JohnHowardReid An MGM Picture, copyright 18 July 1939 by Loew's Inc. Release dates: 21 July 1939 (U.S.A.); 25 December 1939 (U.K.). New York opening at the Capitol, 18 July 1939. Australian release: 12 October 1939. 9 reels. 7,683 feet. 85 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Andy falls for the new schoolteacher.NOTES: Number seven in the 16-picture "Hardy Family" series which garnered a special retrospective award in 1943 "for representing the American Way of Life".Film debut of Helen Gilbert. An extraordinarily lovely girl, Helen Gilbert was a cellist in the M-G-M studio orchestra and had recorded many a soundtrack before being discovered by producer Lou Ostrow. Although she never hit the big time, she did make more than a dozen movies over the years, including that staple of Saturday matinees, "Florian" (1940).COMMENT: This one starts as do most of the others, with Judge Hardy handing down some cracker-barrel wisdom in his court room. Then, as with the others, we go behind to the judge's chambers. There, the judge decides to pay some of his bills. The first on the list is the rates and taxes on some property the judge owns. The judge has no sooner signed the check then who should walk in the door, but two gentlemen interested in buying said property. This ridiculous start warns us straightaway that this entry is certainly not one of the better efforts in the series, although the presence of Helen Gilbert lends it a curiosity value and Lester White's photography is unusually attractive. But, as often happened, Lewis Stone is permitted to over-act in a most garrulous fashion. In fact, there is far too much talk altogether in the script. It is worth noting that George B. Seitz made such a hash of this one, MGM was not game to release it and Louis B. Mayor had to call in his favorite director, W.S. Van Dyke, who was asked to "doctor" it up. Van Dyke was not willing, but Mayor pleaded with him to take the assignment as a personal favor. All the same, Van Dyke's efforts have not been particularly successful, although he has made a game attempt to liven up the corny script with tracking shots and pans and much more stylish compositions than rabid Hardy fans are used to. And for once, production values are also top-notch, thanks to Van Dyke's influence with Louis B. Mayer.

tavm As before, once again Andy and Polly are on the outs after the beginning sequence, Andy falls for someone else, and then he comes back to Polly at the end. Previously, they were other teenage girls but here, it's a drama teacher who's several years older. Meanwhile, his dad gets involved in a deal that doesn't turn out well. I'll stop there and just mention that while there's some funny scenes, there's also some drama concerning Andy's crush on this teacher which is handled sensitively. (None of this Mary Kay Letourneau stuff here!) Mickey Rooney truly shines in portraying Andy as hurt when the pain comes. The man-to-man talks he does with Lewis Stone are even more compelling than before as a result. And the actress-Helen Gilbert-who played the teacher certainly has charms aplenty. In summary, Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever is another worthy series entry. P.S. This was the first entry to be directed by someone other than George B. Seitz. W.S. Van Dyke II did the duties here.

utgard14 It's spring and a young man's fancy turns to thoughts of love. We all know what that means for our favorite teenage heartthrob Andy Hardy. After Polly Benedict turns her attentions to a handsome naval officer, Andy is dejected. But that changes when he meets his pretty new drama teacher (Helen Gilbert) and falls head over heels for her. Meanwhile, two con men put one over on Judge Hardy. Nice continuity in this subplot involving the aqueduct land that figured prominently in an earlier Hardy film.The cast is great, as they always were in these movies. This is one of the best in the series for Mickey Rooney to showcase his acting chops. Lovely Helen Gilbert is terrific. Director Woody Van Dyke films her with an almost angelic glow about her. The plot of the teenage boy with a crush on his teacher is hardly original, even for the time, but it's handled with a remarkable sensitivity and maturity. That should come as no surprise to fans of this great series from MGM. All too often these movies are dismissed as corny sentimentalism but they're actually well written and acted dramas with touches of comedy and, yes, homespun Americana that is extinct today. Oh and dig that old-timey lawnmower Lewis Stone uses in one scene. Love little windows into the past like that.

ccthemovieman-1 This was my first look at Mickey Rooney''s "Andy Hardy" and it turned out to be best of the four Hardy films I have viewed. This one is the sixth installment of this series, and this is one time I agree with the critics who label this as one of the best, if not the best, in the series.Rooney looked a tiny bit old to be playing a high school junior, but I guess with his boyish looks and short stature, filmmakers thought he could get away with it. The appeal of this movie is the old-fashioned goodness and innocence of the time period. You certainly don't see characters portrayed like this in movies anymore. Yes, everyone here has flaws but all of them are still nice people who pull for each other. It's also refreshing to see a father and his son confide in each other. Lewis Stone makes for a good father (and judge) figure. This is certainly different from modern Hollywood which usually portrays Dad as no good.The teacher whom Andy falls for is played by someone whom I am not familiar with, but was very impressed with: Helen Gilbert. She is another of these nice, pretty and wholesome people with has a wonderful way about her. She is the kind of strong moralled woman seen in nice movies of the 1930s and 1940s.Yeah, it's a lightweight piece of fluff but it's so refreshingly innocent and different from today most stuff seen on film - in any era, frankly - that I recommend you give it look if this sort of thing appeals to you. I don't promise a memorable, exciting or profound film.....just an hour or two of going back in time and feeling good about people.