Segretaria privata di Andy Hardy

In the tenth of sixteen Andy Hardy films it was decided to finally let Mickey Rooney graduate from Carvel High School. That event centers around all the plot situations in Andy Hardy's Private Secretary.

Hiring of a private secretary comes about through some bad bookkeeping by class president Mickey Rooney. When he hires a secretary, pretty Kathryn Grayson, the problems of her family which consists of father Ian Hunter and brother Todd Karns get intertwined with the Hardys. Fortunately wise old Lewis Stone as Judge Hardy is there to straighten it all out.

This film was Kathryn Grayson's feature film debut and she has a couple of opera arias delivered in fine style. Naturally she's the hit of the graduation.

One of the big problems is that Rooney involved that he is almost doesn't graduate because he flunks the final exam in English. Making matters worse was the English teacher is his aunt Sara Haden. But of course that too is resolved.

Was there ever a place as perfect as Carvel? Next to it George Bailey's Bedford Falls is positively sin city and that's before the angel does his thing.

Even Ann Rutherford as loyal girlfriend Polly Benedict takes Rooney back once again. Half, maybe more than half the Hardy films have Rooney getting involved with another girl like Grayson only to have Ann Rutherford take him back. Why she didn't give Mickey his walking papers permanently is one of the mysteries of the silver screen.

Still Andy Hardy's Private Secretary with its featured singing of Kathryn Grayson is a good example of why the series was so popular with Americans. Places like Carvel just had to exist somewhere in the USA.

It's time for Andy Hardy to graduate high school in this tenth entry in the wonderful MGM Hardy family series. In this one, big-headed Andy (Mickey Rooney) is so busy planning the graduation festivities that he neglects his studies and fails a big test, putting him in danger of not graduating. Enter his new friends Kathryn and Harry Land (Kathryn Grayson, Todd Karns) and good ol' Polly Benedict (Ann Rutherford) to help him pass the big test to graduate. In addition to this drama, Judge Hardy (Lewis Stone) try to help out Kathryn's dad (Ian Hunter), an international travel agent struggling to find work in small town Carvel. But Andy causes problems here, too.

Mickey Rooney and Lewis Stone are both in top form, as is the ever-adorable Ann Rutherford. For many fans of the Hardy series, this is one of the least liked entries. It's a long one (101 minutes) that juggles several different elements when it probably should have stuck to just a couple. It was also meant as a showcase for cute Kathryn Grayson, who makes her film debut here. There's the expected opera singing from her, if that floats your boat. She's the secretary of the film's title, by the way. Ian Hunter and Todd Karns both do great work as her father and brother. The problem is there's just a little too much focus on these guest stars. Fay Holden (Mrs. Hardy) gets only a few scenes and Cecilia Parker (sister Marian) is totally absent. Sara Haden's Aunt Milly does get a little more to do than usual, however, as she figures into the plot about Andy's flunking in a slightly contrived way. Still, despite some flaws, I happen to enjoy this one. The scene where Judge Hardy is driving Andy's jalopy is a hoot. I won't spoil it for you but it's one of my favorite scenes from any of the Hardy films. Another memorable scene has Andy dressed up as a Greek god in the graduation play he was putting on.

In this Andy Hardy installment, Andy is less girl crazy than in others. That is probably due to a shift in focus to Kathryn Grayson, making her noteworthy debut as Andy's classmate. It is understandable that MGM would want their newest surefire star to make a big splash in a vehicle that would guarantee plenty of viewers.

Judge Hardy teaches Andy lessons in charity and citizenship while assisting a family fallen on difficult times. Andy's classmates-Kathryn and Harry Land-are given roles in the high school graduation festivities as part of this project. Naturally, we get to hear Kathryn's amazing singing voice.

Andy, who is wrapped up in every aspect of the ceremonies, spreads himself too thin, but Kathryn becomes his private secretary, helping him with his organization. Still, he manages to bungle important details, causing consternation and some major problems.

Miss Grayson holds her own, acting-wise, with the rest of the cast, and her singing voice is a singular joy that surely must have wowed audiences in 1941. Still, she lacks the effervescence of another singing starlet who graces Andy Hardy films-Judy Garland, who would match Mickey Rooney's energy and hep-cred in various film pairings.

Andy Hardy's Private Secretary (1941)

** (out of 4)

Drawn-out tenth entry in the series finds Andy Hardy (Mickey Rourke) messing up some school banking records so his father (Lewis Stone) recommends him hire a poor girl (Kathryn Grayson) as his secretary. With Andy having so many things going on his loses site of some of his school work and ends up failing his final test, which means he won't be able to graduate. While all of this is going on the Judge is trying to get the poor girl's father a job but Andy manages to mess this up as well. This tenth entry doesn't have the greatest reputation but I actually enjoyed it less than many other reviews I've read. I don't think it's a horrible movie but at the same time it's missing the laughs and drama that the best films in the series have going for them. I think the biggest problem is the screenplay, which just seemed to have too much going on and the issues on hand just seem extremely forced on the viewer. The film starts off with Andy getting a lesson on what it's like to be poor but of course the Judge steps in and soon the poor family are on the path of a great life. Then, out of no where, Andy messes up and costs the family the job. We then flash towards another drama as Aunt Milly (Sara Haden) is forced to ruin Andy's future and life by failing him. I'm sure many might be willing to believe that the Aunt would fail Andy but I must admit that I really, really hated this entire subplot. I'm sure the film was trying to show the Aunt as an honest person by failing her own nephew but I still had a very hard time believing that she would do this. It's clear from previous films that the family is letting her stay with them and not for a second did I believe that she'd be willing to ruin her nephew's entire life over one single test. I also didn't care too much for the plot involving the father's search for a job because it seems the screenplay was just using it as a way to get Rooney and Grayson together. As you'd expect, Rooney and Stone are at the top of their game here as both deliver fine performances. Ian Hunter nearly steals the film as the girl's brother who is fighting for a scholarship and we get Fay Holden in one scene as mother. Ann Rutherford is fun as usual as the one and only Polly. ANDY HARDY'S PRIVATE SECRETARY isn't a really bad movie but at the same time I've come to expect more than what's offered up here.

After too many trips to New York and Chicago, staying home in Carville was a pleasant experience. There are touches of the sappiness of It's a Wonderful Life which extends to the casting. Watching in December probably helped the enjoyment level. With both the romance and Andy Hardy's overacting kept to a minimum the film resembles a simple sitcom. fans of a simpler era and a few smiles will enjoy this one.