Cupido contra Andy Hardy

In the last decades of his life, I came to dislike Mickey Rooney. This was based on what I heard about the man, which gave me the impression that he was a delusional, self-aggrandizing, and self promoting, jackass.

However, I started to reevaluate him after I heard the director of Breakfast At Tiffany's say that he always regretted casting Rooney in that picture.

I had always thought that Rooney did a great job as the Japanese clown character he created for Tiffany's. He seemed to me to be the perfect counterpoint to Hepburn's pseudo-sophisticated New Yorker character.

Then tonight I saw Love Laughs at Andy Hardy (1946)and I was blown away by Rooney's command of the screen, and the poise he had in the character he created. The movie itself was just OK. But Rooney drew my attention in every frame he was in. For someone as young as he was in that movie, to have that kind of screen presence, really surprised me.

There was a reason he was a big deal back in the day. There was a reason he was a big box office draw back in the day. I have a new found respect for the man who's shadows I see flicker away at me in those old movies.

Tony

The penultimate Andy Hardy movie is really, for me, the end of the series. When it returned years later in an attempt to revive things, it just wasn't the same. There's no Hardy family without Judge Hardy, in my opinion. Anyway this one was released two years after the previous one. We learn in between films Andy (Mickey Rooney) served in the war. He's home now and anxious to reunite with Kay (Bonita Granville), his girlfriend from the last movie. Andy's planning to marry Kay and settle down. His parents aren't too crazy about this idea. They want Andy to finish college before thinking about marriage. Turns out it doesn't matter as Kay has other plans for her future.

What would an Andy Hardy movie be without pretty girls? Here we have the lovely Bonita Granville, Dorothy Ford, and Lina Romay. This Lina is not to be confused with the later actress and wife of Jesús Franco. This one was mostly known for her singing, as well as her appearance in a popular Droopy cartoon. Granville is a charming actress but her character is rather dull and the whole 'romance with my legal guardian' thing is just gross. Dorothy Ford, who was over six feet tall, is beautiful and easily the highlight of the picture. The usual Hardy cast is solid, with Mickey doing a decent job portraying a maturing Andy but not TOO mature. After all, Andy Hardy would be boring if his head was on too straight.

This is the last Hardy film to feature Lewis Stone's Judge Hardy. Stone continued acting after this but he died before the next Hardy movie, Andy Hardy Comes Home, which was a failed attempt to reboot the series. When the series started out, Judge Hardy was the main character. But as Mickey Rooney's Andy grew in popularity, he took the spotlight and the Judge was reduced to a supporting part (albeit still an important one). As I've said in other Hardy movie reviews, Judge Hardy was the backbone of the series. His loving relationship with wife Emily (played by the endearing Fay Holden) and his fatherly advice to his children, particularly Andy, was at the heart of everything that happened with the Hardys. Often the series drew its A or B plot from one of the cases brought before Judge Hardy in court. Yes, Judge Hardy is also the lightning rod for most of the criticisms that are leveled at these movies. It's through him that many of the series' old-fashioned values and ideas are put forth. If you are someone who mocks the series, chances are the Judge is your least favorite character. Personally, I like him a lot, even if I don't always agree with him. Without the Judge, as played so well by Lewis Stone, the series would have been just a bunch of juvenile comedies with Mickey mugging for the camera and it might not have lasted as long as it did.

For die-hard fans of the series, there is a little to like here but not a lot . I imagine most fans would consider this one of the lesser entries. There are still some good scenes, such as Andy locking himself out of the house while in his aunt's bath robe or all of the scenes with Andy and the much-taller Coffy Smith. But, for the most part, the mood and feel of the movie is just off compared to previous ones. It's slow and lacks the energy that the earlier Hardy movies had. It's certainly not one I would recommend to anybody trying out an Andy Hardy film for the first time. But, for fans, you'll have to see it at least once. If for no other reason than one final man-to-man talk between Andy and his father.

Mickey Rooney made about a dozen and a half Andy Hardy films--and this is among the very last. Because of this, it's certainly far from original and lacks the energy of the earlier entries. It's also oddly depressing at times.

This installment finds Andy returning home from the war...and it was sure swell. However, instead of dealing with PTSD or the looming threat of international communism, Andy is in a daze--obsessed with his latest love, Kay Wilson (Bonita Granville). His plan is to go off to college using the GI Bill and marry Kay the co-ed. However, soon his plans fall apart, as it turns out that Kay has other plans. Additionally, although he goes to school, oddly, you never see him attend any classes! By the end, the audience is feeling a bit uneasy about his pain as well as a sense of déjà vu, as Andy is ALWAYS having girl trouble.

Aside from a cute side story about Andy dating a gigantic lady, the film has little in the way of interesting content or originality. It's clearly a film for the die-hard Hardy groupies and is reasonably entertaining but nothing more. And, incidentally, it's in the public domain and may be copied and viewed for free following the links on IMDb...though I wouldn't necessarily rush to do this.

Andy Hardy (Mickey Rooney) is home from the war. His mind is mostly stuck on marriage and his college girlfriend Kay Wilson (Bonita Granville). Misunderstandings, chaos, and heartbreak ensue.

