This old fashioned reunion of the surviving Andy Hardy cast came at a time when movie viewers wanted "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "Desire Under the Elms". On TV, Andy Hardy like family sitcoms were the thing with Donna Reed, Barbara Billingsley, Robert Young and Danny Thomas as the matriarchs and patriarchs with Judge Hardy attributes. But now the Judge (Lewis Stone) has passed on, and his widow (Fay Holden) continues to live in their old home with her sister (Sara Haden). Andy, now a lawyer in L.A. has come back to Carvel on a secret mission to try and arrange a deal to buy property for his company. At first, many of his old friends are ecstatic to see him, but after a greedy landowner reneges on his original offer of cheap land, Andy is accused of deceiving the citizens. Andy must then defend not only himself but his family's honor.
The years have matured not only Mickey Rooney, but his character of Andy Hardy as well. Other than a sequence where he keeps up with the young kid's dances by showing what he's capable of, this is a much less hyper Andy, now a devoted husband and father. Halfway through the film, his wife (Patricia Breslin) and children (which includes Rooney's real-life son Ted) come to town when it becomes apparent that Andy's business will keep him there longer. Throughout the film, there are references to Andy's old female friends as seen in flashbacks. While his old girlfriend Polly is only seen in an old MGM still, sequences show such now famous stars as Judy Garland, Lana Turner and Esther Williams in scenes from the early years of the series. Back, in addition to Haden and Holden, is Cecilia Parker as Andy's sister, looking more matronly and the mother of an extremely tall son cast obviously as a visual joke with the 5'2" Rooney.
The film's ending gives the impression that this could be the start of a new Andy Hardy series, but that would not happen. The ending brings though a nice little twist that wraps up the series very respectfully. Rooney is still working at this writing at the age of 90, which makes me wonder what Andy Hardy would be doing today as the patriarch of his family.
The years have matured not only Mickey Rooney, but his character of Andy Hardy as well. Other than a sequence where he keeps up with the young kid's dances by showing what he's capable of, this is a much less hyper Andy, now a devoted husband and father. Halfway through the film, his wife (Patricia Breslin) and children (which includes Rooney's real-life son Ted) come to town when it becomes apparent that Andy's business will keep him there longer. Throughout the film, there are references to Andy's old female friends as seen in flashbacks. While his old girlfriend Polly is only seen in an old MGM still, sequences show such now famous stars as Judy Garland, Lana Turner and Esther Williams in scenes from the early years of the series. Back, in addition to Haden and Holden, is Cecilia Parker as Andy's sister, looking more matronly and the mother of an extremely tall son cast obviously as a visual joke with the 5'2" Rooney.
The film's ending gives the impression that this could be the start of a new Andy Hardy series, but that would not happen. The ending brings though a nice little twist that wraps up the series very respectfully. Rooney is still working at this writing at the age of 90, which makes me wonder what Andy Hardy would be doing today as the patriarch of his family.