Too Young the Hero (1988) (TV)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Buzz Kulik

Release Date:

27 March 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

The true story of Calvin Graham who at the age of twelve, but looking quite a lot older, succeeded in joining the navy during World War II...

Plot Keywords:

US Navy | WWII | Prison Rape | Young Soldier | Based On True Story

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

R. Pickett Bugg	...	Pico
Christopher Curry	...	Laslo
Rob Dator	...	Lugo
Christofer de Oni	...	Avila
Jon DeVries	...	Captain Gatch
Kevin Draine	...	Graves
James Eric	...	Pratt
Markus Flanagan	...	Sparky
David Frisinger	...	Spencer
David Gianopoulos	...	MacBride
E. Pat Hall	...	Medic
Mert Hatfield	...	Harry
Penny Hayes	...	Lt. Cindy
Randell Haynes	...	Chaplain Rose
J. Michael Hunter	...	Dr. Smith
John Linton	...	Scotty Bloxom
Terry Loughlin	...	Necker
Steven Thomas Maillard	...	Gillis
Bonnie McCormick	...	Tootsie
Thomas McGovern	...	Turkel
Debra Mooney	...	Calvin's Mother
Carl Mueller	...	Lt. Sargent Shriver
Robert Dean Orwig	...	Owner
Mary-Louise Parker	...	Pearl Spencer
Rick Schroder	...	Calvin Graham
Ron Shelley	...	Cracker
Avon Stephenson	...	Tommy
Terry Tant	...	Lady in Park
Rich Valliere	...	Doctor
Rick Warner	...	Holbrook
Jimmy Wiggins	...	Cleon
Tom Wood	...	Davy Cluff (as Thomas Mills Wood)
Christopher Yohe	...	Frank Graham

Runtime:

USA:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA

Company:

Rick-Dawn Enterprises

The U.S. Navy couldn't tell they had a 12 yr old kid on their hands?

The makers of this made for TV film of course had a tough call when it came to casting the part of the principal character Calvin Graham. They had to find a professional actor who could pass for a 12 yr old who just happened to look a little older (at least 17). They chose Rick Schroder who was 18 at the time this film was made which in my opinion is pretty close. The film is certainly not of Oscar caliber as most made for TV films are but it isn't all that bad. If it does nothing else it at least tells yet another chapter of the U.S. in WWII. This time the story of underage boys who managed to get in the service. It is hard however to believe that the U.S. Navy could not detect the fact that this was just a 12 yr old kid. In most of the other cases it involved 15 and 16 yr olds passing for 17. It shows in the film how he got past his induction physical but once in basic training at additional physicals and dental exams he would have been detected by qualified medical and dental personnel and sent home. So as a Naval veteran myself it left me with the feeling that the Navy knew they had a way underage boy on their hands and decided to look the other way on it until the heat came down on them as they always seem to do. I was not surprised in the least however at how the Navy handled the affair once it was unmasked. Aside from the true tale of this the film is not bad and has the always enjoyable human interest side to it to help it along.