Director: GEORGE B. SEITZ. Original story and screenplay: Carey Wilson. Based on characters created by Aurania Rouverol. Photography: Lester White. Film editor: Ben Lewis. Art directors: Cedric Gibbons and Wade Rubottom. Set decorator: Edwin B. Willis. Music score: David Snell. Wardrobe: Vicki Nichols. Make-up: Neil Wakeman. Unit manager: Arthur Gerson. Props: Charles Ryan. Stills: Milton Brown. Assistant cutter: Ira Hyman. Head grip: H.E. Franzen. 2nd camera operator: Roy Clark. Assistant cameraman: Bob Gough. Construction manager: William Edmondson. Set continuity: Frank Myers. Gaffer: Robert Worl. Sound recording: Douglas Shearer. Sound mixer: William Steinkamp. Producer: Lou Ostrow.
Copyright 16 December 1939 by Loew's Inc. Presented by Metro- Goldwyn-Mayer. New York opening at Loew's Criterion, 17 January 1940. U.S. release: 22 December 1939. Australian release: 25 April 1940. 9 reels. 8,069 feet. 89½ minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Andy's mother gets sick. In Louis B. Mayer's favorite (and often referred-to) scene, Andy prays for her recovery.
NOTES: Academy Award, "for representing the American Way of Life".
COMMENT: This one, number 8 in the series, is loaded with sentiment, but is made passably entertaining by some ingratiating acting, particularly by Martha O'Driscoll as an unwilling adolescent.
As a matter of fact, the little mystery in which she's involved is very intriguing — and it's resolved in quite a credible fashion.
But the rest of the picture is rather prone to over-indulgent plotting and thesping, what with mom rushed to hospital, Andy finding himself hopelessly in debt (as usual), yet with more girls than he can handle (as usual).
Attractive photography lightens Seitz's heavy-handed direction. The studio is now investing the series with larger budgets and better production values.
OTHER VIEWS: The attitude of the whole film can be summed up by this sample snatch of dialogue: ANDY HARDY: You really don't like your own mother? GAWKY ADOLESCENT: I hate her! ANDY HARDY (shocked): You hate her? You hate your own mother?
Copyright 16 December 1939 by Loew's Inc. Presented by Metro- Goldwyn-Mayer. New York opening at Loew's Criterion, 17 January 1940. U.S. release: 22 December 1939. Australian release: 25 April 1940. 9 reels. 8,069 feet. 89½ minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Andy's mother gets sick. In Louis B. Mayer's favorite (and often referred-to) scene, Andy prays for her recovery.
NOTES: Academy Award, "for representing the American Way of Life".
COMMENT: This one, number 8 in the series, is loaded with sentiment, but is made passably entertaining by some ingratiating acting, particularly by Martha O'Driscoll as an unwilling adolescent.
As a matter of fact, the little mystery in which she's involved is very intriguing — and it's resolved in quite a credible fashion.
But the rest of the picture is rather prone to over-indulgent plotting and thesping, what with mom rushed to hospital, Andy finding himself hopelessly in debt (as usual), yet with more girls than he can handle (as usual).
Attractive photography lightens Seitz's heavy-handed direction. The studio is now investing the series with larger budgets and better production values.
OTHER VIEWS: The attitude of the whole film can be summed up by this sample snatch of dialogue: ANDY HARDY: You really don't like your own mother? GAWKY ADOLESCENT: I hate her! ANDY HARDY (shocked): You hate her? You hate your own mother?