Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever (1939)

Director:

W.S. Van Dyke

Writers:

Aurania Rouverol (characters)
Kay Van Riper (screenplay)

Release Date:

21 July 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

Young Andy develops a crush on his drama teacher. When his play is chosen as the school's annual production...

Plot Keywords:

Teacher | Crush | Judge | Aluminum | Real Estate

Cast

Lewis Stone	...	Judge James K. 'Jim' Hardy
Mickey Rooney	...	Andrew 'Andy' Hardy
Cecilia Parker	...	Marian Hardy
Fay Holden	...	Mrs. Emily 'Emmy' Hardy
Ann Rutherford	...	Polly Benedict
Sara Haden	...	Aunt Milly Forrest
Helen Gilbert	...	Miss Rose Meredith
Terry Kilburn	...	Harmon 'Stickin' Plaster' Higginbotham Jr.
John T. Murray	...	Don David
George P. Breakston	...	'Beezy' Anderson (as George Breakston)
Charles Peck	...	Tommy
Sidney Miller	...	Sidney Miller, Stage Manager
Addison Richards	...	Mr. George Benedict
Olaf Hytten	...	Mr. Harmon Higgenbotham Sr.
Erville Alderson	...	Henry, the Bailiff

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #5365) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

The seventh of sixteen Andy Hardy films starring Mickey Rooney.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble (1944)

The Appeal Is In The Innocence

This was my first look at Mickey Rooney''s "Andy Hardy" and it turned out to be best of the four Hardy films I have viewed. This one is the sixth installment of this series, and this is one time I agree with the critics who label this as one of the best, if not the best, in the series.

Rooney looked a tiny bit old to be playing a high school junior, but I guess with his boyish looks and short stature, filmmakers thought he could get away with it.

The appeal of this movie is the old-fashioned goodness and innocence of the time period. You certainly don't see characters portrayed like this in movies anymore. Yes, everyone here has flaws but all of them are still nice people who pull for each other. It's also refreshing to see a father and his son confide in each other. Lewis Stone makes for a good father (and judge) figure. This is certainly different from modern Hollywood which usually portrays Dad as no good.

The teacher whom Andy falls for is played by someone whom I am not familiar with, but was very impressed with: Helen Gilbert. She is another of these nice, pretty and wholesome people with has a wonderful way about her. She is the kind of strong moralled woman seen in nice movies of the 1930s and 1940s.

Yeah, it's a lightweight piece of fluff but it's so refreshingly innocent and different from today most stuff seen on film - in any era, frankly - that I recommend you give it look if this sort of thing appeals to you. I don't promise a memorable, exciting or profound film.....just an hour or two of going back in time and feeling good about people.