Judge Hardy's Children (1938)

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

How sad is this?

Best movie of this year hands down!

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

The plot to "Judge Hardy's Children" is very odd. Apparently, some folks in D.C. have been impressed with Judge Hardy and they invite him and his family to the capital in order to have the judge chair a committee. The children jump right into it, as Marian meets a man who appears infatuated with her and Andy hits it off with a French diplomat's daughter! Pretty weird stuff...especially since one of these people they meet has a hidden agenda. What it is and how it impacts Judge Hardy is for you to see.An interesting episode in a series that is usually very enjoyable...and this is no exception. Well worth seeing.

Third entry in MGM's wonderful Hardy series has Judge Hardy (Lewis Stone) taking the family to Washington DC. The Judge has been hired by the federal government to preside over a commission investigating utility monopolies. Soon he learns all about Washington's ugly side when lobbyists use the words of his daughter Marian (Cecilia Parker) to blackmail him. Meanwhile, Andy (Mickey Rooney) falls for a French diplomat's daughter.Lewis Stone is good as the stoic Judge, but Mickey Rooney is the scene stealer. He brings boundless enthusiasm and humor to the picture but he also handles the dramatic moments quite well. He really was one of the all-time greats. In one of the movie's best scenes, he shows a bunch of rich kids how to do the Big Apple. My favorite moments from this series were the great father-son talks Stone and Rooney had. They have a couple here, one where Judge takes Andy to visit Washington landmarks and lectures him on rebellion and another where Andy unintentionally helps a defeated Judge figure out how to fight back against a frame-up.Fay Holden is extremely likable as the somewhat addled Mrs. Hardy. Her best moment comes when she and the Judge talk about a time when Andy had diphtheria as a baby and almost died, followed shortly after by her father passing. These little sentimental moments are the kinds of things MGM did so well, particularly in this series. Cecilia Parker has the unenviable job of playing the most flawed Hardy, Marian. Some modern viewers might like her character the most because she was so flawed but she's easily my least favorite and I can't help but think part of that is due to Parker's performance. Marian and Andy make similar mistakes in this one but where Rooney makes Andy rootable, Parker's Marian comes across as difficult and petulant. Betty Ross Clarke makes the first of two appearances as Aunt Millie. I'm not sure why Sara Haden missed these two but she would return to the cast in Out West with the Hardys. Adorable Ann Rutherford shines in her few scenes ("Don't you ever think of anything else but grabbing people in dark corners and kissing them?"). Nice support from Jonathan Hale and Ruth Hussey as the villainous lobbyists.An enjoyable entry in the series, mixing comedy and drama with a heaping dose of life lessons. Some of the issues examined here are patriotism, insurrection, and putting on airs to impress people. Judge Hardy does a fair amount of soapboxing, per usual. Many today won't care for what he has to say. Heck many back then probably didn't. But these sorts of views, be they old fashioned or not, are never heard in films today. It's one of the many things I find refreshing and even fascinating about this series, and "Louis B. Mayer's America" in general.

In this installment of the Andy Hardy movies, Judge Hardy (Lewis Stone) is sent to Washington to act as chairman of a special committee about power company monopolies. Hardy's daughter is used in social circles to hear what the committee is thinking. Meanwhile, Andy (Mickey Rooney) falls in love...again...this time with the daughter of a French diplomat. The climax is the film is how the judge clears his name regarding the potential scandal on the committee.This is average or better in the series. Mickey Rooney is good, and we do get to see him cut a rug here. Lewis Stone is totally reliable as the judge and father, even correcting his own decisions when they are off base. Fay Holden is good as the mom, as is Cecilia Parker as Andy's sister. This time around it's Betty Ross Clarke as the aunt. Ann Rutherford again plays Polly Benedict, although she doesn't have much screen time.It's an interesting plot, and worth watching if you remember this venerable film series.

As this screenplay (based on characters created by Aurania Rouverol) is credited solely to Kay Van Riper, we now know who to blame for the judge's smart little speeches and his seemingly endless man-to-man talks. In this entry, Judge Hardy is called to Washington (a most unlikely scenario, but we'll let that pass) to head a commission on monopolies (at least that has the right Roosevelt flavor) for the handsome reward of $200 a day! The judge takes his family with him, of course. Mickey falls for a French girl while Marian is given a whirl by the villains, Hale and Hussey. Alas, this promising scenario is all but drowned in such a welter of verbiage, I unhesitatingly nominate this entry as the worst of the series, despite the valiant efforts of its players, and its attractive sets (Stan Rogers) and costumes (Jeanne).As usual, this one was yawnfully directed in a super bland style by George B. (for boring) Seitz.