Henry Aldrich was a staple in American entertainment from the late 1930s into the 1950s, though he's largely forgotten today. It all began as a Broadway play, which eventually gave rise to a radio series, a film series, and later a television show. This film marks the beginning of the film series, with which Paramount undoubtedly aimed to counter the immense popularity of MGM's teenage Andy Hardy films at that point of film history.
What made the film interesting to me was the screenplay work by Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett. I had listened to a few episodes of the Henry Aldrich radio series some time ago, and those gave the impression of a harmless, somewhat nostalgic Americana-style comedy about youth. Wilder and Brackett, however, were generally known for much more cynical material. How does that fit together?
While Henry Aldrich doesn't end up dead in a pool like the lead character in Wilder's ,Sunset Boulevard', the tone of this film is still much darker than what I had experienced from the radio series (perhaps also due to the Broadway play it's based on). It deals with teenage anxieties; we see parents with excessive expectations, indifferent or actively bullying classmates, and mostly frustrated and bitter teachers. High school is portrayed as a kind of hell where Henry gets the stick for everything, and there are more than a few shots fired at the school system -the Andy Hardy series never dared to be that subversive. While the film ultimately delivers the expected happy ending, it only comes after considerable hardship. And it also tells us: Henry can only be happy at a different, special kind of school and with more understanding teachers, not at a generic Central High that works better for smooth-talking opportunists and yes-men. Even today, some students still slide more easily through the school system than others, and these are mostly those who are quirky, edgy, complicated, or simply don't fit the mold - in that sense, the film remains timeless.
Jackie Cooper does a solid job in the lead role; Betty Field may be a bit too old on paper to convincingly play a teenager (she was ten years older than her 17-year-old co-star), but as the excellent actress she is, she still pulls it off. Vaughan Glaser plays perhaps the most interesting supporting role, as the weary and at times sarcastic principal. The direction, unfortunately, is fairly standard and uninspired, with almost no interesting camera work or editing choices. As a result, the film's origins as a stage play are quite noticeable.
Overall, a quite good comedy-drama and a kind of time capsule into the American school system of the 1930s.
