Judge Hardy and Son

This film uncharacteristically introduces a lot of pathos in the plot when Mickey Rooney's mother, Fay Holden, gets pneumonia halfway through the film. It makes Mickey realize that his problems pale in significance to a real problem of life and death; it brings the family closer together and makes Mickey grow up a little. There's a touching scene with his sister, Cecilia Parker, where they admit to one another they really like each other despite their constant fighting. I loved that scene, which made the film so different from most of the others. It did not, however, detract from the good comedy throughout, with Mickey getting into hot water through his actions, going deeply into debt thinking he'll win a prize, inviting two girls to the Fourth-of-July fireworks celebration and constantly battling with his car to keep it running. Lewis Stone also shines as his father, looking for the daughter of an elderly Italian immigrant couple to keep them from losing their home, and getting Mickey to help find her. If you see only one film from this very popular series, this one would be a good choice. It's also a good chance to see Mickey in the first scene he played with his real-life father, Joe Yule, who plays Munk, the tire man.

The film opens with Judge Hardy (Lewis Stone) talking to an older couple, the Volduzzis, that come to his chambers asking about a document that says their home will be foreclosed on. The husband is out of work and they do not have the money to pay the bank. The judge asks if they have any children who could help them out, and the woman answers with a suspicious "no". In other words, Judge Hardy thinks they do have a son or daughter, but don't want to admit it.

Andy Hardy (Mickey Rooney) has a car in bad need of repair and no money with which to fix it. The Judge tells Andy he'll give him five dollars if he can find out if the older couple has children and locate them. In the process of doing this Andy gets mixed up with three girls who each cause Andy his share of trouble. And then Andy's mother becomes seriously ill and he finds out what real worries are.

By this time the two stars of the Hardy family series are Lewis Stone and Mickey Rooney and the focus is usually their strong father/son relationship via their father/son talks over some mess Andy has gotten himself into. I found this entry to be one of the best of the series as it has some compelling drama balanced with the comedy.

The judge does have the patience of a saint when it comes to his son, who gets into terrible trouble with money when he doesn't read the entire flyer talking about a cash prize for the best essay about Alexander Hamilton, and goes out and spends the prize money ahead of time. This one did bring up a couple of issues about the law. The first is - Why is it always said that debtors could be put in jail in these 30s films when debtors prison was outlawed in the United States in 1833? The second legal issue is that of filial responsibility laws - the obligation to pay the debts of your parents. Prior to Medicare and Social Security these laws were on the books in many states but started being phased out in the 1960s or at least not enforced.

If you like the Hardy family series of films from MGM, I think you'll really like this one too. It's very much cinematic comfort food.

The Andy Hardy series gets a little serious in Judge Hardy And Son. Mickey Rooney gets a chance to do a little detective work on behalf of the court looking for a daughter to an elderly Italian immigrant couple who are in danger of losing their home. The elderly couple is played by Egon Brecher and Maria Ouspenskaya, neither exactly Italian, but in those days they were always cast as all purpose European ethnics.

Cecilia Parker and Mickey Rooney are having their usual brother and sister spats. And Rooney despite ever faithful Ann Rutherford gets himself involved with mush mouth southern belle June Preiser as a result of his search on behalf of Lewis Stone.

The Hardy family does come to crisis when Fay Holden who begged off a trip to see her parents on their golden wedding anniversary develops a touch of pleurisy. That moves quickly to pneumonia and the woman needs round the clock nursing care. Everyone else's troubles fade as the heart of the home threatens to stop beating.

Even Lewis Stone is knocked off kilter with his wife's illness, but in the end comes around to give Mickey Rooney the same old advice about love and life which Mickey keeps hearing, but it never quite takes.

One of the more enjoyable Andy Hardy films.

Eighth entry in the Hardy series has the Judge (Lewis Stone) assigning Andy to help locate the daughter of an immigrant couple in danger of losing their home. Meanwhile Andy is having his usual girl and money troubles that will inevitably lead to one of the patented man-to-man talks with his dad. In the middle of all of this, the movie takes a somber turn as Mrs. Hardy comes down with pneumonia and battles for her life.

Not one of the stronger Hardy films but still enjoyable. The mother illness subplot that takes over the middle is out of place with the rest of the movie. It feels very much like they needed something dramatic so they threw that in there. Still, the Hardy series was always top quality so they manage to make it all fit together as best they can. The cast of regulars is terrific, as usual. Always love seeing Ann Rutherford's adorable Polly Benedict. Henry Hull has a bit part as a doctor and Maria Ouspenskaya a small role as part of the immigrant couple that sets the story into motion. But the scene stealer of the movie has to be June Preisser as Euphrasia 'Phrasie Daisy' Clark, her first of two Andy Hardy appearances. I defy anybody to suppress a smile when she says "Phrasie Daisy loves Andy Pandy."

"Judge Hardy and Son" is the eighth in the series of Andy Hardy films. It contains Andy's usual high school hi-jinks, his usual money problems, and his usual girl troubles.

It is important to remember that the studio was cranking out these Andy Hardy films as fast as they could, wanting to capitalize on Mickey Rooney's popularity. As a result, some of the scripts were repetitive, if not uninspired.

In this installment, there are a couple of serious subjects, especially a threatening illness that befalls Andy's mother. Judge Hardy offers some sober observations about faith and the proper appreciation of life itself. Then the comedy continues.

The film has a hasty resolution, as with an episode in a series. Because the next Andy Hardy film would follow shortly, this is understandable and, to some extent, excusable. But the overall story--except for the section about the illness--lacks depth. Even the sections devoted to Andy's love interests feel shortchanged.