Andy is just not Andy when he is focused on one girl. There is something off about this one. This temporarily ends the series until 12 years later when the final movie fails to revive the franchise. I never really liked Kay. She always seems to have one foot out the door. In the previous movie, I would be perfectly happy with Wilde twins. There is a fun gag with a very tall girl. Otherwise, this is fairly blah.

LOVE LAUGHS AT ANDY HARDY (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1946), "the special Academy Award series," directed by Willis Goldbeck, returns Mickey Rooney to his title role after a two year absence. After serving in the Army during World War II, Rooney returned to Hollywood, to his home studio of MGM, and to the "Judge Hardy's Family/Andy Hardy" series. There have been some changes since its last episode, ANDY HARDY'S DOUBLE TROUBLE (1944). This was the first in the series where Mickey Rooney's name heads the cast, as opposed to Lewis Stone's name coming first over Rooney's during the past thirteen episodes. This was the only film in the series to mention anything regarding current events of World War II, since Andy Hardy, like Mickey Rooney, has also served in the armed forces. Cecilia Parker as Andy's older sister, Marion, and Ann Rutherford as Andy's girlfriend, Polly Benedict, are not present. Marion is mentioned through both telegram and conversation, while Polly's name comes up from her on-screen father, George Benedict (Addison Richards). Oddly enough, Sara Haden as Andy's Aunt Milly, is billed third in the credits rather than Fay Holden, as the mother, whose name is usually listed higher rather than sixth billed. Bonita Granville, who appeared in the last (and longest) segment of the series, returns as Kay Wilson. Not to be confused with its similar-sounding title to LOVE FINDS ANDY HARDY (1938) that featured Judy Garland, LOVE LAUGHS AT ANDY HARDY gets one last look at Judge Hardy's family and what they've been doing since they were last seen in movie theaters in 1944.

World War II is over. It's New Years Day, January 1, and the Hardy family, including Judge James K. Hardy (Lewis Stone), wife Emily (Fay Holden) and Aunt Milly Forrest (Sara Haden) celebrate welcoming their son, Andy (Mickey Rooney) home to Carvel after two years in the Armed forces. Now a ex-soldier and a mature young man, Andy plans resuming his studies at Wainwright College to become a lawyer. The Hardy's soon discover Andy's sole interest happens to be on Kay Wilson (Bonita Granville), the girl he earlier met at Wainwright and intends to marry. Before he can pop the question to Kay, Andy is first introduced to Spanish singer, Isobel Gonzalez (Lina Romay), a visiting friend of Polly Benedict, and later escorts a very tall six-foot model, Coffy Smith (Dorothy Ford) to a Frosh dance, much to his embarrassment since his parents happen to be there during their Alumni Homecoming Week. As Andy finally gets together with Kay, he learns she also has some news for him as well. Will it be up to Judge Hardy or Andy to decide what to do from there?

In the supporting cast are Dick Simmons (Dane Kitteridge, Kay's 35 year-old guardian); Clinton Sundberg (The Haberdashery Proprietor); Geraldine Wall (Miss Geeves); Charles Peck (Tommy Gilchrist); Hal Hackett (Duke Johnson); and Lucien Littlefield (The Telegraph Clerk). Other than Addison Richards' last appearance in the series, it also became Lewis Stone's 13th and final role as Judge Hardy and his "man-to-man" talks with his son. Songs included are: "Beneath the Border" (sung by Lina Romay in Spanish and English during the Carvel Country Club dance); "Hail to Wainwright" by Earl Brent and David Snell; and "I Like You Very Much" (sung by Lina Romay).

With changing tastes of movie entertainment during the post World War II era, this new edition to the "Andy Hardy" series, with some updated themes, seemed outdated and no longer popular for audience tastes. By 1947, MGM ended its franchise with lesser editions to its once popular "Maisie," "Thin Man" and "Doctor Kildare/Gillespie" series. While this could have been the very last movie audiences would get to see the Hardy family, there was a reunion edition produced a decade later titled ANDY HARDY COMES HOME (MGM, 1958), returning series regulars as Fay Holden, Cecilia Parker and Sara Haden (Lewis Stone has since died in 1953 and not recast). While this seemed like a good idea, the 16th installment became the least known and successful of them all. It really wasn't that bad, but production looked more like an extended television episode than a motion picture. Flashback sequences from previous installments were the film's few highlights. The Hardy off-springs weren't likable, but most of all, without Lewis Stone, the magic was completely gone. At least LOVE LAUGHS AT ANDY HARDY still offered amusing moments during its 94 minutes, including Andy getting locked out of the house while trying to take a bath; Andy's jitterbug dance with the giant girl, Coffy; etc., otherwise, the series magic was slowly fading. It was natural that Mickey Rooney was ready to move on to stronger and better parts. At least his boxing film, KILLER McCOY (1947) was a step in the right direction, but not enough to elevate his star status to what it once was a few short years ago.

Of all the "Andy Hardy" entries, LOVE LAUGHS AT ANDY HARDY was the only one in the franchise to fall into public domain. It's availability on both video cassette and DVD are usually presented in second generation copies. The best and complete prints to this edition are found on cable television's Turner Classic Movies. (**1/2)