s business and can stop their good undertaking with his articles. During a conversation with the editor, the priest persuades him to support the idea, but only until the first mistake that would confirm his fears about such children. Three houses are being erected by the forces of Father Flanegan and the boys themselves, while three mortgages also appear.

The priest receives a request from one of the prisoners, Joe Marsh, to come to him. Upon arrival, Father Flanegan receives a request to take care of this criminal's younger brother, Whitey March, who is at large and is trying hard to imitate his brother. With difficulty, the priest delivers Whitey to the City of Boys. Immediately upon arrival, the beginner begins to behave rudely, defiantly, putting himself head and shoulders above the rest. After trying to leave, he returns to the city, deciding to stay. Whitey finds out that there is a mayor in the city, elected by the children themselves, and decides to take it at all costs. While preserving defiant and arrogant behavior, he makes attempts to win supporters, but only turns the boys away from him and serves as the object of jokes. However, some, including the favorite of the entire City of Boys Pi Wee, speak out in his support, and Whitey begins a real election campaign. Among other things, he is trying to persuade one of the candidates, Tony Ponessa, a lame boy who decided to try himself in such a case thanks to the support of Flanegan's father, and leaves him in complete confidence that he was able to achieve what he wanted. However, thanks to the support of Freddy Fuller, the former mayor of the City of Boys, and all the other boys, it is Tony himself who wins the election.

Offended by Fuller, Whitey decides to find out relations with him in the ring and loses the battle. Displeased, he collects his things and leaves the City of Boys. Pi Vi rushes after him to persuade him to return, but by accident the baby is hit by a car. He is taken to the infirmary, and Whitey, confused and blaming himself for what happened, goes to the city and becomes an accidental witness to the robbery. Recognizing in one of the robbers his brother, who escaped from prison the day before, the boy shouts him. Joe, who did not recognize him in the dark, injures his younger brother. To save him, he calls his father Flanegan and reports that he left Whitey in the church. A priest brings a wounded boy to the infirmary, a police officer is assigned to him. Flanegan's father is trying to persuade Whitey to tell the truth, because the shelter now faces closure, but the young hero does not want to betray his brother and escapes at night. He comes to the tavern, where his brother and accomplices decided to hide, not noticing that two boys went to follow him, and informs his brother that he does not want to close the City of Boys and will tell the police everything in the morning. One of Joe Marsh's accomplices takes them in the sight and says that he will not allow this to be done. The two boys, finding out where Whitey had fled, bring all the other inhabitants of the orphanage and Flanegan’s father to the tavern and release Whitey and his brother, believing that the boy is a traitor and accomplice of the robbers. However, Marsh with tears in his eyes tells them the whole truth.

After a while, Dave tells Father Flanegan that their financial affairs have returned to normal, but the priest says that he wants to build another house, only for 500 boys. At a meeting of the City of Boys, Whitey Marsh is elected mayor.

• City of Boys on the Internet Movie Database  
• City of Boys on allmovie  
• City of Boys on Rotten Tomatoes