Andy Hardy's Private Secretary (1941)

Just perfect...

Better Late Then Never

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

An MGM Picture, copyright 17 February 1941 by Loew's Inc. U.S. release date: 21st February 1941. New York opening at the Capitol: 6 March 1941. Australian release: 18 December 1941. 10 reels. 9,090 feet. 101 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Andy is such a go-getting know-and-do-it-all in his last year at Carvel High that he flunks his graduation exam.NOTES: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented a Special Award to "Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio for its achievement in representing the American Way of Life in the production of the Andy Hardy series of films". (Presented at the 1942 Awards Ceremony).Kathryn Grayson's film debut.COMMENT: A screaming bore! In this one, the judge's homespun axioms, Rooney's frantic facial mugging and the cornball situations come uppermost. Seitz's direction is at its most monotonously routine. One prays for Miss Grayson to sing to relieve the tedium and when she does (finally) one is sorry one asked. Not her fault though! See her comment below.Worst horror of all, the film never seems to come to an end. Up with the land of the free is just another excuse for circular dialogue padding.Miss Grayson is not served well by MGM's tacky sound department, particularly in her "Mad Scene" from "Lucia di Lammermoor". Still, she has a certain youthful charm (which transcends her somewhat unattractive clothes), but all told it's not a particularly auspicious debut. Not her fault though. She agrees with me that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's sound department, under the leadership of Norma Shearer's brother, was a distinctly hit-or-miss affair. Mostly miss. "Douglas Shearer was actually a genius in reverse," Kathryn told me. "That man could take a 90-piece orchestra and make it sound like a tin whistle!"

About to graduate from Carvel High School, hopefully college-bound Andy (Mickey Rooney) becomes interested in helping a poor family. He even bounces a $280 check for the impoverished Lands, which is covered by Judge Hardy (Lewis Stone). Both judge and son try to help the family. They are under-employed service station mechanic Ian Hunter (as Steven Land), opera-singing daughter Kathryn Grayson (as Kathryn) and piano-playing son Todd Karns (as Harry). Andy goes as far as hiring Ms. Grayson as his "Private Secretary," which angers girlfriend Ann Rutherford (as Polly Benedict). Due to Andy's overly helpful machinations, he may not graduate...MGM often featured potential new stars in "Andy Hardy" films, herein they are Kathryn Grayson and Todd Karns. Obviously spotlighted, Ms. Grayson became a successful musical star. Her main style of singing is "sophisticated" opera, however, which may pierce some ears. This is acknowledged in the script, by a teen-aged "Andy" more interested in listening to the era's pop music. You don't jitterbug to Kathryn Grayson. "Private Secretary" is the first film in the series without big sister Cecilia Parker (as Marian), although she would still be pictured in the series introduction. While it became clearly "Andy Hardy", the series official title remained "Judge Hardy's Family".**** Andy Hardy's Private Secretary (2/21/41) George B. Seitz ~ Mickey Rooney, Kathryn Grayson, Lewis Stone, Todd Karns

Andy Hardy's Private Secretary (1941) ** (out of 4)Drawn-out tenth entry in the series finds Andy Hardy (Mickey Rourke) messing up some school banking records so his father (Lewis Stone) recommends him hire a poor girl (Kathryn Grayson) as his secretary. With Andy having so many things going on his loses site of some of his school work and ends up failing his final test, which means he won't be able to graduate. While all of this is going on the Judge is trying to get the poor girl's father a job but Andy manages to mess this up as well. This tenth entry doesn't have the greatest reputation but I actually enjoyed it less than many other reviews I've read. I don't think it's a horrible movie but at the same time it's missing the laughs and drama that the best films in the series have going for them. I think the biggest problem is the screenplay, which just seemed to have too much going on and the issues on hand just seem extremely forced on the viewer. The film starts off with Andy getting a lesson on what it's like to be poor but of course the Judge steps in and soon the poor family are on the path of a great life. Then, out of no where, Andy messes up and costs the family the job. We then flash towards another drama as Aunt Milly (Sara Haden) is forced to ruin Andy's future and life by failing him. I'm sure many might be willing to believe that the Aunt would fail Andy but I must admit that I really, really hated this entire subplot. I'm sure the film was trying to show the Aunt as an honest person by failing her own nephew but I still had a very hard time believing that she would do this. It's clear from previous films that the family is letting her stay with them and not for a second did I believe that she'd be willing to ruin her nephew's entire life over one single test. I also didn't care too much for the plot involving the father's search for a job because it seems the screenplay was just using it as a way to get Rooney and Grayson together. As you'd expect, Rooney and Stone are at the top of their game here as both deliver fine performances. Ian Hunter nearly steals the film as the girl's brother who is fighting for a scholarship and we get Fay Holden in one scene as mother. Ann Rutherford is fun as usual as the one and only Polly. ANDY HARDY'S PRIVATE SECRETARY isn't a really bad movie but at the same time I've come to expect more than what's offered up here.

If you love Mickey Rooney in his early days, and you can stomach all the "life lessons" of the Hardy series, you'll be all up for this one. Nobody will ever remember this film after they have watched it, but it gives you a warm fuzzy feeling while you're there (like all in this series does).Thankfully, there's no tap dancing in this one, but hang around, this series will cater to all needs. Judy is just around the corner, and you'll see her in the next episode.Anybody under 40 would be well served to ignore this, unless you are a serious film buff. No Judy Garland here, but all the basic Hardy elements are in place. Andy has girl trouble, Dad gives him solid advice, and all ends up well, just like always. The End.