Andy Hardy Banca o Sherlock

JUDGE HARDY AND SON (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1939), directed by George B. Seitz, the eighth in the now popular family series starring Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Cecilia Parker, Fay Holden and Sara Haden, its third 1939 series release and the last to label Judge Hardy's name in the title. Basically known to many as the "Andy Hardy" series, the opening credits not only resumes to subtitle this as "Judge Hardy's Family," but continues to have Lewis Stone's name listed first in the cast.

The story opens in Judge Hardy's (Lewis Stone) chambers in which a foreign born elderly couple, Gita (Maria Ouspenskaya) and her husband, Anton Volduzzi (Egon Breacher), a former night watchman, are in the process of losing their home and being in desperate need of financial help. The Volduzzi's have a wealthy daughter somewhere in Carvel, now a mother with a teenage daughter whom they haven't heard from in many years, to be the best possibly source of support. Hardy relies on his teenage son, Andrew (Mickey Rooney), who knows many young girls in the area, to possibly see if any one of them could me the missing Volduzzi, whose mother has married and now living under her married surname. In the midst of Andy's checking up with many young girls who may be a Volduzzi relation, Hardy's wife, Emily (Fay Holden), and her spinster sister, Milly Forrest (Sara Haden), prepare for a trip to Canada to be with their parents for their 50th wedding anniversary. However, Emily returns home prematurely very ill. Examined by the family physician, Doctor Jones (Henry Hull), she is diagnosed with pneumonia. The story shifts to heavy melodramatics as Hardy goes into worry, with Andy, in fear that his mother might be dying, driving through heavy downpousr to the other end of town get his sister, Marion (Cecilia Parker), back home for the family crisis.

Also in the supporting cast are June Preisser (Euphrasia V. Clark, the giggly blonde entering a contest on her essay on Alexander Hamilton); Martha O'Driscoll (Elvie Horton); Leona Maricle (Mrs. Horton);Margaret Early (Clarabelle V. Lee); Cliff Clark (Office Dan O'Shea), along with series regulars as Ann Rutherford (Polly Benedict), Erville Alderson (Hardy's Bailiff) and Georgie Breakston ("Beezy" Anderson. Marie Blake, who appeared as Augusta McBride in LOVE FINDS ANDY HARDY (1938), returns as the sharp-tongued housekeeper. Look for Rooney's real life father, Joe Yule, appearing as Munk, the tire man. What makes this entry interesting is seeing accomplished movie veterans as Henry Hull and Maria Ouspenskaya in fine support.

With 1939 being a busy year for Mickey Rooney, appearing in three "Andy Hardy" films, and two outside roles as THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, and the musical, BABES IN ARMS opposite Judy Garland, and its JUDGE HARDY AND SON co-stars as June Priesser and Henry Hull, Rooney was at the peak of his career. Containing plot elements ranging from light comedy to somber moments MGM style, JUDGE HARDY AND SON is standard and typical material. With Andy constantly bickering with his older sister, it's during the family crisis do they sentimentally show their love and how they truly feel about each other, this being one of the highlights. As MGM used this movie series as testing ground for its young starlets, few including Judy Garland and Lana Turner to have achieved super stardom, the young female co-stars for JUDGE HARDY AND SON featuring June Priesser, Martha O'Driscoll and Margaret Early would resume further careers at other movie studios. Forgotten by today's standards doesn't take away from fans of the series viewing this latest "Hardy Family" installment.

Part of the "Andy Hardy" package on DVD, JUDGE HARDY AND SON, along with others in the series, can be found broadcast of cable television's Turner Classic Movies. Next in the series, ANDY HARDY MEETS DEBUTANTE (1940 featuring the return engagement of Judy Garland as Betsy Booth from LOVE FINDS ANDY HARDY (1938). (***)

"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.

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.

I enjoy the Andy Hardy pictures and they certainly were popular. However, I must admit that enjoying them and seeing them as excellent pictures is not the same thing. The plots are often very formulaic and even a bit silly...yet, you like the characters...well, that is except for the god-awful Euphrasia!

The film begins in very typical fashion--Andy (Mickey Rooney) is in need of money. His broken down jalopy needs new tires and he wants to take Polly (Ann Rutherford) to the dance. When he learns about an essay contest with a $50 prize, that idiot Andy just ASSUMES he'll win and commits the $50 to a variety of merchants in town. Later, after finally getting down to reading the rules, he realizes he's not eligible for the prize money! What is poor Andy to do??? Well, he comes up with a scheme to help a couple girls possibly win the contest so he can split the money with them. He also learns that his father, the Judge (Lewis Stone), is looking for someone and Andy agrees to help...if he gets paid for the work. Will all this work out as planned? And where does the hellishly annoying Euphrasia Clark come into all this?! Oh, and by the way, Andy's mother almost dies...

As usual, there's an ending where everything works out, several scenes where the incredibly wise Judge Hardy dispense great wisdom and women inexplicably chase Andy about as if he's Tyrone Power! Still, despite all this silliness, it's fun and quite enjoyable.