L'amore trova Andy Hardy

Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938)

*** (out of 4)

Andy (Mickey Rooney) catches a break when girlfriend Polly (Ann Rutherford) must head out of town because this leaves him able to earn $8 for a car he wants to buy. All he has to do is date his best friend's girlfriend (Lana Turner) while he's out of town as he doesn't want her going around with any other boys. Things don't go as planned but at least Andy has his new neighbor (Judy Garland) who just happens to have a few plans of her own. This fourth film in the series is often considered by man to be the best but I'm not certain I'd go that far. If someone is looking for pure laughs there are funnier films in the series but at the same time it's easy to see why this one would get so much attention due to the terrific cast. I guess you could say Andy is the luckiest guy in the world if his biggest problem is dating women like Garland, Turner and Rutherford but that's the major of the film's storyline. There are a few minor subplots dealing with Judge (Lewis Stone) having to take care of the fort when his wife (Fay Holden) leaves to take care of her ill mother. I'm guessing mom was pretty much written out of this one simply because you had so many other characters that needed attention. Apparently this film was shot in just 19 days and was released to theaters less than two months after it was given the green light. It's hard to imagine any movie being written, shot and shown in such a short period of time but I guess you have to give the MGM factory credit for this. Even though I wouldn't name this the best of the series there are still enough good moments to make it a must see. The majority of the charm comes from Rooney and his energy as he tries to get through all these situations while at the same time learning various life lessons. It's hard to imagine anyone else in the role of Andy Hardy as Rooney is pitch perfect for it and he matches well with the three females. He and Rutherford always had that great charm in each film but the real shock was seeing how good he was with Turner. The two really seem to have great chemistry and this comes across during a terrific scene in the woods where they kiss and Rooney lets out a scream of pleasure to which Turner then laughs in hysterics. Garland certainly gets the majority of the screen time and she does a fine job as well. She also gets to sing three songs, which she does a good job with even though none of the songs are all that memorable. It goes without saying but Lewis Stone is at the top of his game as normal. LOVE FINDS ANDY HARDY is certainly a flick that any film buff should see simply because of the great cast. It's hard to think of a film with more young talent but they all deliver the goods and make this an entertaining little gem.

In Love Finds Andy Hardy, love descends upon Mickey Rooney like an invading army. It's amazing how he managed to get free from all of his romantic entanglements. But when you've got Judy Garland, Lana Turner, and Ann Rutherford all chasing you in the same film, you must be doing something right.

Those who followed the doings of the Hardy family in the theaters back in the day and on TCM now are aware of Mickey's girl friend Ann Rutherford who plays Polly Benedict in the series. Ann's going away from Carvel for the Christmas holidays and Andy has no one to take to the winter dance. Then at the same time he meets Judy Garland who is staying next door to the Hardys visiting an aunt and gets introduced to his friend Beezy's girl friend Lana Turner. Somehow the image of Lana Turner ever going out with a person named 'Beezy' doesn't compute.

Still Beezy who is played in the series by George Breakston is also going out of town and before long Rooney's got two dates to the dance with Garland and Turner and an unexpected Ann Rutherford returning home.

Now since this was right in the beginning of the Hardy series, you know Mickey got out of it and lived to romance another day. But Love Finds Andy Hardy if it belongs to anyone in the cast, the film is definitely Judy Garland's. Her personality so winning, there was never a question about her becoming a great star. She has some good songs to sing with In-Between and It Never Rains, But What It Pours which she sings well, but should have been Mickey's theme for this film.

What I liked best in the film is how Judy with a little psychology managed to get Rooney out of his entanglement with Turner. That's worth seeing the film alone for. There is also a couple of nice subplots involving a wayward juvenile before Judge Hardy played by Gene Reynolds and the fact that Mother (Fay Holden) is away at Christmas time tending to her mother.

Love Finds Andy Hardy is an average film for the series, but it's a milestone in that two screen legends who were very different types on the screen got significant career boosts from this film.

This has gotta be one of my all time favorite movies ever! It takes you back to simpler times, when cars were only $20 and makes you wish life could be like that now. Judy Garland is radiant in this movie, she absolutely steals every scene she is in! The movie is filled with an all star cast, including Mickey Rooney (well Hugh) Judy Garland (another duh) Lana Turner and others.

It's basically a story about Andy Hardy (played by Mickey Rooney) who gets into some girl trouble, and is helped by his neighbors granddaughter (Judy Garland) who is staying for Christmas. Judy sings some wonderful songs in this movie, especially "In-Between" it's such a believable song for a young girl to sing. They try to pass Judy off as a 12 year old, but she does look older. other than that, it's perfect!

Just Watch It.

On my trip to America this summer I decided to do I a little shopping. One on the DVD's I bought was Love Finds Andy Hardy, you see I am a big Judy Garland fan and I really wanted to buy as many Judy DVD's as I could afford while I was over there, as they only sell one or two in the UK.

Anyway when I watched this DVD later on I was amazed. I didn't not think it was going to be very good but it was amazing, not only that it was very funny. Judy has three numbers (In Between, It never Rains but What it Pours, Meet the Beat of my heart) which she sings brilliantly. Judy's acting in this film is also very good, and her continuous attempts to impress Andy are a mixture of comedy and sadness.

As for Mickey Rooney, I have never seen him in a film before and he too is also very funny. So with Judy and Mickey you have the perfect pair. I now understand why they did so many pictures together and it is a shame they don't sell more of them on DVD.

Lana Turner and Ann Rutherford also are great comedy stars, acting as posh, spoilt brats.

All in all I think Love finds Andy Hardy is a amazing film and everyone should own a copy of it on DVD or Video!

Once again, MICKEY ROONEY is in all sorts of trouble and Judge Hardy is always there to get him out of it--or at least talk things over with him. And this time, the accent is on his girl troubles. It's kind of amusing just to see the pretty ANN RUTHERFORD and a very young LANA TURNER throwing themselves at Rooney the way they do--I mean, let's fact it, he was never a looker.

Gone are the days when teens dressed like they do here--Rooney wearing a derby on a bright summer day and not a pair of jeans in sight. The script has Ann Rutherford's Polly going away on a Christmas visit to an aunt, which gives Rooney an excuse to discover Lana Turner's Cynthia at a swimming pool. She serves as his playmate for this particular Hardy story and it's easy to see why MGM kept her under contract for years to come.

JUDY GARLAND is Betsy Booth, who announces right at the start that she's "going to be on the stage some day"--and was that a good prediction! She also gets to sing a few numbers in the now famous Garland style.

The plot ambles along predictably and pleasantly, as most Hardy films do, and suffice it to say that Rooney's fling with Lana Turner is the most enjoyable aspect of the story and well played by both youngsters. But boy, could he mug! Yes, even then, he dispensed with some pretty extravagant bits of mugging that became more and more pronounced as the years went on. Some called it talent--others may have disagreed. Whatever it was, he was a very popular box-office star at the time this one was made.

Summing up: Pleasant enough for Hardy fans, and certainly a reminder of how different times were for teens in the late '30s.