ANDY HARDY'S BLONDE TROUBLE (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1944), directed by George B. Seitz, marks the 14th installment to the popular "Judge Hardy's Family/Andy Hardy" comedy series that all began as A FAMILY AFFAIR in 1937. Having graduated from Carvel High School with his classmates back in 1941, three years have lapsed since graduation day from ANDY HARDY'S PRIVATE SECRETARY (1941), followed by a few installments before Andy finally heads out for college by the end of ANDY HARDY'S DOUBLE LIFE (1942). Rather than titling this as ANDY HARDY GOES TO COLLEGE, it becomes ANDY HARDY'S BLONDE TROUBLE, meaning the usual antics involving Andy and more girl trouble along the way to college.
Starting off where the previous film, ANDY HARDY'S DOUBLE LIFE (1942) left off (over a year since its last release), Andy Hardy (Mickey Rooney) leaves parents, Judge James K. Hardy (Lewis Stone) and Emily (Fay Holden), his Aunt Milly (Sara Haden) and his hometown of Carvel on a train bound for Wainwright College, now a co-ed university. (The train sequence which follows lasts nearly 40 minutes). While on board, Andy meets Kay Wilson (Bonita Granville), a girl raised by her guardian; Doctor M.J. Standish (Herbert Marshall), a middle-aged gentleman who not only winds up being a former student at Wainwright College, and his father's old classmate, but to be his college dean; and blonde sisters, the flirtatious Lee (Lee Wilde) and serious-minded Lynn Walker (Lynn Wilde). It so happens that the Walker girls are identical twins traveling separately so not to give away their secret that their father, believing Lee is heading for Vermont, that his daughters should be spending more time apart than always together. Yet complications ensue as the confused Andy believes one of the girls to be an individual and not a twin, especially after having loaned one of them money needed for his college expenses. While back in Carvel, Judge Hardy is treated for his tonsilectomy by by Lee Wong How (Keye Luke), a Japanese doctor from Brooklyn (New York). After his recovery, Judge Hardy visits Wainwright College to see how his son is doing, with some surprises ahead.
Other members in the cast are: Jean Porter (Kathy, Beezy Anderson's sister, who dumps her $8 car in the custody of Judge Hardy); Marta Linden (Mrs. Townsend); Connie Gilchrist (Mrs. Gordon); Tommy Dix (Mark); Jackie Moran (Spud); Irving Bacon, Eddie Acuff and Frank Sully (The Taxi Drivers). Series regulars as Marion Hardy (Cecilia Parker); Polly Benedict (Ann Rutherford) and Beezy Anderson (Georgie Breakstone) do not appear. With this strictly Andy Hardy material, Lewis Stone still resumes his star-billing over Mickey Rooney's name in the casting credits. A classic Cole Porter tune, "Easy to Love" is vocalized by The Wilde Twins.
Aside from being the longest (107 minutes) of the entire 16-film series, ANDY HARDY'S BLONDE TROUBLE simply takes time resolving situations involved. The big surprise comes by the appearance of British-American actor, Herbert Marshall, known for his many movie roles dating back to 1930, in notable support, along with Keye Luke (of the "Charlie Chan" series) carrying on his role of Doctor Lee Wong How from the "Doctor Kildare" movie series starring Lew Ayres and Lionel Barrymore. While its extreme length might cause the movie to drag in spots, at least the cast members and Andy Hardy's blonde trouble simply add to its enjoyment.
Never distributed on video cassette but available on DVD, ANDY HARDY'S BLONDE TROUBLE can be found broadcast on cable television's Turner Classic Movies. Next installment: LOVE LAUGHS AT ANDY HARDY (1946) reuniting Mickey with Bonita Granville and their further adventures at Wainwright College. (***)
