Life Begins for Andy Hardy (1941)

With his high school graduation behind him, Andy Hardy decides that as an adult, it's time to start living his life. Judge Hardy had hoped that his son would go to college and study law, ... See full summary »

Director:

George B. Seitz

Writers:

Agnes Christine Johnston, Aurania Rouverol (characters)

Stars:

Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Fay Holden

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Lewis Stone	...	Judge James K. 'Jim' Hardy
Mickey Rooney	...	Andrew 'Andy' Hardy
Fay Holden	...	Mrs. Emily Hardy
Ann Rutherford	...	Polly Benedict
Sara Haden	...	Aunt Milly Forrest
Patricia Dane	...	Jennitt Hicks
Ray McDonald	...	Jimmy Frobisher
Judy Garland	...	Miss Betsy Booth
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ralph Byrd	...	Father Gallagher (scenes deleted)
George M. Carleton	...	Florist (scenes deleted)
Frank Ferguson	...	Stationer (scenes deleted)
William Forrest	...	Commandant (scenes deleted)
William J. Holmes	...	Dr. Griffin (scenes deleted)
Gladden James	...	(scenes deleted)
Manart Kippen	...	Rabbi Strauss (scenes deleted)

Storyline

With his high school graduation behind him, Andy Hardy decides that as an adult, it's time to start living his life. Judge Hardy had hoped that his son would go to college and study law, but Andy isn't sure that's what he wants to do so he heads off to New York City to find a job. Too proud to accept any help from Betsy Booth, Andy finds that living on his own isn't so easy. With perseverance he eventually finds a job and even gets to date the pretty receptionist in his office. He also has to face several of life's lessons leading him to conclude that he may still have a bit of growing up to do.

---

Plot Keywords:

new york city | graduation | manhood | rooney and garland | singing telegram | 

---

Taglines:

Mickey woos! Judy sings! Best Hardy hit yet!

---

Genres:

Comedy | Romance

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 August 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

Andy Hardy Cava a Vida

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$401,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Loew's, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Four songs prerecorded by Judy Garland were not used in the film: Cole Porter's "Easy to Love" (available on the Rhino CD, "Judy Garland: Collectors' Gems from the M-G-M Films"); the patriotic "America (My Country Tis of Thee)" (written by Henry Carey and Samuel Francis Smith); plus two religious songs: "Abide with Me" and "The Rosary." Miss Garland's one musical moment in the release print was her unaccompanied rendition of "Happy Birthday to You" (music and lyrics by Mildred J. Hill and Patty S. Hill). The movie's original poster raves, "Mickey woos! Judy sings! Best Hardy yet!"

---

Quotes

Betsy Booth: Me, a child! Listen here, Andrew Hardy, my mother just bought me an evening dress that simply has no visible means of support!

---

Connections

Follows You're Only Young Once (1937)

---

Soundtracks

"The Hardy Series Theme Music"
Written by David Snell
Played at the start and end of the movie

User Reviews

A dreary movie, much different from other Andy Hardy movies.

I found this movie to be a tedious entry, so different from the other movies in the Hardy family series that it took me by surprise and disappointed me. It begins on the night the previous entry, "Andy Hardy's Private Secretary (1941)" ended -- high school graduation night. Andy (Mickey Rooney) has a month to apply for a scholarship to go to college, so he decides, with his family's reluctant blessing, to go to New York, get a job, and see what life is all about. Judy Garland lives there and keeps an eye on him, but her talents are totally wasted. Judy doesn't sing at all (unless you count the few lines of "Happy Birthday to You"); Mickey finds the school of hard knocks so trying it was painful to watch his plight, which included an attempted seduction of him by an older woman (Patricia Dane) and the death of a friend. I hardly laughed at any point of this somber movie. I might have enjoyed the movie more had I been forewarned that it is much more of a drama than a comedy.

The National Legion of Decency classified this movie as unsuitable for children because of Rooney's scenes with Dane and his man-to-man talks with his father (Lewis Stone) about fidelity to one's future wife, whoever she may be.