LOVE FINDS ANDY HARDY

US, 1938, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone, Fay Holden, Cecilia Parker, Sara Haden, Judy Garland, Lana Turner, Ann Rutherford.
Directed by George B. Seitz.

Love Finds Andy Hardy is the fourth in the Hardy series. By now, Mickey Rooney gets top billing. The focus is on him, the ideal youth for audiences of the late 30s. The focus is still also on Lewis Stone's wise Judge Hardy. Mother, Aunt Milly, Marian are all still present - though in the background in this film, especially with mother having to go to her dying mother's bedside.

Of particular interest in this film is the presence of Judy Garland. She portrays Betsy Booth, daughter of a musical comedy star, whose grandmother lives next to the Hardys. She comes for the Christmas holidays. Andy considers her a girl. She is attracted by him. They become good friends, she is able to make everything right for the tangles Andy gets himself into. She also gets a nice dress, goes to the dance with Andy, sings two numbers and leads the grand parade. However, she gallantly bows out as Polly Benedict (Ann Rutherford) reappears on the scene.

Also in the supporting cast is Lana Turner as the arrogant and self-centred Cynthia. Infatuated by Andy, she is more concerned about herself and unbeknowingly is tricked by Betsy into separating herself from Andy.

The film shows the concerns of young people in the late 30s, the importance of the buying of the car, money, girls, relationships. There is also some ideal sound sense talked by Judge Hardy.

The film highlights the popularity of this kind of youth film in its time and the perpetuation of the ideal American family.