Andy Hardy Milionário

Judge Hardy discovers that he may have inherited two million dollars, and in order to claim it he and the family must travel to Detroit. From there, fairly predictable situations arise as everyone basks in extravagances and some people try to take advantage, but this is a decent enough installment that features girl-crazy Andy trying to grow up fast while out on the town. Of course, there is a lesson to be learned as well from Lewis Stone's fatherly figure, and it's a matter of whether or not lying and cheating is any way to come into millions of dollars.

**1/2 out of ****

In the sixth Andy Hardy movie, Mickey Rooney is a real pain in the neck. He completely acts his age, so you'd better get ready for a bunch of sixteen-year-old antics. The patriarch of the family, Lewis Stone, finds out that he's potentially the heir to a two-million-dollar fortune, and when the entire family goes to Detroit to explore the family tree, everyone gets into trouble.

Calling all Sara Haden fans: Aunt Millie finally gets a romance! She has an impassioned speech at the start of the movie, lamenting her role as the spinster aunt in the family and society, and she meets a respectable, considerate, handsome man on the airplane. Later on, she gives herself a makeover and appears at dinner with her hair done up and in a beautiful gown. Fay Holden bursts into tears, and Mickey says, "Don't cry! Aunt Millie will make herself ugly again if you want her to!" It's insulting, but classically blunt in Andy Hardy fashion. Mickey doesn't limit his insults to his aunt, and says to his father, "You're old; you couldn't change even if you wanted to," as Lewis Stone struggles to keep his hurt feelings to himself. Poor Judge Hardy; he has to take so much from his son. In every movie, he has to juggle everyone else's problems as well as his own, and he has at least one "man-to-man" talk with Mickey. Usually these famous talks are about girls or financial problems, and this movie proves to be no exception. He has an unending amount of patience; I've seen almost every one of the Andy Hardy movies, and he has yet to lose his temper.

Mickey and Cecilia Parker both get into trouble wanting to fit in with the upper crust. They buy things they can't afford and make friends with the wrong crowd. "Summon the butler!" Mama Hardy declares. Right on cue, Halliwell Hobbes introduces himself as the butler. How fitting, since he made a career of playing dozens of butlers in old movies! Fay Holden is the only one who doesn't let the money go to her head. She doesn't buy fancy clothes and still concerns herself with the daily cooking for her family. She and Lewis have a couple of cute scenes together, reminding the young folks in the audience that their parents were once young and in love, too.

All in all, this movie isn't that great. Mickey's ridiculous antics and manipulative, bratty personality are tough to take. I did like Sara Haden's part, and Lewis Stone's model father role is at his best. He's known as Honest Judge Hardy for a reason. Keep in mind, Sara Haden's best known for her role as the spinster aunt in these movies, so don't get your hopes up. If you do like her, though, this is the movie that gives her the biggest part, and I'm sure she appreciated getting such a big chunk of the story.

I loved some of the Andy Hardy films. All of the Hardy films with Judy Garland were great because I just love Judy so much. Especially "Love finds Andy Hardy" with Judy's wonderful tearjerking song "I'm just an in between". And I loved all the backyard Judy/ Mickey musicals i.e. " Babes on Broadway", "Strike up the band", etc. I also loved " Andy Hardy's double life" cause I love Esther Williams and that was her sweet debut.

"The Hardy's ride high" was one of my least favorites of the series for several reasons. Andy makes a very stupid move with a beautiful girl which I explain more later in this review. Judge Hardy was a little more over the top here than normal. His usual honest, sensible character here seemed a little less sensible here than normal, such as his reaction to when Andy told Dad how he spread a bunch of lies about him being a dumb drunk. Dad/Judge didn't even have a reaction, which I didn't quite get. I also don't get how Andy told lies about his dad that extreme, when his dad had always been so good to him. Compared to how a lot of fathers have treated their kids in more recent times, Andy's dad was very good to him. The Hardy's fly to Detroit in this film and are looking at possibly inheriting 2 million dollars. Wow, for 1942, that's like the good life for the rest of their lives and then some. We get a look at the old style passenger propeller planes of the 40s before jet aircraft were invented. And back then, only the very rich flew, which the Hardy's were in this film. The middle classes usually travelled long distance by train back then. We also get a look at a Detroit car factory, Detroit being the city of car building since the early 1900s. General Motors had been there since the 1920s. Anyway, Andy meets this guy who invites him to a chorus girl club. At the club right away, this dancing beauty winks and smiles at Andy, and gives him her address to come over to her place after the show. What is it Micky Rooney had that made him such a ladies man? Even other characters in his films seem to keep asking him that. Anyway, this is the part where Andy makes the stupidest move. He's at the girl's apartment. The place looks very nice and fancy, bottles of liquor, and a maid addressing him formally, "Wont you please come in Mr. Hardy". Then the girl shows up looking so gorgeous, dressed stunningly, and showing Andy the utmost pleasure, interest, gentleness, flirting smiles and warmth. What does Andy do? He runs! He runs away as fast as he can. I DON'T GET THAT. I could somewhat understand him not wanting to cheat on Ann Rutherford/Polly, but she already cheated on him in this film with " Mr. Fancy pants". Besides, Andy and Ann were never that committed, they were always fooling around with other people. They were always "on again, off again". Sort of like Kevin Arnold and Winnie Cooper in the " Wonder Years". Anyway, how could Andy run away from that wonderful beauty who invited him for special, personal, one on one time in her lavish apartment? I don't get it! Then he drops and loses his friend's $170 cigarette case while running away in his sudden case of idiocy. That and Judge Hardy not being all up to scratch in this film is the reason I gave it a 6.

Andy Hardy (Mickey Rooney) wins the big football game but Polly Benedict is trying to make Andy jealous. Judge James Hardy could inherit $2 million and goes to Detroit to back up the claim. The family joins him on the trip. Philip Westcott is the adopted son who would inherit without the Judge's claim and is working secretly to undermine the Hardy family.

It's the sixth film in the Hardy family franchise. Mickey Rooney is being Andy but he's starting to learn his lessons. It's Judge Hardy being the father figure and a man of principles. He can be a little too holier than thou. The opening case is both forward thinking and rather old fashion. Aunt Milly has a big side story. This is the family being the family. I do fear that the money would go to Philip but there is something more than winning in this case.

This is the sixth in the series and boy were they cranking them out! They had a successful formula and they were running with it.

The Hardys find they are due to receive a $2 million inheritance, once they take care of some formalities. They pack up the family and travel to Detroit--the big city.

Of course every family member sees his dreams coming true. Andy has plans to become a millionaire playboy. Daughter Marian plans to spend her dollars on dresses and plusher living quarters. Even Judge Hardy catches the fever.

From the beginning, the viewer knows what the final result will be. But there are some surprises--especially regarding the judge, who feels responsible for the well-being of the entire clan.

As in every installment, Andy and Judge Hardy have their man-to-man talk, which yields benefits for them both. And like every episode, basic small-town American values are affirmed.