A Family Affair

This is the first of the Hardy Family series of movies. The formula for that series is well known and a part of film lore. This film helps establish some of the values that made America fall in love with The Hardy's, but there are differences in this film that set it apart.

The actors who portray the Hardy's are not all the same. Mickey Rooney, who later became the focus of the family by dint of his energetic and lovable performances, is here. But Judge Hardy and his wife are played by Lionel Barrymore and Spring Byington. It would be easy to prefer the actors who carried on these roles in the later episodes, but Barrymore plays the judge with an energy that is suited for this story (see the scene where he physically throws a man out of his chambers) and Byington, in a subordinate role, really displays the love of a mother and wife (note her reaction when her eldest daughter reveals the path her marriage has taken).

It is true that the Andy Hardy movies are anchored in the values that middle America sees as sacrosanct: good citizenship, democracy, the primacy of the family, a religious outlook. This film establishes those values, but if one looks closer, it is easy to see (in this film) how flimsy those values may be. In even a more dramatic way than Inge's Picnic demonstrates, A Family Affair reveals how shallow people and society may be.

Good citizenship may be an established basis for societies and their governments, but the political process is depicted in this film as run by a corrupt political machine designed to profit ruthless men who care only about their own wealth. Judge Hardy is an exception--an educated man who is willing to suffer scorn in the name of duty and the concept of justice.

Religious values may be advertised as charitable and forgiving, but this film shows that the measure of a town's morals is not how many churches dot the landscape or how many Bible verses are read. In a small town where a man's reputation is his measure and agreements are made on the basis of handshakes, we see that many delight in ruining reputations and that the mob mentality prevails when times get tough.

Democracy might be touted as the cornerstone of American governmental process, but the rule of the majority is nothing more than mob rule. Government's true rule is to protect the rights of those in the minority also.

In the end, it is strength of the Hardy family unit--personified by Judge Hardy--that pulls the family through the crises of its individuals and its external stresses. When Judge Hardy strides into the convention and Andy yells "Give it to them with both barrels, Dad," he has no inkling what his father intends. He displays a fundamental faith in his father and the principles he stands for. His father beams in response, because it is that trust he most cherishes, knowing it binds the family and protects them against any threats.

The primacy of the family is a theme that runs through all of the Hardy Family films and it is one of the reasons this series was so popular.

A Family Affair is well worth seeing, both because it is the first in a series and because it stands apart from the others. There is even a great chase scene. Such action was not used in the later Hardy Family films, which focused entirely on personal interactions.

This is a excellent start to the film career of Mickey Rooney. His talents here shows that a long career is ahead for him. The car and truck chase is exciting for the 1937 era. This start of the Andy Hardy series is an American treasure in my book. Spring Byington performance is excellent as usual. Please Mr Rooney or owners of the film rights, take a chance and get this produced on DVD. I think it would be a winner.

... as the cast is quite different in this installment versus all of the others. Lewis Stone takes the place of Lionel Barrymore as Judge James Hardy, Fay Holden is Mrs. Hardy versus Spring Byington, Polly Benedict is played by Ann Rutherford, and oldest daughter Joan is erased from existence. With her being married, maybe MGM thought that keeping her in the cast for further installments would be just too busy and crowded.

Here, Judge Hardy has issued a temporary restraining order on the building of a new aqueduct for the town of Carvel, in response to a petition by a citizen. But the town businessmen object to Hardy's action and threaten to oppose to his renomination at an upcoming political convention if he won't withdraw the restraining order. When the townspeople hear about it, they are up in arms, because they see it as needlessly impeding progress. Andy Hardy is mad at his dad because his new girlfriend, Polly Benedict, can't see him because her father is mad the judge over the restraining order. Middle daughter Marion is mad at her dad because the guy she has gotten serious with doesn't have a job if the aqueduct isn't being built. And finally, the judge's oldest daughter Joan is on the verge of divorce because her husband - incorrectly - suspects her of infidelity and has left her. So the judge has his hands full both at home AND at the office.

Don't expect a big dose of Andy Hardy in this one - at this point he's just an energetic supporting player as this is Lionel Barrymore's film all of the way. But other than that, everybody is pretty much in character right out of the gate. Later in the same year that this film came out, Lionel Barrymore would become wheelchair bound due to a combination of arthritis and a broken hip. Thus it would have been impossible for him to continue to play Judge Hardy. Instead he was made Dr. Gillespie in the Dr. Kildare series of movies, also at MGM.

I'd recommend this series of films. They are very well done to be a B series, but then MGM had the money and star power to stock their Bs with good production values and good actors. And they are a window into the world of small-town America in the years running up to WWII - a world that would pretty much vanish with the young men all going to war, then to college on the GI bill, and then on to office jobs and homes in the suburbs of the big cities.

First in the wonderful Andy Hardy series from MGM. For those who don't know, this series was as wholesome and American as apple pie. It draws snickers and insults from the "too cool for school" crowd but don't let that put you off of trying these fine films. They were quality dramas with dashes of comedy and lots of heart. The plot to this one has Judge Hardy (Lionel Barrymore) ticking off some businessmen and local politicians over a land deal. So the big shots, including former friends of the judge, band together to try to stop his re-election. There's also a subplot involving the judge's eldest daughter's troubled marriage that intersects with the judge's problems. Meanwhile, son Andy (Mickey Rooney) has the first of many girl problems in this series.

This is the only entry to feature sister Joan. Not sure why she was dropped but the series isn't hurt by it. The roles of Judge Hardy and his wife would be recast in the next film with Lewis Stone and Fay Holden, who would play the roles for the remainder of the series. Once you see them in the parts it will be hard to imagine that anybody else could do the roles justice. Also Mickey Rooney's Andy would become the star of the later films, whereas in the early films (such as this) Judge Hardy is clearly the star. It's a fantastic series that gets its start here in this somewhat atypical but still high quality movie.

This was a charming movie which I unfortunately tuned into half way through, shown on Turner Classic Movies in the wee hours on May 19, 2004. I'll look for it again and tape it. I was surprised to see Lionel Barrymore as Judge Hardy. Very creditable performance. Probably he wasn't used again in the resultant series because of his ill health, but I'm just guessing. It was indeed a treat to see pre-December Bride Spring Byngton (how many of you readers can name her co-stars in that sit com?). And who can name the Western series she was featured in some 40 years ago? I digress. Turner has just started Judge Hardy's Children with Lewis Stone taking his rightful place as Judge Hardy. It's 4:32 am and I think I'm hooked on the students of Carvel High. Check out A Family Affair, you'll like it. Ted Turner must own the rights, so how about an Andy Hardy DVD box?