VividSimon Simply Perfect

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Cristal The movie really just wants to entertain people.

mark.waltz Andy Hardy may have been the shining member of his class in Carvel, but when his family goes to New York with the Judge on business, he finds he can't take it on as he did the less sophisticated people in his home town. He has lied to his girlfriend Polly that he has made friends with a rising young New York débutante named Daphne Fowler (Diana Lewis). She expects evidence or will put a doctored picture of Daphne and Andy on the school's newspaper. I guess Polly had access to some pre-historic version of photo shop because she sends him a copy of the cover she intends to use unless he comes back with proof. In New York, Andy runs into old pal Betsy Booth (Judy Garland) whom he still considers a little girl. But two years have turned Betsy into a lovely teenaged girl and she has moved gracefully out of adolescence into being rather sophisticated herself. She looks like Jane Wyman in the later "Lost Weekend" in her leopard coat and hat. Of course, she still gets two songs belittling her attempts to find romance-"Alone" and "I'm Nobody's Baby". She adds some comic twists to the first song in order to get Andy's attention, and finally does when she starts swingin' to the latter. Andy finally opens his eyes to what he has been missing and sees his feelings for the débutante for the infatuation it was.As far as the other Hardy's, Andy and Marian don't argue all that much in this one which is a nice omission from the previous films, and Fay Holden's ma finally is the more gentle "would you care for more pie?" type mom rather than the lightly nagging wife she was in the beginning of the series. Sara Haden is back as Aunt Millie although she doesn't appear in the opening credits. She is actually more sympathetic to Andy than his parents are, while some of Lewis Stone's fatherly advice is laughably preachy. French born George P. Breakston is the little boy (whom Andy first assumes is a little girl) who is used in a silly plot twist involving Judge Hardy's attempts to keep funding for the Carvel orphanage from being stopped.I can't highly recommend this film other than for die-hard Judy fans. It's another MGM moral lesson from Louis B. Mayer's one-sided mind of what the American family should be, never has been, and never could be. The saving grace in this aspect of the film is that Andy does get himself into a shopping cart load of trouble and is less than the peppy All-American teenager Andy was in his home town. Look for references and a photo of Lana Turner's character Cynthia, who is mentioned several times, and referenced to no longer living in town.

ilprofessore-1 The Judy Garland many venerate today is the post-Plaza Theater (c.1951) Judy --damaged, pill-popping, alcoholic, overweight--the inspiration for female-impersonators everywhere because of her unique way of pouring out a broken heart in song while living life on the brink as Liza's mother. But the real Judy, the Judy who won America's heart back in the late 1930s is this incandescent teenager, eighteen years old at the time of this film. Those who find the later Judy's manner of acting and singing over-the-top, a bit vulgar, should listen here to the sheer beauty and purity of her soprano voice, her flawless enunciation and phrasing, her feeling for jazz, her utter simplicity. What's more she was a superb actress; witness the scene in the Central Park hansom cab with Mickey, so touchingly real and affecting. It is said that Stella Adler, who was to become Marlon Brando's teacher, but working for Arthur Freed at MGM at that time, was a great supporter of her amazing talent; perhaps Stella coached her acting. The story of this film is typically silly and dated but Judy and Mickey together are as always wonderful!

ccthemovieman-1 I always thought people were a little too cynical about these old Andy Hardy films. A couple of them weren't bad. Modern film critics are not ones who usually prefer nice to nasty, so goody-two shoes movies like these rarely get praiseNonetheless, I can't defend this movie either. You can still have an dated dialog but still laugh and cry over the story. Watching this, you just shake your head ask yourself, "how stupid can you get?" This is cornier than corny, if you know what I mean. It is so corny I cannot fathom too many people actually sitting through the entire hour-and-a-half.The story basically is "Andy" (Mickey Rooney) trying to get out of jam because he makes up some story about involved with some débutante from New York City as if that was the ultimate. People were a lot more social-conscious in the old days. You'd hear the term "social-climber" as if knowing rich or beautiful people was the highest achievement you could make it life. It's all utter nonsense, of course, and looks even more so today.However, it's about as innocent and clean a story and series (there were a half dozen of these Andy Hardy films made) as you could find. Also, if you like to hear Judy Garland sing, then this is your ticket, as she sings a couple of songs in here and she croons her way into Andy's heart. Oh man, I almost throw up even writing about this!

John McCulloch A movie made 60yrs ago, is still one of my favourites. If you want a light-hearted comedy, superbly acted & directed this may be the movie for you. Judy Garland was beautiful (as ever!) & her radiance in this film is one of the highlights. One could wax lyrical for ages about this film, but I won't. Just when you get the opportunity to view this film, do it. You won't be disappointed.