Heart of a Hero

The hero in question is Revolutionary War martyr Nathan Hale, here played by Robert Warwick. A country-school teacher, the handsome Hale is in love with Alice Adams (Gail Kane, the oldest and prettiest of his students. But when the war breaks out and duty calls, the patriotic Hale puts all thoughts of romance aside and joins the Colonial cause. Much to Alice's dismay, Hale volunteers for a dangerous undercover mission. On the verge of success, our hero is exposed as a Colonial spy by one of Alice's Tory relatives. Despite Alice's last-minute efforts to convince the British that Hale is a loyal "Redcoat," the heroic schoolmaster regretfully gives but one life for his country. Playwright Clyde Fitch was credited as screenwriter for Heart of a Hero, which managed to generate a great deal of suspense despite the inevitability of the outcome.