MovieChat Forums > The Best Years of Our Lives (1947) Discussion > Why Boone City?

Why Boone City?

posted 11 years ago by bonjon
14 replies | jump to latest

This movie is probably as close to perfect as films come. And sometimes in a nearly perfect film, those little buggy things really bug. I am going to tread lightly here. There is no question of the bravery and devotion of American servicemen in the Second World War. Indeed, this rather proves my point.
Boone city was not a made-up village or suburb; it was dressed as a major American City with airports and a night club for every ten citizens. The men were returning from a very real war with very real conflicts. Why not have them return to a real city? If Wyler modeled Boone City on Cincinatti, why not just have it take place in Cincinatti? With black and white film, he could have filmed it anywhere and still committed to the Midwest. Even with the negative portrayals of some of her citizens, we see many people positively painted as well. There are thoughtful and ignorant people everywhere. A real city would have served this film just a little better.

He didn't get out of the cock-a-doody car!!!

[–] turtletommy 11 years ago

Director Wyler didn't model Boone City on Cincinnati- MacKinlay Kantor's novella "Glory for Me" was adapted for the screen by Robert Sherwood, and supposedly Kantor told Wyler that he'd had Cincinnati in mind when he came up with the fictional Boone City in the novel.

I don't understand your complaint. A generic-sounding name works for me as an amalgamation of any midwestern city and maybe it frees up the audience to not get any preconceived ideas/notions about a "Cincinnati" or "Cleveland" etc. We get to use our imaginations a little. I wouldn't know the difference between a 1946 Cincinnati or Cleveland for example anyway. I think the main point is that who or what we see going on in the story could have happened anywhere in the country but the midwest was a good middle road to take literally and figuratively.

[–] pullman1881 11 years ago

This seems to be very common in older movies. Like in a movie about politics like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, political parties are never named. George Bailey lived in a made-up city. Superman lived in Metropolis (obviously New York). I think film-makers were concerned about not portraying a real city since something (all the bars or not a very pretty place or mean people) could be construed as critical in some way of a real place.

[–] turtletommy 11 years ago

I was going to use the example of Gotham City for Batman- which at least in the movies of the past 40+ years seemed to be clearly based on NYC too. I agree that there had to be some thinking going on behind the scenes in some city portrayals in films that they didn't want to offend said cities by name.

[–] pullman1881 11 years ago

I also thought Boone City was really "Everytown". These men could have returned to Chicago or Cleveland or Dallas. Their lives and experiences were really universal and could apply anywhere.

[–] johnston.scot 11 years ago

I agree that it seems likely it was an attempt to fashion an "Everytown." The movie took a stab at going for a sort of "That could be my brother Joe," or "That could be my town" reaction. Obviously, there are limits to how far you can go: you don't want to have 35 main characters, or have them be just bland and non-specific.

Boone City is a bit amorphous as well. As pointed out, it has characteristics (nightclubs, airport, the fact there's no even indirect connection among any of the three main characters) that make it seem like a fairly large city, but it also has some smaller-town feel to it as well.

[–] wrfarley 11 years ago

Isn't Boone City the place where Indiana Jones lived?

[–] turtletommy 11 years ago

Not in any "bios" of the character I've come across- seems like any place Indy lived around the world was an actual placename. That guy had an amazing life, wow.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Soujurn 10 years ago

Ever notice the disclaimer at the end or beginning of films stating it is a work of fiction and any similarities to actual places or persons living or dead is purely coincidental?
Probably just legal-eeze to avoid lawsuits.

"Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government."
-Dennis

[–] DorianGray502 10 years ago

Cincinnati seems to be a general location. The city is not shown, there are scenes where they are flying over - Kentucky! They are over the airport at one point which is in Kentucky, not Ohio. There seems to be an effort to play off Boone County, Ky. across the River. So, the town is called Boone City. This also happens in another film done around this time called The Asphalt Jungle, which is supposed to be taking place in some unknown mid-western town. It just also happens to be Cincinnati. But, the only indication we get as to where this really is comes from one of the characters, Dix who comes from a nearby area, Boone County, KY.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] poncedeleroy 9 years ago

I think Boone City might actually be Des Moines. It's in Boone County, Iowa, in the middle of the country.

[–] turtletommy 9 years ago

I doubt Des Moines has EVER had the swinging nightlife of our movie's Boone City - which the novela's own author had said to William Wyler he based on Cincinnati, Ohio.

[–] poncedeleroy 9 years ago

Actually much smaller towns than Des Moines had a quite lively nightlife in those days. Dances 7 nights a week were common even in very rural places.

Makes no difference, though. It's just as well to leave it to our imagination.