Andy Hardy Comes Home is pretty terrible. You know you're old when you can remember having seen an Andy Hardy film in the theater. I saw this with full knowledge of the Andy Hardy lore having seen them on TV. If anything this picture proves what Thomas Wolfe said about not being able to go home again.
However what is so interesting about this film is the default story about Andy Hardy wanting to bring an aircraft plant to Carvel against the objection of most of the town. This was done in the light of the complete faith of the time in favor of "progress". The objections of the towns people now seem eminently reasonable. What seemed to be progress now seems suicidal. The Carvels of this world were destroyed by exactly this type of development. Maybe sometimes the most bland film can be a significant social document over and above its quality as a film. Excruciating as drama or comedy, fascinating as social history.
However what is so interesting about this film is the default story about Andy Hardy wanting to bring an aircraft plant to Carvel against the objection of most of the town. This was done in the light of the complete faith of the time in favor of "progress". The objections of the towns people now seem eminently reasonable. What seemed to be progress now seems suicidal. The Carvels of this world were destroyed by exactly this type of development. Maybe sometimes the most bland film can be a significant social document over and above its quality as a film. Excruciating as drama or comedy, fascinating as social history.